BACKSTAIRS AT HOGWARTS
Chapter Three - Winky Gets a Job



Winky rushed to the owlery where she dispatched Madame Pomfrey's letter with an enormous gray owl whose wingspan must have been at least six feet. She watched as he gained speed and altitude, then she extended one finger and took careful aim. There was a loud BANG, and the bird disappeared from sight.

About fifteen seconds later, the somewhat confused but very happy owl found himself over the suburbs north of London. It normally would have taken him hours to cover that distance, but he remembered his duty, and continued on to Doctor Augen's house and office.

Back at Hogwarts, Winky's eyes where bright with a determination not seen in months as she left the owlery. However, instead of going to her quarters, she made her way to the library. There, she very carefully and quietly wandered through the stacks until she spotted what she was looking for.

Hermione was at a corner table with books piled around her, as usual. Winky approached quietly.

In a very soft squeak, Winky began "Miss... miss, may Winky speak to you?"

Hermione was a little startled but quickly answered "of course you may..... Winky??!" After a better look, she added "you look very nice Winky."

"Miss is very kind," responded Winky.

"What did you wish to speak to me about?" Hermione asked.

Quickly, Winky recounted the day's events. Hermione was horrified.

"They told us there was an accident in the kitchens, but I had no idea it was that serious! And you say Dobby was hurt the worst of all?"

Winky looked down, a tear forming in one eye. "Yes, miss."

"Harry will want to know about this," Hermione said as she began closing her books, all thoughts of studying forgotten.

"You is telling Harry Potter, miss?" Winky asked.

"Yes of course I will. Harry is very fond of Dobby."

"Oh, thank you, miss! Miss is very kind!"

"Winky, you don't have to call me 'miss.' My name is Hermione."

"Yes, Miss Hermione."

"No, without the 'miss.' Just plain 'Hermione.'"

Tears began to flow down Winky's cheeks.

"Now what's wrong?" asked Hermione, have I offended you?"

"No, Miss-- Hermione is very good to Winky. Winky is a bad elf when Miss Hermione is being kind to her before, and Winky is very sorry."

"Please don't worry about it, Winky, but that's not all that's upsetting you, is it?" Hermione asked.

"No... no... Miss, it isn't."

"You can tell me, Winky," Hermione said kindly.

"Winky is so scared in case Dobby is not getting better. Dobby's eyes is hurt bad.... Mistress Pomfrey is having Winky send an Owl to a doctor in London who is treating serious eye problems."

"You're afraid Dobby might be blind?"

Sobbing harder, Winky answered "yes..." in a quavering voice.

Hermione reached out and grabbed Winky, hugging her close. She was easily able to pick her up and hold her like a child. She gently patted Winky's head until the worst of her crying was over.

She set Winky down and said "Winky, we know that Dobby is getting the best care available. You should get some rest now so you can help Madam Pomfrey with her work. I'm leaving right now to tell Harry what happened."

She gathered up her books and moved towards the door. Winky ran ahead and held the door open for her. "You don't have to do that, Winky," she started to say but switched to a simple "thank you, Winky" when she saw the happy expression on Winky's face.

"Thank YOU, Miss Hermione" Winky said, then dropping a deep curtsey before she hurrying off.

Hermione silently reflected that "Miss Hermione" was probably as informal as Winky would ever get, so she should drop the matter. She quickened her pace towards the Gryffinodor tower, gave the Fat Lady the password, and climbed into the common room. She spotted Harry and Ron sitting near the fire. Ron was playing exploding snap, and Harry was half-heartedly reading a large textbook.

Ron looked up as she approached and said "uh-oh." He recognized the set, determined expression on her face, which usually meant they were in for a lecture or be told to do something they really didn't want to.

She set her stack of books down and said, slightly out of breath, "I've just had a visit from Winky."

"Winky? Dobby's friend?" Harry asked. "I hope you didn't go on with that SPEW stuff with her! Is she still wailing her head off and getting potted on butterbeer?"

