Hailey, Ron, Mandy, Hermione, and Michael made their way to the Owlery that evening to find Pigwidgeon. Hailey was going to send Sirius a letter telling him that she had managed to get past her dragon unscathed, except for getting a cut on her shoulder, but mostly unharmed. On the way there, Mandy and Hailey told Ron what Sirius had told them about Karkaroff.

Ron had seemed shocked at first about it, but when they reached the Owlery, Ron was now saying that they should've suspected it all along. "Fits, doesn't it? Remember what Malfoy said on the train, about his dad being friends with Karkaroff? Now we know where they knew each other. They were probably running around in masks together at the World Cup…I'll tell you one thing, though, Hailey, if it was Karkaroff who put your name in the goblet, he's going to be feeling really stupid now, isn't he? Didn't work, did it? You only got a scratch! Come here—I'll do it—"

Pigwidgeon was overexcited at the idea of a delivery, he was flying circles around Hailey's head, hooting nonstop.

Ron and Michael tried grabbing Pigwidgeon, but Ron finally managed to grab the tiny owl. Ron held the owl as Hailey tied a letter to Pig's leg.

"There's no way any of the other tasks are going to be that dangerous, how could they be?" Ron continued as he carried Pig to the window. "You know what? I reckon you could win this tournament, Hailey, I'm serious."

Hailey was sure that Ron was saying that to make up for his behavior over the last few weeks, but she appreciated it all the same. Hermione and Mandy were leaning against the Owlery wall.

Hermione crossed her arms and frowned at Ron. "Hailey's got a long way to go before she finishes this tournament. If that was the fist task, I hate to think what's coming next."

"Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you?" asked Ron. "You and Professor Trelawney should get together sometime." Mandy snorted at that.

Ron tossed Pig out the window and Pig plummeted. Michael inhaled sharply and tensed up, but relaxed when Pig pulled himself up. Hailey hadn't been able to resist giving Sirius a blow-by-blow account of how she got past the Horntail, so the letter was longer and heavier than usual.

They watched Pig disappear into the darkness.

Ron said, "Well, we'd better get downstairs for your surprise party, Hailey."

Hailey was confused, "What do you mean by 'surprise party'?"

"Fred and George were saying that once you get past the dragon, they were going to host a party for you," Hermione explained.

Hailey couldn't help but think that was really sweet of them.

"They should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now," Ron added.

They went down to the Gryffindor tower. When they entered the common room, it exploded with cheers and yells. Hailey was stunned at how much support she had from the Gryffindors.

There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface. Lee Jordan had set off some Filibuster's Fireworks so that air was thick with stars and sparks. Dean Thomas, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive banners, most of which depicted Hailey flying around the Horntail's head on her Firebolt, although a couple showed Cedric with his head on fire, which made Hailey cringe.

Mandy dove full-force for the food, and Hailey joined in with gathering. The two sat down with Ron, Hermione, and Michael.

Hailey couldn't believe how happy she was feeling because she had gotten Ron back on her side, she got through the first task, and she wouldn't have to face the second task for three months.

Lee Jordan picked up the golden egg that Hailey had left on a table when they went to the common room so Hailey can write her letter to Sirius. "Blimey, this is heavy," Lee Jordan said, holding the golden egg. "Open it, Hailey, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!"

"She's supposed to work out the clue on her own," Hermione stated. "It's in the tournament rules…"

"Cheating is part of the tournament," Michael said.

"I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own, too." Hailey whispered to Hermione, who grinned guilty, knowing that Hailey had a point.

"Yeah, go on, Hailey, open it!" several people called out.

Lee passed Hailey the egg and she dug her fingernails into the groove that wound all the way around it. Hailey pried it open, causing a loud and screechy wailing to fill the room. The nearest thing to the sound Hailey had ever heard was the ghost orchestra at Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party.

"Shut it!" Fred yelled, his hands over his ears.

Hailey slammed the egg shut and Seamus Finnigan said, "What was that? Sounded like a banshee. Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Hailey!"

"It was someone being tortured!" exclaimed Neville, who was pale. He spilled sausage rolls all over the floor. "You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!"

Hailey wondered why Neville was think that. George said, "Don't be a prat, Neville. They wouldn't sure the Cruciatus Curse on the champions. I thought it sounded a bit like Percy singing…maybe you've got to attack him while he's in the show, Hailey."

