Dobby's Friend
DISCLAIMER! This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy. Looking forward to the next movie!
When he is freed by Harry Potter, Dobby becomes the house elf of the boy-who-lived. With permission and assistance from the grateful Hogwarts house elves, the determined Dobby takes steps to ensure his wizard is safe and able to recover from years of neglect by every adult in his life. And the adults have to pay the price for abuse and neglect.
CHAPTER 09: 21 July More Stories in the Daily Prophet
Once again, the headlines caught everyone's attention.
More Dead Death Eaters!
Mrs Greg Avery used the floo to call the DMLE and report…
There was a long list of dead wizards and one witch who had gathered at the hunting lodge the Avery family owned. The dead were all dressed in Death Eaters garb with their masks stuck to their robes. Alastor Moody, Auror (retired) expressed the opinion it was a mass suicide because they feared being arrested for killing Minister Fudge earlier in the summer.
After reading the article, Harry thought, 'Wow! More dead DE's and it's still not my birthday!'
Harry enjoyed his days in Diagon Alley, eating when he wanted, reading books, and working on his summer assignments each day. No one spoke to or bothered him, but he thought a few people had recognized him. However, the notice-me-not spells he kept powered up with the elven magic that Dobby had taught him, helped him hide from the nosey reporters and photographers of the Daily Prophet.
A companion article reminded the newspaper's readers of all the deaths of different Death Eaters earlier in summer. Harry remembered that Draco Malfoy and his family, Pansy Parkinson and her family, and the unknown Fudges had died just as soon the summer began. A terrible werewolf named Greyback had burst into flames and Harry couldn't help but sigh with relief when the article listed the name Severus Snape as another victim of spontaneous combustion.
Harry wondered, 'Will I get decent lessons in potions next year? I hope so.'
Now the last of the known Death Eaters were all dead.
Mr Edward Tonks appeared at different times every other day but often joined Harry for a meal at the Leaky Cauldron or for ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour. Dobby appeared every morning and evening with potions for the young wizard to drink, and Hedwig kept watch over Harry every day.
The warnings and worries of Headmaster Dumbledore, the stern growls of Professor McGonagall, and even Hermione's frequent reminders to follow the instructions of the grownups at Hogwarts never crossed the boy's mind. And even better, Harry never concerned himself with the absence of the Dursleys the day he returned.
~~~~**~~~ Change Scene
30 July The BurrowMolly Weasley meant to contact the headmaster at some point and tell him that Harry Potter's relatives had not appeared at the train station before she left with her children. But Ginny's condition remained tenuous and distracted her from any worries about the Boy-Who-Lived.
Then Ron began to fidget at the table, claim the food tasted funny, and that he had to clean the floor of the lounge on his hands and knees. Taking her eyes off her son for a moment to help Ginny into a comfortable chair, Molly turned around when Ron screamed and then scream again. Seeing something impossible, Molly's screams exceeded Ron's – a man was growing out of Ron's pet rat, Scabbers that had been sleeping in a pocket in Ron's robes. Her wand began casting spells on the man the instant she saw him, and her spells were loud enough to be heard by Luna Lovegood at the Rookery over a mile away.
"INCARCEROUS! STUPIFY! INCARCEROUS!"
These screaming curses summoned Percy, George, and Fred from their rooms higher in the house. Seeing a strange looking man, wrapped in magical ropes, lying on the floor of the lounge, Ron crying in fear, and their mother shaking in shock, Percy headed for the floo. He called the DMLE offices to report a home invasion and attack. This brought a pair of Aurors through and then the smart young man called his father and told him. Arthur immediately came through the flames and hurried into the lounge.
Molly sat on the couch with Ron on one side and Ginny on the other while an Auror cast spells on them, then sent for the DMLE on-call healer to come. The other Auror stood guard over the strange looking man who kept begging to be allowed to wash the windows so he could have supper that night.
Percy, George and Fred stood guard with the Auror, their wands at the ready position and Auror Proudfoot didn't have the nerve to tell them to put their wands away – the suspect apparently was an Animagus that had lived in their home for eleven years. Arthur and Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt carefully asked Molly about the afternoon's events.
Shacklebolt cast more spells on all three Weasleys and sent his Patronus for an Unspeakable to come to the Burrow as well as the healer. Apparently, Ron had been briefly contaminated by a curse that had fallen upon the rat-man. And the suspect was identified as the long-thought dead, Peter Pettigrew. A curse had Pettigrew firmly in its grip now that he was in his mostly-human form, and Ron would return to normal by morning. But the Auror was concerned by the curse residue he found on the daughter, Ginevra Weasley.
The healer offered everyone calming draughts, though Arthur and his three older sons refused them. Mr Weasley said, "I want to remain on guard! Who knows what else might happen?"
Unspeakable #68 arrived and quietly cast multiple spells on the trio of Weasleys on the sofa. Molly was under a very powerful and old compulsion to believe every word out of Albus Dumbledore's mouth, Ron was under a few from his mother to obey her, and the daughter was failing to recover her magic after being possessed for most of the past year by a dark object.
