Chapter 14 - Owl Wars and Finding Dobby
Draco awoke before the others the next morning and took Gregory's letter to the owlery. He chose a snowy white owl that didn't look anything like his own, which was sitting on his shoulder, pecking at his ear. It wouldn't do for Mr. Goyle to know that the letter was from him. He swatted impatiently at his owl.
"Grypes, cut it out! I can't use you for this." The snowy owl blinked at him and held still as he tied the letter to her outstretched leg, then took off into the morning sky. Draco's eagle owl clucked angrily at him and pecked his ear again hard before taking off up into the rafters. He held his bleeding ear and was about to go back downstairs when the door burst open again. The only remaining Slytherins at Hogwarts tromped into the owlery. Draco swiftly hid behind the door.
He watched as Crabbe tied a letter to his owl and left again sniggering stupidly, followed by the younger student whose name Draco couldn't remember. When the door slammed shut behind him, Draco called Grypes back down from the ceiling.
"Stop that owl, Grypes, and bring the letter back to me." The bird shrieked and flew off. Draco waited. Less than ten minutes later, Grypes came back with Crabbe's owl dangling limply in his claws. He dropped it on the floor at Draco's feet, and landed heavily on his shoulder. Draco grimaced. The owl was dead. He took the letter.
"Drop it over the forbidden forest," he whispered, pointing at Crabbe's owl. When Grypes was gone again, he ran quickly to the Great Hall and grabbed a plate of fruit before heading back to the Divination classroom. The Gryffindors were already awake, but no one spoke to him as he sat down in front of his tent to read Crabbe's letter. When he'd finished, he tossed it angrily into the embers of their fire, where it caught flame quickly. He watched it burn, not noticing that Hermione had come over and sat down beside him until she reached up with a cloth to wipe his ear.
Instinctively he grabbed her wrist hard, making her squeal. Ron stood abruptly. Draco let her go, and glared back at Ron. "Well it hurt!" he said finally as Ron sat back down.
Hermione was laughing quietly and he turned toward her and took the cloth, pressing it firmly to his ear, as if to prove that he could handle the pain. This only made Harry laugh as well. He glared around at them for a moment, then ducked back into his tent. He fully intended to ignore them.
"I guess ferret boy just can't take the pain," Ron said, causing Hermione to laugh even louder. Draco's wand appeared from the tent flap. An instant later a bright red squirrel appeared where Ron had been, and Hermione stopped laughing abruptly. Harry, on the other hand, was rolling on the floor and clutching his sides. Draco sat back down and smirked, pulling the cloth from his ear. It was drenched in blood. Grypes had really gotten him this time. There was probably a chunk missing. He figured he'd better go see Madam Pomfrey after all.
Harry stuck his head into Draco's tent. "Yuck, we'd better get you up to the hospital wing! First, though, turn Ron back. Hermione doesn't know how and she's getting a bit anxious." Draco rolled his eyes and followed him over to where Hermione was trying to calm Ron down. He was running back and forth over her legs and chattering excitedly. Draco grabbed him and squeezed a bit, ignoring the creature's claws and teeth.
"It could be worse, you know. You could be getting badly bruised while I bounce you around the room." The squirrel calmed down immediately and Draco smirked again. "I thought you'd see it my way." He let the squirrel fall heavily to the floor and waved his wand at it, stepping back. A moment later, Ron appeared, with a sulky look already on his face. "Not nearly as funny when it's you, is it Weasley?" Draco asked coldly. Without another word he turned and walked out, kicking his plate of fruit across the floor.
Ron glared at Harry, who had only just managed to control his laughter. "What? You're the one who brought it up!" Harry said. He shook his head and got up to follow Draco.
"Malfoy, wait!" Draco continued to walk quickly, keeping his face impassive as Harry caught up to him. "Why did you burn your letter to Goyle?"
"I didn't. I burned Crabbe's letter to Goyle." Harry looked shocked, but Draco didn't much want to explain.
"Did something happen in the owlery?" Harry asked finally. They were nearly to the hospital ward now. Draco didn't answer. Instead, he pushed open the door forcefully and let Madam Pomfrey clean up his ear.
When they were alone in the corridor again, Harry following him silently, Draco told him the story of what had happened in the owlery. He omitted the fact that Grypes had killed Crabbe's owl, thinking that perhaps that would be more than Harry could stomach. It was almost more than he himself could stomach, to be honest.
"What did his letter say?" Harry asked quietly.
"It said to stay away from me, just like I told him to stay away from Crabbe." Draco said. "I'm lucky that I thought to use that white owl instead of my own, or Grypes wouldn't have been able to go after the letter for me." He saw Harry smiling. Hedwig was the only snowy owl in the school, so far as Harry knew. He thought it was ironic that Draco had unknowingly used his owl.
"What?" Draco asked.
"Nothing. I'm starving, and your breakfast is scattered all over the Divination classroom. Let's eat." Harry led the way to the Great Hall, but Ron and Hermione met them before they arrived.