"Did he just imply that Percy sings in the shower?" Michael asked, turning to Hailey.

"Want a jam tar, Hermione?" asked Fred, offering a plate to Hermione. He was grinning and Hermione looked doubtfully at the tarts. "It's all right, I haven't done anything to them. It's the custard creams you've go to watch—"

Michael dropped the custard cream he was holding right at Neville bit into one. Neville choked and spat it out.

Fred laughed, "Just my little joke, Neville, Michael…"

Hermione took a jam tart and asked, "Did you get all this from the kitchens, Fred?"

"Yep," replied Fred, grinning. He used a high-pitched voice, "'Anything we can get you, sir, anything at all!'" He dropped the voice, "They're dead helpful…get me a roast ox if I said I was puckish."

"How do you get in there?" Hermione asked, trying to sound innocent.

"Easy," Fred explained, "concealed door behind a painting of a bowl of fruit. Just tickle the pear and it giggles and—" He trailed of and looked suspicious at Hermione, "Why?"

"Nothing," replied Hermione, quickly.

"Going to try and lead the house-elves out on strike now, are you?" asked George, walking up. "Going to give up all the leaflet stuff and try and stir them up into rebellion?"

Several people nearby laughed and Hermione didn't answer.

"Don't you go upsetting them and telling them they've got to take clothes and salaries!" warned Fred, "You'll put them off their cooking!"

Hailey watched as Neville turned into a large canary and several people started laughing.

"Oh, sorry, Neville!" called Fred over the laughter, "I forgot—it was the custard creams we hexed—"

"It's a good thing I didn't eat it then," Michael whispered in Hailey's ear.

Hailey felt her face heat up and watched as Neville molted, leaving feathers on the ground. Once he came back, totally normal, he joined in with the laughter. Hailey figured that it was better to laugh when you're the joke, than to get angry. Maybe she should follow Neville's way of thinking.

"Canary Creams!" Fred shouted to the crowd, "George and I invented them—seven Sickles each, a bargain!"


It was nearly one in the morning when they snuck out of the Gryffindor common room and headed to Ravenclaw Tower.

When Mandy and Hailey got upstairs to the dormitory, Hailey set the tiny model of the Hungarian Horntail on the bedside table, where it yawned, curled up, and fell asleep.

Hailey considered giving the model to Hagrid. It may not be a life-size dragon, but at least Hagrid got a danger-free dragon. She figured that dragons weren't that bad. They were all right.


The start of December brought wind and sleet. Every time Hailey passed the Durmstrang ship, Hailey was glad for the fires and thick walls because of the draftiness.

The Durmstrang ship was pitching in the high winds and the black sails billowed. Every time they passed the Beauxbatons carriage, Hailey wondered if it was chilly in there, too.

Hagrid was keeping Madame Maxime's Abraxans well provided with single-malt whiskey. The fumes wafted from the trough in the corner of their paddock made the entire Care of Magical Creatures class light-headed. The only downside to that was because they were still taking care of the skrewts and they needed to be on their toes with the creatures around.

On their lesson, Hagrid said, "I'm not sure whether they hibernate or not. Thought we'd jus' try an' see if they fancied a kip…we'll jus' settle 'em down in these boxes…"

There was ten skrews left, because their desire to kill one another hadn't left them. The skrewts were approaching six feet in length. They were the most repulsive thing Hailey had ever seen because of their thick grey armour, their powerful, scuttling legs, their fire-blashing ends, and their stings and their suckers.

The class seemed dispirited when they looked at the enormous boxes Hagrid brought out. The boxes were lined with pillows and fluffy blankets.

"We'll jus lead 'em in here, an' put the lids on, and we'll see what happens," Hagrid stated.

The skrewts didn't hibernate and didn't like being forced into pillow-lined boxes only to be nailed in. Somehow the skrewts broke free of the boxes and started rampaging around the smoldering box covered pumpkin patch, while Hagrid yelled at the class to not panic. Most of the class had fled into Hagrid's cabin and barricaded themselves in.

Hailey, Ron, Mandy, Michael, Hermione, and Stephen Cornfoot were among the ones who remained outside to help Hagrid restrain the skrewts. Together, at the cost of numerous burns and cuts, they finally restrained nine of the ten skrewts.

