Chapter 4 – Dobby's Warning

What if Harry heeded Dobby's warnings about not returning to Hogwarts after his First Year?

Author's Note: This is actually the first chapter of a short story that has yet to be finished, so you might see it again in another story.

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Harry listened to the conversation between the Dursleys and their dinner guests, the Masons from his small bedroom, where he was supposed to be pretending he didn't exist. He heard a small sound and turned around only to gasp in astonishment. On his bed was a small creature with large bat-like ears and huge eyes wearing a dirty pillowcase.

"er – hello," said Harry nervously, recognizing the little fellow must be part of the wizarding world. "Who are you?

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby, the house elf," the creature responded.

Harry nodded. "I'm happy to see you, but my relatives are having company, and I have to be very quiet. Why are you here?"

"Oh, yes sir," Dobby replied earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, sir…it is difficult, sir…Dobby wonders where to begin…"

"Well, sit down and tell me about it," Harry began and then added urgently as the house elf gasped, "but very quietly. We have to be quiet."

"Yes sir, Harry Potter," the house elf responded more quietly. "Dobby has come to warn the great Harry Potter that he must not go back to Hogwarts!"

"W..what? Why? Staying here is awful. I'm counting the days until I can leave," Harry whispered harshly.

"But surely Harry Potter is safe here," asked Dobby. "If Harry Potter goes back to Hogswarts, he will be in mortal danger!"

Harry paused at that and stared at the sincerely intense little creature. He obviously believed what he was saying. After being confronted with a murderous troll, a bucking broom, a three-headed dog and a possessed professor, Harry had started taking his safety seriously and decided to probe further. "Why would I be in mortal danger, Dobby?"

The house elf twisted the dirty pillowcase it wore in distress. "There is a plot, Harry Potter, sir. A terrible plot. Harry Potter must not put himself in peril. He is too important, sir!"

Harry sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to him. He shushed the little creature before it could exclaim about being offered a seat. After a few moments of thinking, he asked, "Dobby, do you know what happened last year at Hogwarts?"

The little house elf shook his head, causing his ears to flap a bit.

"Someone let a troll in to the school, and it nearly killed my best friend and could have killed me. Then someone cursed my broom so that it tried to shake me off when I was fifty feet in the air." Dobby's large eyes widened even further, but before he could exclaim, Harry continued. "On top of that, the Potions Master hates me with a passion and is a terrible bully. And I finally found out that my Defense professor was actually possessed by Voldemort!" Dobby squeaked in fear at the name. "It was Voldemort that let in the troll and cursed my broom and tried again to kill me at the end of the year! So could anything be worse than that?"

The house elf opened and closed his mouth several times. "Dobby didn't know that Harry Potter had gone through that much in his very first year. Dobby is very sorry." The little guy's huge eyes seemed to fill with tears so Harry hastily said, "It's OK, Dobby. I survived. So don't you think I can survive the coming year too?"

"It will be very bad, Mister Harry Potter, sir. Very very bad. What if Harry Potter has used up all his good luck, and only bad luck remains?" The little creature appeared to be near tears in his misery.

That gave Harry pause. If after hearing everything he had gone through last year, the elf still thought this coming year would be "very very bad", that sounded pretty scary. And what if Dobby was right and he had used up all his good luck? He had to admit that he had been very fortunate to survive everything that had happened.

"Dobby, I don't have many options," he said slowly to the upset looking elf. "My relatives don't actually like me much. I would probably be in just as much danger here as at Hogwarts."

Dobby's eyes widened to impossible proportions. "Harry Potter's relatives don't treat Harry Potter well?" he asked in astonishment. "Is that why Harry Potter is upstairs in a small bedroom rather than sharing dinner with his relatives and their guests?"

"Yes, Dobby. I do all the cooking and cleaning and yard work when I'm here. I don't ever remember a time here at the house when I've eaten enough to be full. Tonight, they're entertaining business associates of my uncle, and I'm up here under orders to pretend that I don't exist. Does that sound like they treat me well?"

In horrified astonishment, Dobby gasped, "Master Harry Potter, sir is treated like a house elf? Sir spends all day cooking and cleaning and staying invisible?"

"Pretty much," admitted the twelve year old boy.

