Chapter 8: The Hero

Malfoy Manor

Harry, Bill and Ron had been locked away by Wormtail who was present with the Malfoy family and Bellatrix Lestrange. The Snatchers had taken them to the Malfoy's Manor to present them to the Death Eaters and Voldemort. Hermione was kept above when the sword of Gryffindor was discovered in her bag. Apparently, Bellatrix had been given the sword or at least a fake.

Hermione laid upon the floor of the room, her movement was forbidden by ropes that had been conjured. Bellatrix stood at the feet of the young witch. The mad woman stared down her fingers trembling around the knife in her hand with anger.

"You stole from me, from my vault. YOU FILTHY LITTLE MUDBLOOD." The blackhaired woman shrieked, her voice carrying out through the home. "I'll make sure you remember what you are."

She bent down and took hold of Hermione's arm, with the knife the carved one word into the girl's arm, "Mudblood." The younger female shrieked in pain. The blood seeped slowly out of the wound and began to fall. Bellatrix forced the knife in again and began to form another word in the girl's arm. More screams emitted from Hermione as the knife's blade carved a word into her skin. "Mudblood Filth" The words were engraved into her skin with blood gently seeping from within.

Cellar

"HERMIONE!" Harry screamed out for her.

"Harry calm down. We'll get her. There has to be a way." Bill assured him.

"Harry?" A female's voice questioned from the shadows.

A blonde girl appeared from the dark corners of the room.

"Luna!" Harry and Ron said in unison.

She approached them slowly, limping the entire way. They'd apparently tortured her as well. She turned to the two Weasleys. A look of pain shot across her face.

"Your father is here but, I'm afraid he isn't in great shape. He's back there in one of the corners." She informed them weakly.

Ron pulled the deluminator from his pocket and clicked it. Suddenly the room was filled with light showing its every corner. The Weasleys rushed to one after finding their father. Arthur was very beaten up and he could not stand due to one leg being broken. He had cuts and blood was all over his clothes. Harry quickly joined them after noticing the man's condition.

"Mr. Weasley, we're going to get you out of here." He quickly assured the man who only looked at them with a very weak smile.

"How do you suppose you'll do that, Potter?" a man questioned from the other side of the room, they turned to his direction to find Ollivander in a slightly better state though, he did look very unkempt and his spirt seemed broken.

Ollivander walked to them with Luna coming over as well. The older man looked at the new people who had arrived.

"I don't know exactly, is anyone able to apparate?" Harry questioned.

"No, They've got it blocked off. There's no way in or out for such an escape. Plus we have no wands to try anything." Ollivander responded quickly.

"What about House elf?" Harry wondered aloud.

"That..that might work. Do you have one in mind?" The unkempt man replied.

"Dobby!" Harry spoke aloud in a low call.

With a pop, the little house elf appeared. His tennis ball-shaped eyes peering around to find Harry.

"Harry Potter called for Dobby?" The elf questioned eagerly.

"Yes Dobby, do you think you could help us get out of her?" Dobby was questioned.

The elf looked around at the others and nodded quickly.

"Yes, Harry Potter. Dobby will always help Harry Potter and his friends." Dobby responded.

"Take Mr. Ollivander and Mr. Weasley to Shell Cottage Dobby." Bill informed him. "That's the safest place we've got right now. We'll alert you when we're ready for you to get the rest of us. We need to get Hermione and our things back"

The elf nodded taking the hands of the two wizards and with another pop they were gone. Murmurs were heard up above.

"They're coming down. They must have heard Dobby." Luna informed them.

"Alright Luna hide. Ron, Bill, and I will take care of who ever comes down. Ron get the lights" Harry said making his way to the door.

The three wizards stood on either side of the door as Wormtail opened it and looked around the now dark again room. He walked in cautiously moving his wand from side to side. They grabbed him and forced him to the ground, Harry took Wormtail's Wand while Bill and Ron held him down.

"Let him up but, hold him there. Luna come over here." Harry ordered.

The two wizards did as was said while Luna hurried over to them. Harry pointed the wand directly at Wormtail.

"When I say so, Let him go. One two three! Let him go" They did so and Wormtail began to run toward the door.

"Stupefy!"

The round rat like man fell to the ground obviously unconscious. The four look around at each other before anyone spoke.

"Luna do you think you might be able to help us get Hermione? We'll get her and our things then leave." Harry spoke looking around at each.