Ron and Hailey used their wands to shoot jets of fiery sparks at the remaining skrewt, who was advancing on them with its sting arched and quivering above it, even though Hagrid was telling them not to frighten the skrewt. To be honest, Hailey didn't care about the skrewt, because she was tired of taking care of the damn things. She didn't get the point on why they were taking care of the things.

"Jus' try an' slip the rope 'round his sting, so he won' hurt any o' the others!" Hagrid advised.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want that!" Ron shouted angrily as he and Hailey backed into the wall of Hagrid's cabin, still holding the screwt off with their sparks, while Mandy, Hermione, and Michael slowly and quietly made their way over to the skrewt.

"Well, well, well…this does look like fun."

Hailey almost groaned at the voice of Rita Skeeter. Skeeter was leaning on Hagrid's garden fence, looking at the mayhem. She was wearing a thick magenta cloak with a furry purple collar. She had her crocodile-skin handbag on one arm.

Hagrid suddenly launched himself forward right on the screwt, flattening it. A fire blash shot out of the skrewt's end, withering the pumpkin plants nearby.

"Who're you?" Hagrid asked Skeeter, as he took the rope from Michael's hand to tie it around the skrewt's sting.

Hagrid tightened the rope as Skeeter replied, "Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter," she was beaming.

"Thought Dumbledore said you weren' allowed inside the school anymore," replied Hagrid, frowning as he got off the slightly squashed skrewt. He started tugging it towards the other skrewts.

"What are these fascinating creatures called?" Skeeter asked, as though she hadn't heard Hagrid's response.

"Blast-Ended Skrewts," Hagrid grunted.

"Really?" asked Skeeter, full of interest. "I've never heard of them before…where do they come from?"

Hailey noticed a dull red flush rise up from Hagrid's beard. It dawned on Hailey, that she didn't know where the skrewts came from. There weren't in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, so where did Hagrid find the skrewts? It came to her, Hagrid had bred them.

"They're highly interesting," Michael said. "Right, Hailey?"

"What?" Hailey asked, "Oh, yeah," Hermione stepped on Hailey's foot, "ouch…interesting."

"Ah, you're here, Hailey!" Skeeter said, turning around to face Hailey. "So, you like Care of Magical Creatures, do you? One of your favourite lessons?"

"Yes," replied Hailey and Hagrid beamed at her.

"Lovely," said Skeeter, "Really lovely." She looked at Hagrid, "Been teaching long?"

Hailey saw Skeeter look over at Dean, Lavender, Seamus, and the cabin where most of the class was looking out the window to see if it was safe to come out.

"This is o'ny me second year," replied Hagrid.

"Lovely…I don't suppose you'd like to give an interview, would you? Share some of your experience of magical creatures? The Prophet does a zoological column every Wednesday, as I'm sure you know. We could feature these—er—Bang-Ended Scoots."

"Blast-Ended Skrewts," Hagrid corrected. He sounded eager, "Er—yeah, why not?"

Hailey had a terrible feeling about it, but she couldn't find a way to tell Hagrid anything with Skeeter standing there. All she could do was stand and watch as Hagrid and Skeeter made plans to meet down in the Three Broomsticks for the interview. The bell rang up at the castle, signaling the end of the lesson.

"Well, good-bye, Hailey!" Skeeter called happily to her as the five set off to the castle. "Until Friday night, then, Hagrid!"

"She'll twist everything he says," Hailey told them under her breath.

"Well, hopefully he didn't illegally import those skrewts or anything," Mandy said. "But knowing him…"

"Hagrid's been in loads of trouble before, and Dumbledore's never sacked him," said Ron in a consoling voice. "Worst that can happen is Hagrid'll have to get rid of the skrewts. Sorry…did I say worst? I meant best."

They laughed at that, and cheerfully went to lunch.

For once, Hailey enjoyed double Divination that afternoon with Ron. They were still doing star charts and predictions, but now that she and Ron were friends again, the whole thing seemed funny again.

Even though Professor Trelawney was pleased when they predicted their own horrific deaths, quickly became irritated when they sniggered through her explanation of the various way in which Pluto could disrupt everyday life.