"But Master Harry Potter, sir isn't bound to his relatives?" This seemed to be an important point to the house elf.

"They're my guardians…I don't know if that means I'm bound to them. And you can just call me Harry," he added.

"Harry Potter, sir is very kind to Dobby," the house elf said with a teary smile. "Dobby will check for bonds." He waved his hand and seemed to peer closely at the human boy. "Ma…Harry Potter, sir is not magically bound to his relatives. But Master Harry Potter, sir is having several very weak bonds."

"What?" Harry abruptly remembered to lower his voice as he had almost shouted out in surprise and the Masons weren't supposed to know he was here. "What do you mean that I have several weak bonds? Why? To who?"

"Harry Potter, sir has bonds to house elves," the little elf responded, sounding envious.

"But, I've never even seen a house elf before you," Harry protested. "You're the first I've ever met!"

"House elves can be bound to a family," Dobby explained. "Dobby's parents were bound to a family, so when Dobby was born, he was automatically bonded as well. Harry Potter, sir's family is very old. They would have had elves."

"I didn't know," Harry said softly. "What can I do? How do I know they're OK, and not hungry or sick?"

Tears spilled from Dobby's large eyes and rolled down his cheeks. "Harry Potter, sir is so very kind and thoughtful. Never has Dobby seen a Master so concerned for his elves." He sniffed loudly.

"It's OK, Dobby," Harry said uncomfortably. He patted the little guy on his shoulder awkwardly to console him.

Dobby sniffed again and then said, "Harry Potter's elves will always hear their Master. Harry Potter, sir only needs to summon his elves to him and they will come."

"Really? Wow, that's impressive." Harry opened his mouth to call any elves bound to the Potter family and then abruptly shut it. "Unfortunately, I can't try to call them. My relatives or their guests might hear." He looked around the tiny room and added, "Plus, I don't know if they would fit in this room." There was barely room to walk around the bed.

"Dobby can help," the elf exclaimed. He snapped his fingers and the room glowed briefly. He snapped them again, and the room began to expand.

"Whoa, won't they see or hear that downstairs?" Harry gasped.

"Dobby was first silencing the room and only then made it grow," he explained. The room appeared to triple in size.

"Now Harry Potter, sir only needs to summon his elves, and they will come," Dobby stated.

"OK," Harry said nervously, not quite sure what to say. "Um…I wish any house elf bonded to me or the Potter family would come here...if they are able."

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With small pops, three house elves appeared, one wearing coveralls and two wearing crisp pillowcases. All three bore an elaborate design on the right side.

"Master Harry?" all three cried in unison. Harry noticed that they were trembling in excitement.

"Hi," the boy said shyly. "I'm Harry Potter." He pointed to Dobby and said, "This is Dobby. I didn't know there were house elves bonded to me or my family until he told me."

The oldest looking house elf nodded at the newly introduced elf. "Rory be thanking Dobby then," he said. "Long have we been waiting for Master Harry to call us."

"Thank you, Dobby," the other two agreed with a smile and a nod of appreciation.

"Master Harry," the older house elf said, bowing deeply, "I be Rory, the head elf of Potter Lodge." He pointed to the younger elf in the pillow case and continued, "This be Blossom, she is cook and helps clean Potter Lodge."

The female elf smiled broadly at the boy and curtsied. "Very happy is Blossom to greet Master Harry," she said.

Rory pointed at the house elf in coveralls and added, "This be Samuel; he maintains the Potter Lodge grounds."

The third house elf bowed deeply, "Very happy to greet Master Harry Potter, sir is Samuel."

Harry smiled and said, "Well, I'm very happy to meet all of you and apologize for not knowing about you before today. So the first thing I need to do is ask whether you are all OK and whether you need anything from me?"

The house elves smiled broadly at the compassion their master showed. "Potter Lodge is has everything it needs, Master Harry," Rory explained. "All food is grown there, so we have no needs. Master Charlus called it 'self-sustaining.' Now, what can we be doing for Master Harry is the important question?"

Before Harry could respond, Dobby jumped in. "Harry Potter is living with nasty relatives that lock him in, make him cook and clean everything, just like a house elf, only Harry Potter is not being able to use magic. Dobby learned today that Harry Potter, sir, almost died many times at Hogwarts due to nasty dark wizard that killed Harry Potter's parents. Maybe Rory can suggest a better place for Harry Potter to live and be safe?" He looked at Rory expectantly.