"Dobby brought us some breakfast, so we wouldn't have to eat in the Hall." Hermione said, smiling.
"Dobby?! What's he doing here?" Draco asked in surprise. Ron's eyes were wide, and Hermione had put her hand over her mouth. She'd forgotten that Dobby had belonged to the Malfoys before he'd been freed by Harry.
"He works here now, gets paid and everything," Harry said. He tried to keep from smirking. He didn't want Draco to think he'd freed Dobby out of spite. He had only been trying to help the poor elf.
"Is he still there? Or has he gone back to the kitchens? You know how to get into the kitchens, don't you?" Draco looked at Hermione, who nodded slowly.
"Well, yes, but - Dobby ran back to the kitchen pretty quickly. I'm not sure that he wants company today," she said delicately. She exchanged a glance with Ron. Neither of them thought that Dobby would want anything to do with Malfoy after the way he had been treated when he worked for Lucius. Draco caught the look and understood immediately.
"You think I beat him like my father did," he said quietly. He turned sharply and went into the Great Hall. This time no one followed him.
He sat down at the first available seat. It didn't matter to him which House's table it was. He took out a quill and quickly drew the Malfoy family crest on a red napkin. When he'd finished, he traced a small D in the upper left corner. Then, he placed it on a clean plate and cast a switching spell to send the contents of the plate down to the plate that was in the kitchen, one floor below. It was the same spell they used to clean the plates each night. He'd read about it in Hogwarts: A History. Then he waited. It was only a few minutes before Dobby ran into the Hall and took him by the hand.
"Young master, you is not to be talking to Dobby, no you isn't! What will master be saying!"
"It doesn't matter what father says, Dobby. I'm not going home anymore."
Dobby squealed happily and prodded Draco to get up. He smiled wanly and followed the house elf to the kitchens. Dobby made sure that Draco had the best of everything, just as he had tried to do when he served the Malfoy family. Draco and Dobby had been two of a kind in that house. Both beneath Lucius' notice, and neither worthy of anything but contempt. It was nearly dinner time when Draco finally left the kitchen. He had a feeling that he would be spending a good bit of time there. House elves are pleasant company. They never accuse you of anything, and they're always happy to listen to anything you have to say. He had really missed Dobby when Potter had freed him.
When he got back to his tent the others had already gone to the start of term feast and he was grateful. He lit the campfire and sat down to do the Potions essay that was due after the holiday. Classes started again tomorrow, after all, and Professor Black was turning out to be every bit as strict as Snape. He also showed a lot less favoritism.
Draco awoke before the others the next morning and took Gregory's letter to the owlery. He chose a snowy white owl that didn't look anything like his own, which was sitting on his shoulder, pecking at his ear. It wouldn't do for Mr. Goyle to know that the letter was from him. He swatted impatiently at his owl.
"Grypes, cut it out! I can't use you for this." The snowy owl blinked at him and held still as he tied the letter to her outstretched leg, then took off into the morning sky. Draco's eagle owl clucked angrily at him and pecked his ear again hard before taking off up into the rafters. He held his bleeding ear and was about to go back downstairs when the door burst open again. The only remaining Slytherins at Hogwarts tromped into the owlery. Draco swiftly hid behind the door.
He watched as Crabbe tied a letter to his owl and left again sniggering stupidly, followed by the younger student whose name Draco couldn't remember. When the door slammed shut behind him, Draco called Grypes back down from the ceiling.
"Stop that owl, Grypes, and bring the letter back to me." The bird shrieked and flew off. Draco waited. Less than ten minutes later, Grypes came back with Crabbe's owl dangling limply in his claws. He dropped it on the floor at Draco's feet, and landed heavily on his shoulder. Draco grimaced. The owl was dead. He took the letter.
"Drop it over the forbidden forest," he whispered, pointing at Crabbe's owl. When Grypes was gone again, he ran quickly to the Great Hall and grabbed a plate of fruit before heading back to the Divination classroom. The Gryffindors were already awake, but no one spoke to him as he sat down in front of his tent to read Crabbe's letter. When he'd finished, he tossed it angrily into the embers of their fire, where it caught flame quickly. He watched it burn, not noticing that Hermione had come over and sat down beside him until she reached up with a cloth to wipe his ear.
Instinctively he grabbed her wrist hard, making her squeal. Ron stood abruptly. Draco let her go, and glared back at Ron. "Well it hurt!" he said finally as Ron sat back down.
Hermione was laughing quietly and he turned toward her and took the cloth, pressing it firmly to his ear, as if to prove that he could handle the pain. This only made Harry laugh as well. He glared around at them for a moment, then ducked back into his tent. He fully intended to ignore them.
"I guess ferret boy just can't take the pain," Ron said, causing Hermione to laugh even louder. Draco's wand appeared from the tent flap. An instant later a bright red squirrel appeared where Ron had been, and Hermione stopped laughing abruptly. Harry, on the other hand, was rolling on the floor and clutching his sides. Draco sat back down and smirked, pulling the cloth from his ear. It was drenched in blood. Grypes had really gotten him this time. There was probably a chunk missing. He figured he'd better go see Madam Pomfrey after all.