In a mystical whisper that didn't mask her annoyance, Trelawney said, "I would think that some of us," she said it to Hailey, in a meaningful tone, "might be a little less frivolous had they seen what I have seen during my crystal gazing last night. As I sat here, absorbed in my needlework, the urge to consult the orb overpowered me. I arose, I settled myself before it, and I gazed into its crystalline depths…and what do you think I saw gazing back at me?"

"An ugly old bat in outsize specs?" Ron muttered under his breath to Hailey and Mandy.

Hailey fought hard to keep her face neutral while Mandy looked down to conceal her laughter.

"Death, my dears," Trelawney continued. Parvati and Lavender both covered their mouths with their hands, and looked horrified. Padma was looking bored and annoyed.

"Yes," said Professor Trelawney, nodding impressively. "It comes, ever closer, it circles overhead like a vulture, ever lower…ever lower over the castle…" She looked pointedly at Hailey, who yawned very widely and obviously.

After the lesson was finished, they left the attic, into fresh air.

"It'd be a bit more impressive if she hadn't done it about eighty times before," Hailey said. "But if I'd dropped dead every time she's told I'm going to, I'd be a medical miracle."

"You'd be a sot of extra-concentrated ghost," said Ron, laughing, as they passed the Blood Baron, who was going in the opposite direction. The Baron's wide eyes were staring in the distance in a sinister way. "At least we didn't get homework. I hope Hermione and Michael got loads off Professor Vector, I love not working when they do…"

Hailey was slightly offended on Michael's behalf. "He loves extra work."

Strangely enough, Hermione and Michael weren't at dinner or in the library when they looked for them afterward. The only person in there was Viktor Krum. Hailey considered asking him if he'd seen Hermione and Michael, but couldn't bring herself to bother him. Ron hovered behind the bookshelves for a while, watching Krum. He debated with Hailey about whether he should ask for an autograph—but when Mandy pointed out that there were seven girls lurking one row behind them, doing the same thing, Ron lost his enthusiasm for the idea. They left to head to the Gryffindor Tower to drop Ron off.

"Wonder where they're gone off to?" Ron stated as they reached Gryffindor Tower.

"Dunno," Hailey said, wondering that too. The idea that Michael would willingly run off with Hermione annoyed her.

"Balderdash," Ron stated.

The Fat Lady started to swing open when there was the sound of running feet behind them.

"Hailey!" Hermione said, panting. She and Michael came to a stop beside them. "Hailey, you've got to come—you've got to come, the most amazing thing's happened—please—" Hermione grabbed Hailey's arm and started to drag her back along the corridor.

"What's the matter?" Hailey asked.

"It's hard to explain, we have to show you," Michael said.

Hailey turned back to look at Ron and Mandy, both were looking intrigued.

"Okay," Hailey said, started to go down the corridor with Hermione and Michael, Mandy and Ron hurrying to keep up.

"Oh, don't mind me!" the Fat Lady called irritated after them. "Don't apologize for bothering me! I'll just hang here, wide open, until you get back, shall I?"

"Yeah, thanks!" Ron shouted over his shoulder.

Hermione and Michael led them down the six floors, towards the marble staircase into the entrance hall.

"What do you two want to show us?" Hailey asked, growing frustrated over the lack of answers.

"You'll see, you'll see in a minute!" exclaimed Hermione excitedly.

They turned left at the bottom of the staircase and towards the door which Cedric Diggory had gone through the night the goblet spat out Hailey and Cedric's names. Hailey remembered that they had never gone through that door before. They followed Hermione and Michael down a flight of stone steps, but instead of ending up in an underground passage like the one that led to Snape's dungeon, they ended up in a broad stone corridor, brightly lit with torches and decorated with cheerful paints of food.

Hailey realized that Hermione was leading them to the kitchens.

"What?" Hermione asked, turning around to look at Hailey. Hermione was looking like she was anticipating something.

"I know what this about," Hailey said. Of course it had something to do with S.P.E.W. it was no surprise.

"Hermione!" said Ron, catching on. "You're trying to rope us into the spew stuff again."

"No, no, I'm not!" Hermione said hastily. "And it's not spew, Ron—"

"Changed the name, have you?" asked Ron, frowning at Hermione. "What are we now, then, the House-Elf Liberation Front?"

"That's actually not bad," Michael said.