The three Potter elves looked at their young master in horror. Rory exclaimed, "Master Harry is being treated like a house elf? Master Harry is not having the magics to work that much!" The other two elves nodded so rigorously that their ears flapped. The three looked at each other and each gave a brief nod. "Potter Lodge belongs to Master Harry Potter, and we," he nodded to the other elves, "will take very good care of Master Harry and keep him safe. Master Harry's grandparents portraits are there, and they can offer advice about school with nasty dark wizard."

Harry blinked and tried to take in what Rory had said. He had a lodge staffed by three house elves and there was a portrait of his grandparents there. His grandparents! "My Grandfather's and Grandmother's portraits," he asked softly, "Do they speak?"

Rory nodded and bowed. "Yes, Master Harry. Master Charlus Potter, young Master James' father, has his portrait in the study. Mistress Dorea Potter also has a portrait there. They will be happy to speak with Master Harry and offer advice. Should Blossom pack Master Harry's belongings?" He looked around the room with a small frown at the poor bed, rickety desk and shabby belongings.

Harry blink and tried to think. He had a house somewhere? He was only getting ready to turn twelve. He couldn't live alone. Could he? But he wouldn't be alone. These three house elves already took care of the house and yard. And he could meet his grandparents, or at least their portraits. He wasn't sure how the portraits really worked, but the ones at Hogwarts all spoke and seemed intelligent. It would be great to talk to people…portraits...who really knew his dad. No one at Hogwarts seemed to want to say too much about him.

He heard his Uncle Vernon's loud laughter, probably laughing at a joke their guest told. Almost anything was better than living with the Dursleys!

"How would we get there," he asked Rory. He couldn't drive or anything.

"Master Harry only needs to hold Rory's hand," the elf said eagerly. "Rory be bringing him to Potter Lodge."

"Let's do it," the boy said nervously. "I only need my school trunk and that's still packed. I'll just write a note for my relatives."

He turned to the desk and wrote a hurried note.

Aunt Petunia,

I just learned that there is somewhere else I could live, so wanted to let you know that I will get out of your hair. I know you never wanted me here, but thank you for taking me in regardless.

Harry

Harry left the note on his pillow, where it would be easily found. Then he turned to his first visitor. "Dobby, thank you for coming to warn me about problems at Hogwarts. Without you, I would never have known about Rory, Blossom or Samuel. I really appreciate it."

"Dobby is very happy to help the great Harry Potter, who takes the time to thank a house elf," the little elf responded earnestly. "Once Harry Potter is gone, Dobby will return the room to normal."

The dark-haired boy nodded in approval and then held out his hand to Rory who took it in a firm grip. With a small pop, Harry felt a moment of disorientation, and then felt the night breeze on his face. He opened the eyes that he hadn't realized he had closed, and was surprised to find himself in front of wrought iron gates with a large lawn behind it and a house just visible in the dusk.

"Master Harry must place his hand on the lock," Rory explained. "The lock will prick Master's hand to prove Master is a Potter."

"Oh," Harry responded a little surprised. "Okay." He cautiously laid his hand across what appeared to be an elaborate lock. Forewarned, he only twitched when he felt a slight poke on his hand. A moment later, he felt an odd almost-weight settle on him and knowledge of the grounds, house and out buildings impressed itself on his mind, even as the gate swung open. He blinked in shock and looked at the head elf for an explanation.

"Master Harry has proven that he is the owner," Rory announced. "Master has control of the wards."

"Wards? What wards," Harry asked.

"Master Charlus will be able to explain better than Rory, if Master Harry is willing to wait."

"Okay," Harry responded again. He stepped through the gate opening with Rory beside him and the other two following a step behind and looked around curiously. They were on a wide walkway of finely crushed stone that was several hundred yards long and lined with stone statues of various animals. It was getting a bit dark to make out the lawn well, but as they walked, he could see that the "Lodge" was an attractive three story manor, built out of what appeared to be limestone blocks.

"Potter Lodge is on sixty acres," Rory explained. He gestured to the statues and added, "These are part of Master's protection. If the wards are breached, Master can animate the statues to protect the house. If Master isn't home, Rory can animate them if Master gives his permission."