Luna nodded, Bill and Ron both were ready as well. They opened the cellar door and walk up the stairs after Harry locked Wormtail in. They cautiously made their way up into the drawing-room where everyone else was. They found Lucius, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy standing by watching as Bellatrix tortured Hermione. The snatchers were at a table eating food that they'd be rewarded with. Bellatrix stood up, dropping her knife as she looked over to Lucius and his family.

"Anyone else care for a turn?" She questioned with a laugh, Hermione was in tears and unable to move anything put her head.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Bellatrix fell to the ground in a frozen like state, Harry ran toward Malfoy who was holding on to the rest of the wands. Draco pointed his wand toward Harry but, he could not force himself to do anything. Harry quickly forced the wands from Draco's hands also while disarming him and taking his own.

Narcissa along with her husband stood behind their Son allowing Harry to take the wands. The snatchers aware of what was happening jumped to their feet withdrawing their own wands. Bill, Ron and Luna took the wands that Harry had captured and passed the out among themselves.

With both sides armed they stood ready, the three snatchers stood tall. Fenrir growled at the sight of the four.

"Let's see how this works, Greyback." Bill stated before casting a spell. A small explosion met with the ground in front of the werwolf throwing him back into the wall. This allowed Harry to free Hermione who held onto him weakly.

"We're getting you out of here and you'll be fine, Hermione." Harry assured her as the tears began to form to match the ones that continued to fall down her cheeks. "Dobby!"

The house elf quickly reappeared with another pop as Harry helping and friends ran to him.

"How dare you return here you pathetic excuse for a being, Dobby? YOU DARE DISGRACE YOUR MASTER MORE?!" Lucius yelled with anger upon seeing the elf, he ran to the knife that laid next to Bellatrix's frozen form.

"Dobby has no master, Dobby is a free elf and is here to safe his friends." The elf exclaimed.

Harry and his friends quickly were swept away in a blur of color and the sound of a pop as the knife was thrown from the man's hand and soared their way. Draco and his mother were frozen in their home as they watched the knife that had been thrown by the older Malfoy.

Shell Cottage..Shell Cottage. This was all that repeated in Harry's mind as the colors vanished and it all became black. There were no sounds or color, it was all silent as time slowed with them traveling away from the manor. They each hoped that they would indeed end up where they'd wished.

Beach by Shell Cottage

Suddenly color appeared along with the sound of water crashing against rocks and sand. Harry looked around and found each of his friends there trying to catch their breath as they were safe. He turned to find Dobby who was silent and had his back turned to his wizard friend.

"Dobby?" Harry spoke the elf's name aloud as Dobby turned to him.

"Harry Potter and friends are safe...Dobby's Friends are safe.." He spoke weakily as he fell to the ground the hilt of a silver dagger protruding from his chest.

"DOBBY! NO!" Harry shouted with tears falling from his eyes, he took the elf in his arms." SOMEONE HELP!"

Dobby looked up at Harry with a weak smile as the life continued to fade from him.

"Don't worry Harry Potter..Dobby is happy..Dobby is with friends..Dobby has helped Harry Potter and his friends..Harry Potter is safe..." Dobby spoke his last words as the elf's eyes lost the light they once held.

The elf's chest sat still and did not rise. Harry took the dagger from his friend's chest gently and stared at the body. The tears continued to fall and crash against Dobby. Everyone came to Harry's side, Hermione sat down next to him still in pain and with tears of her own. Luna bent down and closed Dobby's eyes to make it seem as if he was just sleeping.

"I wanna bury him. The right way without magic. He deserves it..He was a hero." Harry stated weakily as they each stared at the elf's body.

The Next Day

A grave was made for the elf who had saved each of them from the manor. Harry did all the digging for the hole with a spade that the Weasleys had in the cottage. It was all quiet as Harry and Hermione peered down at Dobby's resting place. Hermione took Harry's hand and laid her head against his shoulder. Her arm now only held a scar, the words now illegible due to the handy work of their friends. Harry smiled weakily as his hand was taken by her own. The small grave held a wooden slab with words engraved in it's form :

Here lies a brave being, a friend, and hero.

Dobby, a free elf.

AN: As you see I had a great amount of changes in this chapter. One I'd like to speak about is the words engraved in the wood for Dobby's grave. I wanted there to be more words to describe how great the elf was. Even though he did not do that much in this story. He has always be a good friend and a hero himself.

R.I.P Dobby.

The following chapter will be up within the next few days. I'm going to be taking a break from writing today so it may or may not be up tomorrow. But, it will be soon. If you wish to be alerted when it is up Please follow this you all for reading what is written so far. I hope you are enjoying it.