Because #68 was aware of the Horcrux being at Hogwarts through his conversations with Mr Potter, the wizard was able to direct the healer to look for the after-effects of a possession.
The witch blasted both parents (verbally), "Why hasn't Ginevra been to Saint Mungo's? There are treatments to repair this damage but now you've delayed a month, it'll be Yule before she's healthy again!"
Molly tried to be indignant when she shouted, "But Dumbledore said…Wait, why would I listen to what Dumbledore said about treatment for Ginny?"
The three Weasleys with Percy as the 'adult,' went through the floo to Saint Mungo's. Arthur had to go back to the Ministry for Magic with the Aurors to give a statement before he could floo over to Saint Mungo's to be with his wife and children. Peter Pettigrew was locked in a cell that suppressed his ability to turn into a rat. Aurors reported the man spent every moment sweeping the floor with his hands, begging for something to eat and promising not to be a freak.
~~~~**~~~ Change Scene
31 July Birthday to RememberHarry's birthday was an eventful day across Great Britain. The Daily Prophet created a thunderstorm of worry and rumour by reporting the terrible curses that had fallen on the principal staff at Hogwarts.
Hogwarts Headless One Month before New School Year!
By Rita Skeeter
There is skulduggery afoot in Magical Britain this summer! But, have no fear, this reporter will get to the bottom of it and report it faithfully for my readers!
I have learned that the principal staff members at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have all been cursed! Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, Infirmary Matron Poppy Pomphrey, and Librarian Irma Pince have all been admitted to the overflowing ward for individuals with non-curable conditions. (See separate article on staffing shortages at Saint Mungo's Hospital on page 16). These admissions to Saint Mungo's mean that Hogwarts is without headmaster, deputy head, transfiguration professor, infirmary matron, or librarian. In a similar situation, Filius Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw and Charms Professor has been taken into Gringotts by his goblin relatives. This reporter doubts the creatures in the caverns underneath our vaults of gold can do much to help the half-breed.
At Saint Mungo's, the staff refuse to discuss the symptoms exhibited by the Hogwarts Four, but this reporter has learned and seen that Dumbledore, McGonagall, Pomphrey, and Pince spend every day cleaning the floors, bed pans, windows by hand as if they were muggles. McGonagall begs to be allowed to iron the sheets and hospital gowns with a muggle device that radiates high heat and burns her fingers regularly. And all four of these once-proud magical persons beg for food and drink all the time but then can't or won't eat anything given to them.
~~~~***~~~~ Change Scene
Finished with the story, Harry folded the newspaper up and laid it on the table beside his bed. Dobby appeared with his morning potions and while Harry turned up the first bottle to drink, the elf grabbed the newspaper and used it to swat a water beetle flying around the room. From her spot on the back of Harry's bed, Hedwig hooted happily while Dobby banished the crushed insect out the window.
(The next day, The Daily Prophet reported the death of intrepid investigative reporter Rita Skeeter. The reporter's mangled and crushed body had mysteriously appeared hanging from the roof of Ollivanders Wand Shop in the late morning. There were no suspects and the DMLE promised a full and thorough investigation.)
After breakfast, Harry hurried out of the Leaky Cauldron to find Mr Tonks waiting for him near Gringotts.
"Good morning, Mr Potter!"
"Good morning, Mr Tonks. What are we going to do today?"
"Well, since it is your birthday, I thought we should celebrate the day. You become a teenager today!"
Harry hesitated and explained, "Mr Tonks, I've never had anything on my birthday…last summer… well, even last summer was a pass on the birthday stuff."
Dobby had blocked all of Harry's letters and gifts last July but handed them over later. Still, it hadn't been on his birthday.
"Not this summer, Harry," Mr Tonks said and led Harry inside Gringotts once again. In the same private room used earlier in the summer, Harry and Mr Tonks were greeted by a lovely witch, a teenaged witch, and strange man who remained seated but smiled and giggled.
"Harry Potter!" the teenaged girl called out, gleefully. "Cousin Sirius talks about no one but you!"
Halting his forward progress, Harry looked around fearfully. The older woman growled, "Nymphadora, sit down and be silent. You're not too old for me to sting your behind with stingers! Sirius, restrain yourself!"
Mr Tonks stepped forward, placing himself between Harry and the others. He said, "Forgive them, Mr Potter. Our family is very excited to meet you today."
"Why?"
"Why what?" asked the older witch.
"Why do you want to meet me?"
"Because we are cousins and want to help you."
"Cousins?" asked Harry. "How are we cousins?"
"My name is Andromeda Tonks (nee Black). That means I was Andromeda Black before I married this wonderful man, Edward Tonks," the woman explained. She continued, "And your grandmother, Euphemia Black was my great-aunt. Her brother was my grandfather."
Harry thought about that for a moment, then Mr Tonks said, "So, you are cousins…third or fourth cousins."
"Something like that," the witch agreed. Then she motioned toward the man still sitting in his chair and said, "What's more, this reprobate over here, is your godfather, Sirius Black."
"Godfather?" asked Harry. "What's a godfather?"