"That's rather brilliant," Harry grinned. The statues were of various animals, including gryphons, dragons and other dangerous animals he had never seen before, but he was sure Hagrid would love them.

In a few minutes, they reached the main door to the Lodge, which opened as soon as he set foot on the steps. Once through the door, they were in a large entry hall. The room was quite bright compared to the evening outside and Harry blinked in surprise at the three elves. "Wow, you look good!" he exclaimed, and then blushed at his outburst. They now appeared to be much healthier than they had when they first appeared in his old bedroom.

All three elves smiled at him. "Master Harry is with us now and Master's magic is very strong," explained Rory.

Blossom frowned a little bit and then shyly asked, "Is Master Harry aware that there is a tracking charm on him and his wand?" Rory raised an eyebrow and stared at the surprised boy. "There is a charm to re-direct mail on Master as well," he added.

"No, I didn't know that," he said in shock. "Do you know who put them on me or what I can do about them?"

Rory tipped his head and then nodded. "Rory can remove them," he said. "If Master Harry didn't know about them, he didn't give permission for them. Should Rory remove them?"

"Yes, please," Harry responded immediately. "Even if my Mum or Dad put them on me when I was a baby, they aren't needed now, especially if you can always find me. What do you mean about my mail being re-directed?"

The head house elf waved his hand and then snapped his fingers. Harry briefly felt as if he was being cleaned from the top of his head down to the soles of his feet. Blossom explained as Rory stripped the charms, "That charm keeps any mail sent to Master away unless the sender is approved. Blossom doesn't know where this mail went," she apologized.

"Someone took my mail!" Harry exclaimed in outrage. "But what if it was important? What if it stopped my Hogwarts letter getting through or something from Gringotts?"

"Blossom doesn't know," the little elf replied sadly.

"Rory removed it," the head elf stated. "Someone may have put it on in case dark wizard's followers tried to hurt the young master. But no such charms are needed at Potter Lodge, as the Family wards scan for spells and dangerous things. Plus a house elf will make sure it isn't harmful before giving it to Master Harry."

"Oh, that's all right then," Harry replied with a smile. "Thank you."

"Has Master Harry had dinner," Blossom asked. He shook his head, as he wasn't invited to eat with the Dursley's guests. "Blossom will be making a plate for Master Harry right away. Perhaps Master would like to eat in the study as he talks to Master Charlus' and Mistress Dorea's portraits?"

"That's a great idea," Harry responded eagerly. Although nervous, he could barely wait to meet someone related to him that might not hate him.

Rory led him through the Lodge, pointing out various rooms along the way. The study had double carved wood doors that were already open. Inside, the room had hardwood panels covered with book shelves and a large dark green carpet lined the path to a large desk at the end of the room. Harry barely noticed the decorations though; his attention was on the two portraits behind the desk. One held an aristocratic middle-aged man, with dark hair pulled back from his head. He wore dark trousers, a gray vest, white shirt, and a dark robe with silver embroidery. As Harry got closer, he noticed a touch of silver at the man's temples and dark brown eyes.

Next to this portrait was one of a middle-aged woman, with her dark auburn hair swept up in a bun. She wore a deep red gown with lace around the bodice and cuffs. She looked curiously at Harry as he approached.

Rory bowed before the portraits. "Master Charlus and Mistress Dorea, Rory is presenting Master Harry Potter, Master James' son. Master Harry, this is your father's father, Charlus, and your father's mother, Dorea." Harry smiled shyly at the portraits.

Dorea's portrait gasped at the sight of the young boy, while her husband's eyes widened. "Oh ho," he said. "Why is this the first I've seen you, young Harry?"

"Charlus, be nice," admonished Dorea. "You can call me Grandmother, dear, and that sourpuss is your Grandfather. You look so much like your father did when he was younger! Why don't you sit down and tell us about yourself?"

Harry sat down on the chair behind the desk and looked at the portraits, blinking furiously as tears started to fill his eyes. "I…I didn't know there were any portraits of my family," he began. "I'm very pleased to meet you."

The two portraits both frowned a little. "Come in to this frame, Charlus. I have more chairs and this sounds to be quite a story," Dorea…his grandmother said. Charlus walked and disappeared out of the side of his portrait, only to reappear in his grandmother's portrait. They both took a seat. "There now, dear," his grandmother said. "Tell us about yourself."