"Well, for your information, I didn't say anything about SPEW, and she definitely is very upset, but not how you think. In fact, I almost didn't recognize her. She and her clothes were immaculate."

"Really? So why is she upset?" Ron asked.

"Well, you remember when Dumbledore told us there was a mishap in the kitchen this afternoon, and dinner wasn't up to its usual standards?"

"Yes," both Harry and Ron answered.

"Well, it was more than just a slight mishap.... the chain holding a big pot came loose and at least a dozen elves were scalded with hot soup, several of them very seriously. And... and Dobby was hurt the worst of all."

Harry felt a lurch in the pit of his stomach. Over time he had become attached to Dobby, and hated the idea of him suffering. "How bad is 'worst of all?'" he asked.

"Well, she told me that he was scalded on several parts of his body, but the big worry is his eyes. Madame Pomfrey has apparently sent a letter to London asking for advice from an eye specialist."

Harry's stomach took another lurch. Dobby's enormous green eyes were his most distinguishing feature. The idea of him not being able to see with them was too awful for Harry to contemplate.

"I'm going to see him right now!" Harry said.

"Visiting hours are over now, Harry" Hermione said. I doubt if Madame Pomfrey would let you in."

"I'm going anyway," Harry said, running towards the portrait hole.

At the hospital wing, he learned Hermione was right. Madame Pomfrey came to the door, but wouldn't let him in.

"Dobby's sleeping now. I had a very difficult time getting him settled down, and he can't be disturbed!"

"May I check back in the morning, Madame Pomfrey?" Harry asked.

"Yes you may," Madame Pomfrey answered, "but if he's sleeping I won't disturb him then, either!" With that, she shut the door in Harry's face.

Harry had difficulty sleeping that night himself. A little bleary-eyed, he sat down to have breakfast the next morning with Ron and Hermione.

"Do you want to come see Dobby with me? We have a free period after breakfast."

"Of course we do," Hermione answered.

When they had finished eating, the three trooped off to the hospital wing.

Madame Pomfrey had already had an interesting and somewhat puzzling morning. When she first entered the ward, she discovered to her amazement that every bed had already been changed, the floor scrubbed until it shown, and fresh flowers next to each bed. Shortly after that, the owl Winky had sent to London arrived with Dr. Augen's letter. She was reading it as Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the hospital wing. She nodded to them, indicating it was alright for them to go in.

In one corner they noticed a small child-sized cot which had already been made up with precision. Near it, they spotted Winky standing on a chair next to Dobby's bed. The head of the bed had been raised so that he was sitting up, and Winky was carefully feeding him his porridge.

Harry had seen Dobby in bandages before, but what made it so horrible this time was the fact that Dobby's eyes were heavily bandaged along with everything else.

"Harry Potter, sir!" Winky said as she saw him.

Dobby sputtered on his porridge, but managed to squeak "Harry Potter, sir! You has come to see Dobby??"

"Yes, Dobby, I'm here and so are Ron and Hermione."

"Harry Potter's friends is here also?? Mr. Wheezy and Miss Grainer are too good to Dobby!" He started to struggle and squirm as if he was trying to get out of bed.

"Dobby!" Winky squeaked sharply, "you has to stay in bed. If you trys to get up, I is going to sit on you, I is!"

Dobby slumped back, and it was immediately apparent that even this minor effort had tired him greatly.

"Dobby," Harry said, "Winky is right. You have to rest or you won't get better. Now is there anything you need? Anything we can get you?"

"Harry Potter is asking Dobby if he needs anything!" Dobby squeaked, a single tear rolling out from under the bandages on his eyes.

At this time Madame Pomfrey arrived, carrying two small jars. "Dobby," she said, we're going to change your treatment a little. A very great doctor in London has advised me to use this new ointment."