Ron continued, as if he didn't hear Michael, "I'm not barging into that kitchen and trying to make them stop work, I'm not doing it—"

"I'm not asking you to!" Hermione said, impatiently. "We came down here just now, to talk to them all, and I found—oh come on, Hailey, we want to show you!"

Michael went to tickle the green pear, which began to squirm, chuckling, and then turned into a large green door handle. Hermione grabbed Hailey's arm, dragged her to the door, as Michael pulled the door open. Hermione pushed Hailey hard in the back, forcing her to go inside the kitchens.

"There was no reason to push her," Michael said to Hermione.

Hailey saw a enormous, high-ceilinged room, large as the Great Hall above it. There were mounds of glittering brass pots and pans heaped around the stone walls, and a great brick fireplace at the other end. Something small hurtled toward her from the middle of the room. "Hailey Potter, miss! Hailey Potter!"

The wind had been knocked out of Hailey as the squealing elf hit him hard in the midriff, hugging her so tightly; she thought her ribs would break.

Hailey gasped, "D-Dobby?"

"It is Dobby, miss, it is!" squealed the voice from somewhere around Hailey's navel. "Dobby has been hoping and hoping to see Hailey Potter, miss, and Hailey Potter has come to see him, miss!"

Dobby let go and stepped back a few paces, beaming up at Hailey, his enormous, green, tennis-ball-shaped eyes brimming with tears of happiness. He looked almost exactly as Hailey remember him; the pencil-shaped nose, the bat-like ears, the long fingers and feet—all except the clothes, which were very different.

Dobby had worn a fifthly old pillowcase when he worked for the Malfoys. Now, he was wearing a tea cozy for a hat, which was pinned with a number of bright badges. He wore a tie that was patterned with horseshoes. He had on a pair of children's soccer shorts, and odd socks. One of the socks was a black one Hailey had removed from her own foot and tricked Mr Malfoy into giving to Dobby, thereby setting Dobby free. The other sock was covered in pink and orange stripes.

"Dobby, what're you doing here?" Hailey asked, in amazement.

"Dobby has come to work at Hogwargts, miss!" Dobby squealed excitedly. "Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs, miss!"

"Winky?" asked Hailey, a little dazed. "She's here too?"

"Yes, miss, yes!" answered Dobby. He seized Hailey's hand and pulled her off into the kitchen between the four long wooden tables that stood there. Each of the tables was positioned exactly underneath the four House tables above in the Great Hall. The tables were clear of food, because dinner had finished, but Hailey suspected that the tables had been laden with dishes that were sent up through the ceiling to their counterparts above, an hour ago.

There was a hundred elves standing around the kitchen, beaming, bowing, and curtsying as Dobby led Hailey past them. They were all wearing the same uniform: a tea towel stamped with the Hogwarts crest, and tied like a toga, as Winky's had been.

Dobby stopped in front of the brick fireplace and pointed, "Winky, miss!"

Winky was sitting on a stool by the fire. Her neat little skirt and blouse with a matching blue hat, which had holes in it for her large ears. It looked like Winky wasn't taking care of her clothes, because there were soup stains all down her blouse and there was a burn in her skirt.

"Hello, Winky," Hailey greeted.

Winky's lip quivered and she burst into tears, which splashed down her front, as they had done at the Quidditch World Cup.

"Oh, dear," said Hermione, as she, Ron, Mandy, and Michael appeared behind them, to the end of the kitchen. "Winky, don't cry, please don't…"

Winky cried harder than ever, but Dobby ignored that by beaming up at Hailey.

Dobby squeaked loudly over Winky's sobs, "Would Hailey Potter like a cup of tea?"

"Er—yeah, okay," said Hailey.

Six house-elves came trotting up behind her, bearing a large silver try laden with a teapot, cups for the five Hogwarts students, a milk jug, and a large plate of biscuits.

Ron looked impressed, "Good service!" Hermione frowned at him, but the elves looked delighted, and they bowed very low and retreated.

"How long have you been here, Dobby?" Hailey asked as Dobby handed the tea around.

"Only a week, Hailey Potter, miss!" exclaimed Dobby happily. "Dobby came to see Professor Dumbledore, miss. You see, miss, it is very difficult for a house-elf who has been dismissed to get a new position, miss, very difficult indeed—"

Winky howled even harder.