"Well," Harry began slowly, not sure how to proceed. "Did you know my parents were killed by an evil wizard named Voldemort?"

Both of his grandparents nodded sadly. "Upstart dark wizard," muttered Charlus. "Most of Sirius' family followed him. I was glad when the boy came to us."

Harry was confused. "Who is Sirius?"

The two grandparents looked at one another and then back at Harry. "Sirius Black is your godfather," Dorea answered. "Alice Longbottom is your godmother. Haven't you met either of them?"

"I met Neville Longbottom at Hogwarts," Harry said. "I never met an Alice and don't know anyone by the name of Sirius Black."

Charlus laid a hand on Dorea's arm as she sputtered in outrage. "Hold on, love. Let's let young Harry here tell us his story." His grandmother quieted down and Charlus nodded at Harry. "Go ahead, Harry. Tell us where you grew up, with whom, who your friends are and anything else you might like us to know."

Blossom popped into the room and laid a plate on the desk that started Harry's stomach rumbling. It was filled with slices of beef, mashed potatoes and green beans. Dorea chuckled and added, "Take a few bites first, dear. A young man is never articulate while hungry."

"Thank you, ma'am," he said and eagerly took a mouthful and groaned in pleasure. The meat was a better quality than he ever had at the Dursleys. He had to cook that at a low temperature for a long time to soften the meat, but this was delicious! He ate several mouthfuls before he felt better. He wiped his mouth on the napkin he found beside the plate, and then blushed as he realized that he should have had it in his lap. He didn't want to embarrass himself before his grandparents!

He looked at the portraits who were watching him with interest. "After my parents died," he began, "I was left with my mother's sister, Aunt Petunia and her husband, Uncle Vernon. They never wanted me. They thought I was unnatural and a freak, but they did take me in. I had to earn my keep, so I cooked and cleaned and did the laundry and kept up the yard." Dorea began to say something, but Charlus squeezed her arm again, and she subsided.

"I didn't know about magic or that I was a wizard. My relatives told me that my parents were unemployed drunkards who died in a car accident. It wasn't until Hagrid brought my Hogwarts invitation that I found out that wasn't true, that magic was real, and that I was a wizard. That's why my relatives thought I was a freak, because they think magic is unnatural. Hagrid took me to Diagon Alley to get my school supplies. That's when I found out I was famous." He spit out the last word with some disgust.

"Did you know why you were famous," Charlus asked gently.

"Hagrid said it was because Voldemort killed my parents and then tried to kill me, but the spell bounced back and killed him. He said I was the only one to survive the curse and somehow everyone started calling me 'the boy who lived'." Harry shook his head in aversion. "As if I could have done anything to stop a dark wizard. What would I do? Spit up on him? Throw a nappy at him?" His grandfather's portrait chuckled at his comments, which faded at the boy's next statement. "They say 'the boy-who-lived' and I hear 'the boy-who-was-orphaned'."

"Who took you to your mother's sister," asked Dorea with a small frown.

"I didn't know until later, but I think it was Headmaster Dumbledore. I guess he did that because he's Chief Wizard or something. I told him at the end of term that I didn't want to go back to the Dursleys, but he said I had to."

"And just who does he think he is to make decisions for a Potter," exclaimed Charlus, forgetting that he was supposed to be keeping his wife calm. She in turn took his hand and squeezed it.

"How did you find out to come here, Harry," she asked with a soft smile.

Harry grinned a bit, although he was nervous about his grandfather's anger. "That was kind of funny. A house elf, and I had never seen one before, just popped into my room at the Dursleys. He said I shouldn't go back to Hogwarts because it would be too dangerous this year. I told him about the troll, and three-headed dog, and my broom being cursed during the game, and the possessed teacher, and asked if it was worse than that." Harry was looking down at his plate and didn't see the shock and horror on his grandparent's faces. "He said something that really got me thinking. He asked what if I had used up all of my good luck and only had bad luck left." He looked back at the portraits. "I survived because of a lot of luck, and if something bad was going to happen, I didn't know what to do. But almost anything is better than the Dursleys."