She waved her wand and dimmed all the lights, then carefully unbandaged Dobby's eyes. "It's very important that your eyes stay closed, Dobby, so what I'm putting on first is a kind of glue. You won't be able to open them until after the glue is removed in about a week. The good part of this plan is that the new ointment can be rubbed onto your eyelids instead of put directly in your eyes. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Madame Pomfrey allowed the three of them to remain while she started the new treatment. Winky stood next to her on a chair, passing bandages, instruments, and jars of ointment as they were needed. As this was going on, Ron noticed Dobby's clothes in a heap on a chair. They were a wet, wrinkled mess.

When Madame Pomfrey had finished re-bandaging Dobby's eyes, Ron spoke.

"Dobby, we're going to take your clothes and get them cleaned up for you. We'll return them as soon as we can."

"Mr. Wheezy, sir, you is not having to do that for Dobby," came a rather weak voice from the bed.

"No arguments, Dobby. We're going to just do it."

Harry added "yes, Dobby, we'll make sure they get back to you. It's time for us to go now, but we'll be back to see you again as soon as we can."

Dobby's little body shook with emotion as he squeaked "Harry Potter, Mr. Wheezy and Miss Grainer is the greatest and most generous wizards and witch Dobby has ever known!"

All three of them blushed deeply as they turned to leave.

As she was returning to her office, Harry asked Madame Pomfrey if he could speak to her. She sat down and indicated a chair next to her desk.

"Madame Pomfrey," he asked, "can you tell me just how serious the situation is?"

"Well, I'll be blunt. His eyes were scalded very badly. The rest of his body is healing already, but the eyes still worry me. I received an owl from Dr. Augen in London this morning recommending the different treatment, which as you can see, I have already started. What I don't understand is how I got the answer back so quickly. I only sent the owl last night, and the soonest I was expecting it was sometime tonight."

At this point Winky, who had followed Harry, suddenly became very interested in a potted plant which was in a nearby corner.

Madame Pomfrey glanced at Winky through the corner of one eye before continuing. "We'll keep up this treatment for a week, then unstick his eyelids. With luck he'll still be able to see, but his eyes will need to be shielded from bright light for several more weeks."

"How are you going to do that? Harry asked.

"At this point, I have no idea. I'm more interested in the immediate treatment." She gave Harry a look that told him the interview was over.

As the stood up to leave, he asked "do you have a ruler I could borrow for a few minutes, Madame Pomfrey?"

She gave him a somewhat puzzled look, but pulled a ruler out of her desk drawer and handed it to him.

"Thank you. I'll be right back."

Dobby had fallen back into an exhausted sleep, and Harry was careful not to disturb him as he carefully took a number of measurements and wrote them down on a scrap of parchment.

In a few minutes he returned the ruler and rejoined Ron and Hermione where they were waiting near the door.

"What were you doing" Hermione asked.

"Oh, just taking some measurements. You'll see."

In the hall, Harry told Ron and Hermione that he had to write a letter, but would catch up with them in time for their first class. About thirty minutes later, Hedwig soared out of the owlery, headed south as fast as she could fly.

Over the next few days all the house elves except for Dobby were released from the hospital wing. Harry, Ron and Hermione visited him every day, and could see that the burns on his body were healing very well and that his strength was returning. Madame Pomfrey said that she planned to remove the eye glue and bandages on Saturday. She also gave them permission to be present when it happened.

On Friday morning, Hedwig swooped into the Great Hall with the other owls and dropped a small package in Harry's lap.

"Just in time!" He exclaimed.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"Wait and see," Harry answered.

Ron was somewhat annoyed, but was able to see part of the return address on the package, which said "Oswald's Optics, Diagon Alley."

After breakfast the next morning, they all walked to the hospital wing and found Madame Pomfrey had turned down the lights and was preparing to unglue Dobby's eyes. As they gathered around the bed, Hermione realized that Winky was trembling. She took hold of Winky's hand to comfort her.