"Dobby has traveled the country for two whole years, miss, trying to find work!" Dobby squeaked. "But Dobby hasn't found work, miss, because Dobby wants paying now!"

Hailey noticed that the other house-elves looked away at what Dobby said.

Hermione said, "Good for you, Dobby!"

"Thank you, miss," Dobby said grinning at the Gryffindor. "But most wizards doesn't want a house-elf who wants paying, miss. 'That's not the point of a house-elf,' they says, and they slammed the door in Dobby's face." Dobby explained and Hailey felt bad for him on that. Dobby continued, "Dobby likes work, but he wants to wear clothes and he wants to be paid, Hailey Potter…Dobby likes being free!"

Hailey noticed that the Hogwarts house-elves started edging away from Dobby. Winky stayed where she was at and sobbed louder.

"And then, Hailey Potter, Dobby goes to visit Winky, and finds out Winky has been freed too, miss!" exclaimed Dobby delightedly.

Winky threw herself off her stool, face-down on the flagged stone floor. She started hitting her fists on the ground and screamed with misery. Hermione and Mandy went to go try to soothe Winky.

Dobby continued, shouting over Winky's screeches, "And then Dobby had the idea, Hailey Potter, miss! 'Why doesn't Dobby and Winky find work together?' Dobby says, 'Where is there enough for two house-elves?' says Winky. And Dobby thinks, and it comes to him, miss! Hogwarts! So Dobby and Winky came to see Professor Dumbledore, miss, and Professor Dumbledore took us on!" He was beaming and happy tears were welling in his eyes again. "And Professor Dumbledore says he will pay Dobby, miss, if Dobby wants paying! And so Dobby is a free elf, miss, and Dobby gets a Galleon a week and one off a month!"

"That's not very much!" Hermione shouted indignantly over Winky's scream and fist-beating.

Dobby looked at Hermione, "Professor Dumbledore offered Dobby ten Galleons a week and weekends off." He shivered as if that was frightening, "but Dobby beat him down, miss…Dobby likes freedom, miss, but he isn't wanting too much, miss, he likes work better."

Hermione looked at Winky and kindly asked, "And how much is Professor Dumbledore paying you, Winky?"

Winky stopped crying and sat up to glare at Hermione. Winky's face was sopping wet and she looked furious. "Winky is a disgraced elf, but Winky is not yet getting paid! Winky is not sunk so low as that! Winky is properly ashamed of being freed!"

Hailey guessed Hermione has a point. The house-elves' mentality was a little concerning.

"Ashamed?" asked Hermione blankly. "But—Winky, come on! It's Mr Crouch who should be ashamed, not you! You didn't do anything wrong, he was really horrible to you—"

"You is not insulting my master, miss! You is not insulting Mr Crouch! Mr Crouch is a good wizard, miss! Mr Crouch is right to sack bad Winky!" Winky screeched, covering the holes in her hat.

"Winky is having trouble adjusting, Hailey Potter!" squeaked Dobby. "Winky forgets she is not bound to Mr Crouch anymore, she is allowed to speak her mind now, but she won't do it."

Hailey nodded in understanding, "Right." She knew that house-elves were bound to secrecy and silence. They have to uphold their masters' honour, even if it was horrible, like the Malfoys.

"Professor Dumbledore told Dobby he does not insist upon this. Professor Dumbledore said we is free to—to—" Dobby whispered, "He said we is free to call him a—a barmy old codger if we likes, miss!" He gave a frightened sort of giggle. He started speaking normally again, "But Dobby is not wanting to, Hailey Potter. Dobby likes Professor Dumbledore very much, miss, and is proud to keep his secrets and our silence for him."

"You can still say anything you want about the Malfoys, right?" Hailey asked.

Dobby looked slightly fearful at that, "Dobby—Dobby could. Dobby could tell Hailey Potter that his old masters were—were—bad Dark wizards!"

"I knew it," Mandy said.

Dobby stood, shivering all over, horror-struck at his own bravery. He rushed over and started hitting his head on the nearest table, shouting, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

Hailey grabbed Dobby's tie and pulled him away from the table. "Thank you, Hailey Potter, thank you," Dobby sounded breathless and rubbing his head.