Harry stuck his head into Draco's tent. "Yuck, we'd better get you up to the hospital wing! First, though, turn Ron back. Hermione doesn't know how and she's getting a bit anxious." Draco rolled his eyes and followed him over to where Hermione was trying to calm Ron down. He was running back and forth over her legs and chattering excitedly. Draco grabbed him and squeezed a bit, ignoring the creature's claws and teeth.
"It could be worse, you know. You could be getting badly bruised while I bounce you around the room." The squirrel calmed down immediately and Draco smirked again. "I thought you'd see it my way." He let the squirrel fall heavily to the floor and waved his wand at it, stepping back. A moment later, Ron appeared, with a sulky look already on his face. "Not nearly as funny when it's you, is it Weasley?" Draco asked coldly. Without another word he turned and walked out, kicking his plate of fruit across the floor.
Ron glared at Harry, who had only just managed to control his laughter. "What? You're the one who brought it up!" Harry said. He shook his head and got up to follow Draco.
"Malfoy, wait!" Draco continued to walk quickly, keeping his face impassive as Harry caught up to him. "Why did you burn your letter to Goyle?"
"I didn't. I burned Crabbe's letter to Goyle." Harry looked shocked, but Draco didn't much want to explain.
"Did something happen in the owlery?" Harry asked finally. They were nearly to the hospital ward now. Draco didn't answer. Instead, he pushed open the door forcefully and let Madam Pomfrey clean up his ear.
When they were alone in the corridor again, Harry following him silently, Draco told him the story of what had happened in the owlery. He omitted the fact that Grypes had killed Crabbe's owl, thinking that perhaps that would be more than Harry could stomach. It was almost more than he himself could stomach, to be honest.
"What did his letter say?" Harry asked quietly.
"It said to stay away from me, just like I told him to stay away from Crabbe." Draco said. "I'm lucky that I thought to use that white owl instead of my own, or Grypes wouldn't have been able to go after the letter for me." He saw Harry smiling. Hedwig was the only snowy owl in the school, so far as Harry knew. He thought it was ironic that Draco had unknowingly used his owl.
"What?" Draco asked.
"Nothing. I'm starving, and your breakfast is scattered all over the Divination classroom. Let's eat." Harry led the way to the Great Hall, but Ron and Hermione met them before they arrived.
"Dobby brought us some breakfast, so we wouldn't have to eat in the Hall." Hermione said, smiling.
"Dobby?! What's he doing here?" Draco asked in surprise. Ron's eyes were wide, and Hermione had put her hand over her mouth. She'd forgotten that Dobby had belonged to the Malfoys before he'd been freed by Harry.
"He works here now, gets paid and everything," Harry said. He tried to keep from smirking. He didn't want Draco to think he'd freed Dobby out of spite. He had only been trying to help the poor elf.
"Is he still there? Or has he gone back to the kitchens? You know how to get into the kitchens, don't you?" Draco looked at Hermione, who nodded slowly.
"Well, yes, but - Dobby ran back to the kitchen pretty quickly. I'm not sure that he wants company today," she said delicately. She exchanged a glance with Ron. Neither of them thought that Dobby would want anything to do with Malfoy after the way he had been treated when he worked for Lucius. Draco caught the look and understood immediately.
"You think I beat him like my father did," he said quietly. He turned sharply and went into the Great Hall. This time no one followed him.
He sat down at the first available seat. It didn't matter to him which House's table it was. He took out a quill and quickly drew the Malfoy family crest on a red napkin. When he'd finished, he traced a small D in the upper left corner. Then, he placed it on a clean plate and cast a switching spell to send the contents of the plate down to the plate that was in the kitchen, one floor below. It was the same spell they used to clean the plates each night. He'd read about it in Hogwarts: A History. Then he waited. It was only a few minutes before Dobby ran into the Hall and took him by the hand.
"Young master, you is not to be talking to Dobby, no you isn't! What will master be saying!"
"It doesn't matter what father says, Dobby. I'm not going home anymore."
Dobby squealed happily and prodded Draco to get up. He smiled wanly and followed the house elf to the kitchens. Dobby made sure that Draco had the best of everything, just as he had tried to do when he served the Malfoy family. Draco and Dobby had been two of a kind in that house. Both beneath Lucius' notice, and neither worthy of anything but contempt. It was nearly dinner time when Draco finally left the kitchen. He had a feeling that he would be spending a good bit of time there. House elves are pleasant company. They never accuse you of anything, and they're always happy to listen to anything you have to say. He had really missed Dobby when Potter had freed him.
When he got back to his tent the others had already gone to the start of term feast and he was grateful. He lit the campfire and sat down to do the Potions essay that was due after the holiday. Classes started again tomorrow, after all, and Professor Black was turning out to be every bit as strict as Snape. He also showed a lot less favoritism.