All his other bandages were gone already, and Dobby was wearing the smallest pajamas that they had been able to find. Madame Pomfrey unwound the bandages from his eyes, then gently tapped the tip of Dobby's long nose with her wand. His eyelids fluttered open, and he blinked several times.

Finally his eyes focused. "Harry Potter!" he squealed, and had to be restrained from jumping out of bed. He looked around the room excitedly and exclaimed "Mr. Wheezy! Miss Grainer! You is come to see Dobby also!" Tears of joy began to spill from his huge eyes.

Ron stepped forward to hand Dobby his clothes, which were now immaculate and neatly folded. "Thank you Mr. Wheezy sir!" Dobby squealed.

"It's really Pinky you should be thanking, Dobby. She seems to be able to work magic with clothes."

"Dobby must get dressed," the elf squeaked. They is needing him in the kitchens and he has been gone too long!"

"Just a minute, Dobby," Madame Pomfrey said. "Remember I warned you that we're going to have to protect your eyes from bright light, and I'm not quite sure how we're going to do that yet."

"Madame Pomfrey, I think I have something that will work. May I help Dobby get dressed?" Harry asked.

"Well alright, I suppose," Madame Pomfrey said a little uncertainly. She pulled the curtains around the bed, hiding Harry and Dobby from view.

Everyone standing outside the curtain heard rustling noises and the sound of a chair being moved. Suddenly an enormous squeal of delight nearly deafened them. A second squeal of only slightly lower volume came shortly after that.

"Thank you, thank you, Harry Potter sir! You is so good to Dobby!"

Finally, Harry pulled the curtain back and announced with mock seriousness "ladies and gentleman," I present to you Dobby, the house elf!"

Dobby stepped from behind Harry in his familiar maroon sweater, tie, and soccer shorts, but what startled everyone was his face. His eyes were now hidden behind huge sunglasses with maroon lenses at least three inches in diameter, matching his sweater. The frames were lime green, and had sparkling sliver stripes running down the ear pieces. It was very evident the glasses had been designed specifically for him, and it became clear why Harry had been taking measurements and receiving secretive packages.

Glancing down, everyone noticed something else. Dobby was wearing two new socks. One was maroon with green stripes, and the other was green with maroon stripes to match his glasses.

Dobby was speechless with joy, tears of happiness streaming down his cheeks. He threw his arms around Harry and hugged him so hard Harry thought he could hear his ribs creak. Dobby then quickly went around and hugged everyone else in turn.

Finally, Dobby found his voice. "Dobby spent many years working for a family of bad, dark Wizards." Involuntarily he started to say "Bad Dob--" and was about to smack himself on the head when Ron caught his hand, preventing it.

"Thank you, Mr. Wheezy sir," he continued. "A family of dark wizards who treated Dobby very bad. Dobby had heard tell that there were good Wizards and Witches, but did not really know it until he met Harry Potter. Now he has met Harry Potter's friends, and knows that they also is good and kind!" Then he burst into tears of happiness again.

Everyone, including Madame Pomfery, was a little red-faced. His tears subsiding somewhat, Dobby asked "may Dobby return to the kitchens now?"

"Yes, you may," Madame Pomfrey told him. Just remember to keep on your sunglasses anytime you're near bright light, and also remember that I need to see you again in about a week to make sure everything is still alright."

Madame Pomfrey turned to Winky. "Winky, you may go with Dobby and pick up your belongings."

"Winky has very few belongings," she answered. "What is you wishing her to do with them ma'am?"

"Bring them back here. Your room will be at the far end of the ward."

"Madame Pomfrey is wanting Winky to keep working here?" squeaked Winky.

"Of course. Your talents are totally wasted in the kitchens. And I'd be especially appreciative of them the next time I need to send an Owl."

Winky squealed with delight. After a quick bow and curtsey, she and Dobby hurried out.

As Harry, Ron, and Hermione stepped out into the hall, Hermione looked to see which way the elves had gone. "Did you notice they were holding hands?" she asked.