"You just need a bit of practice," Hailey responded.

"Practice!" squealed Winky, furiously. "You is ought to be ashamed of yourself, Dobby, talking that way about your masters!"

Hailey looked at Ron and Michael, who were standing very awkwardly away from the mess.

"They isn't my masters anymore, Winky! Dobby doesn't care what they think anymore!" exclaimed Dobby defiantly.

Winky had tears leaking down her face again. She moaned, "Oh, you is a bad elf, Dobby! My poor Mr Crouch, what is he doing without Winky? He is needing me, he is needing my help! I is looking after the Crouches all my life, and my mother is doing it before me, and my grandmother is doing it before her…oh, what is they saying if they knew Winky was freed? Oh, the shame, the shame!" She buried her face in her skirt again and bawled.

"Winky," stated Hermione, "I'm quite sure Mr Crouch is getting along perfectly well without you. We've seen him, you know—"

"You is seeing my master?" asked Winky breathlessly. She raised her face out of her skirt and goggled at Hermione. "You is seeing him here at Hogwarts?"

"Yes," said Hermione, "he and Mr Bagman are judges in the Triwizard Tournament."

"Mr Bagman comes too?" squeaked Winky, but she looked angry again, to everyone's surprise, "Mr Bagman is a bad wizard! A very bad wizard! My master isn't like him, oh, no, not at all!"

"Bagman—bad?" asked Hailey, confused. It was odd because Bagman seemed friendly to her.

"Oh, yes," Winky said, nodding. "My master is telling Winky some things! But Winky is not saying…Winky—Winky keeps her master's secret…" She broke into tears again, "Poor master, poor master, no Winky to help him no more!"

At that, they left her to her crying and finished their tea, while Dobby chatted happily, "Dobby is going to buy a sweater next, Hailey Potter!" He pointed at his bare chest.

Ron, who seemed to have taken a liking to Dobby, said, "Tell you what, Dobby. I'll give you the one my mum knits me this Christmas; I always get one from her. You don't mind maroon, do you?" Dobby looked delighted. "We might have to shrink it a bit to fit you, but it'll go well with your tea cozy."

When they prepared to leave, many surrounding elves pressed it upon them, offering snacks to take back upstairs. Hermione refused, looking pained when the elves kept bowing and curtsying. Hailey and Ron loaded their pockets with cream cakes and pies, while Mandy and Michael took some cream cakes. Hermione gave Mandy a disapproving look.

"Thanks a lot!" Hailey said to the elves who were clustered around the door to say good night.

"Yeah, thanks," Michael and Mandy said.

"See you, Dobby!" added Hailey.

"Hailey Potter…can Dobby come and see you sometimes, miss?" Dobby asked, sounding unsure.

"'Course you can," said Hailey and Dobby beamed.

They left the kitchens and started climbing the steps into the entrance hall again. "You know what? All these years I've been really impressed with Fred and George, nicking food from the kitchens—well, it's not exactly difficult, is it? They can't wait to give it away!"

"I think this is the best thing that could have happened to those elves, you know," said Hermione, leading the way back up the marble staircase. Hailey was confused, but Hermione continued, "Dobby coming to work here, I mean. The other elves will see how happy he is, being free, and slowly it'll dawn on them that they want that too!"

"Let's hope they don't look too closely at Winky," said Hailey.

Michael chuckled at that and Hailey got a warm feeling knowing that she made him laugh.

"Oh, she'll cheer up," said Hermione, even though she sounded doubtful. "Once the shock's worn off, and she's got used to Hogwarts, she'll see how much better off she is without that Crouch man."

Ron started in on a cream cake, "She seems to love him."

"She doesn't seem to be fond of Bagman, though," Mandy said. "I wonder what Crouch says about him at home."

"Probably says he's not a very good Head of Department," stated Hermione. "And let's face it…he's got a point, hasn't he?"

"I'd still rather work for him than old Crouch," said Ron. "At least Bagman's got a sense of humour."

"Better not let Percy hear you say that," Michael said.

Ron was starting to eat a chocolate éclair, "Yeah, well, Percy wouldn't want to work for anyone with a sense of humour, would he? Percy wouldn't recognize a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing Dobby's tea cozy."

Hailey couldn't help but laugh because it was good to have Ron back.