He took another bite of beef and then a bite of mashed potatoes. "Dobby is the one that said he could see some bonds on me and had me call for any Potter elves. Rory, Samuel and Blossom came and Rory brought me here. He said I wouldn't have to work like a house elf here and that you could give me advice about Hogwarts." He smiled hopefully at his grandparents, loving the idea of actually having someone who might care enough to give him advice.

"Harry," said his grandfather, "We are very happy that you are here. It sounds like we have quite a bit to talk about. I would like you to finish up your dinner and then get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, you can tell us about the troll and three-headed dog and possessed teacher."

"And the cursed broom," added his grandmother.

"And the broom," nodded his grandfather. "Then we can discuss options and what to do next. So eat up, young man."

"Yes sir," Harry said and tried not to shovel the food in, mindful that someone was watching him. Once the plate was empty, Harry wiped his mouth on the napkin and put it down with a sigh. "Blossom is a very good cook," he said.

"Yes, she is, dear," smiled his grandmother.

"Now, before you go to bed, I want you to take the large brown book on the very end of the shelf below me," Charlus said. Harry found and picked up the untitled book. "Put it on the table and open it up where the book mark is."

Harry found the book mark near the end of the book. There were a number of names hand-written in columns. "Yes, sir?" he asked.

"Cross out every name that doesn't have a line drawn through it," ordered his grandfather.

Harry shrugged mentally and took the quill from the desk, surprised that the ink in the well wasn't dried out. He figured that must be house elf magic. He dipped the quill and crossed out all the unmarked names, surprised to find Albus Dumbledore was one of the names. When done, he looked back at his grandparents.

"That book is attached to the wards. The people whose names were listed were allowed to either apparate or Floo into the Lodge," explained Charlus. "They can no longer access the Lodge."

"Appa…apparate?," Harry asked. "Floo?"

His grandparents looked at one another again and both shook their heads, causing Harry to duck his head in embarrassment. "Harry!" said his grandfather in a firm tone. Harry looked up at him. "Do not be ashamed at not knowing something. Your grandmother and I were just realizing how uninformed you were left, and we are not pleased with the person who abandoned you to your mother's sister. We are not upset with you! You aren't ignorant by your choice.

"Now, tomorrow, your grandmother and I will hear the rest of your story and then start teaching you what you need to know. Obviously, you didn't get a proper introduction to the Wizarding world. Apparition and the Floo are two methods of travel, that's all. We will explain it to you in more detail tomorrow. For now, just know that we are very happy that you found your way here and we are looking forward to getting to know our grandson."

Harry smiled shyly at the two, who smiled back at him. "Now call Rory, dear, and have him show you to the Heir's bedroom," instructed his grandmother.

"Yes, ma'am," he responded. "And thank you both. I'm really looking forward to getting to know you too. And thank you for giving me a home."

After Rory took the young boy to his room, his grandparents shook their heads. "Leaving the boy with what are obviously muggles who think wizards are freaks. Dressed in rags. Leaving him ignorant of everything magical. No training in our traditions, etiquette or customs." Charlus pinched the bridge of his nose. "The boy probably offended most of the purebloods by not knowing the customs they would expect a Potter to know. They probably thought he was snubbing them or deliberately rejecting our traditions."

"And this whole 'boy-who-live' nonsense," added Dorea. "Charlus, they're setting him up! But I want to know what happened to Sirius. You know he and James were like brothers. I can only imagine he was lost as well. But there wasn't a single Wizarding family that could be trusted to take in the child? My niece Walburga had three daughters. I wouldn't trust my grandchild to Bellatrix as she inherited much of the Black madness. Narcissa married the Malfoy heir, and I think he was a follower of Voldemort. But the middle daughter, Andromeda as I recall, married a muggleborn and had a daughter only a few years before Harry was born. Of course my niece was horrified and disowned her, but we sent her a silver tea service as a wedding gift as I recall. Andromeda was my great-niece and Sirius' cousin. She could have taken in the child and he could have been both safe and raised appropriately."

"There are so many questions, my dear, and I fear young Harry won't have too many answers." He growled out, "Our grandson treated like a house elf! The Scion of House Potter had to earn his keep by working like a house elf!"

The two spoke long into the night, developing plans, alternate plans, and back-up plans to those, while Harry slept deeply in his comfortable bed; feeling like he had a home at last.

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