"Yeah, James and Lily made me your godfather and I messed up that terrible night," the man confessed. "I chased after Wormtail and let Hagrid take you to Dumbledore. If I'd done my job, I would have taken you to Saint Mungo's and then to Alice or Andromeda for help."
His eyes narrowing, Harry asked, "Where have you been for the last twelve years?"
"Azkaban…the magical prison off the coast of Scotland," Sirius explained. "They said I betrayed your mother and father to the Dark Wanker, but I didn't. When all the Death Eaters died, the Aurors asked lots of questions about why I wasn't targeted to die. And I finally got a hearing and was declared innocent."
"Okay," Harry replied. "So?"
"Oh, Prongslet, you're just like your mum," the wizard stated, trying to be warm with the statement.
"Everyone says that I look like my dad."
"But that tone of voice and watchful look – that's all Lily Evans. She watched everyone and figured out everybody's secrets."
Harry searched his memory and said, "I don't remember you."
"You called me 'Padfoo' when you were a little fellow."
"I remember a big black dog – not a man," the young wizard stated.
Glancing at his cousin for permission, Sirius reached inside his magic and transformed into his Animagus form of a large, black grim.
"Padfoo!" exclaimed Harry, backing away. "Padfoo! I thought you were something I made up when I was locked in the boot closet! They kept me locked up in the boot closet for ten years and starved me. Pad-foo, I begged for you to come rescue me."
The dog whined while the teenager cried, and the Tonks family watched silently. Harry cried, "You never came! I needed you but you never…nobody ever came to help me! Nobody cared about Freak!"
The dog moved into a corner to hide his face, the boy dropped to his knees and sobbed. Andromeda quietly approached and knelt beside Harry but before she could give him a calming potion, Dobby popped into the room and snapped his fingers, freezing everyone in place – except for Mr Harry Potter.
"Dobby, I have cousins and a godfather, but they left me with the Dursleys for ten years! Nobody helped me!" Harry said sourly.
The teenager refused to look at anyone while Dobby stared at the people in the room, terrible a frown on his face. Mr Tonks interrupted to declare, "We looked for you Mr Potter. Andy – Andromeda fought with Dumbledore every month trying to get permission to visit you!"
But Dobby said, "Whys didn't you write? My Mr Harry Potters be at Hoggiewarts for two years and you never writes letters!"
Pointing at the older teenager, the elf added, "Pinkie was there for whole year and never spoke to Mr Harry Potters!"
The elf sneered and concluded, "You be bad family!"
"Dobby, take me outta here…please," begged Harry. The elf the snapped his fingers and the boy vanished.
Dobby growled, "Stays away from Mr Harry Potters!"
The room was silent except for the whines of the broken-hearted dog still hiding with his head in the corner. Andromeda sat and cried silently while Nymphadora went to the Grim and held him. Edward tried to comfort his wife who kept saying, "I should have tried harder! I should have pitched a fit every week in the Atrium and in the Daily Prophet!"
~~~~**~~~ Change Scene
In the Leaky Cauldron, Harry was frantic. "Dobby, they'll come for me here. Where can I hide?"
"Dobby not knows, Mr Harry Potters."
"What about at Hogwarts?"
"Castle be closed to everyone but Professor Nice Green," the elf explained. Then he asked, "What's about youse friend Mr Green Thumbs?"
Harry wrote a note and sent Dobby to deliver the note. Hedwig fussed not to carry the letter until Harry explained the emergency. In response, Hedwig moved to the top of a chair where she could guard the door to the hall. Anyone who attempted to enter her boy's room would be met with buffeting wings and sharp talons clawing at their face and eyes.
It was almost twenty minutes before Dobby returned with a note from Neville and his grandmother offering him 'sanctuary' with them in the Longbottom Longhouse. In less than thirty seconds, Hedwig was out the window winging her way toward the Longbottom estate, and Harry popped himself out of the room. Dobby unlocked the door, stopped at the bar downstairs to pay the final bill and thanked the innkeeper for keeping his wizard safe for a month. Tom promised to keep the secrets of the boy-who-lived.
It took three days for Harry to feel safe with the Longbottom family and he was pleased to discover that Lady Longbottom had changed after hearing her grandson's stories about his first two years at Hogwarts multiplied by the shocking revelations in the Daily Prophet.
Beginning on the second day, Lady Longbottom spoke honestly and openly with Harry and Neville about what she had learned in government conferences and during meetings of the Hogwarts Board of Governors that met in emergency session every afternoon.
"If Dumbledore wasn't locked up in the Janus Thackery Ward, I'd call him out on the duelling platform! There was a basilisk in the halls at night and there's no way the headmaster didn't know that!" the elderly witch said sternly.
Neville admitted, "I saw Dumbledore, McGonagall, Pomphrey, and Pince last week when we went to see my mum and dad. My parents been there for twelve years already."
Lady Longbottom frowned and explained about the declining numbers of healers that were blamed on the terrible instruction by Severus Snape at Hogwarts. "With that idiot Lockhart, there are five new patients in the ward this summer and the hospital doesn't have enough healers to assign more to help the patients.
She paused and said, "Neville, I want to move your parents to private care or to Sacred Heart in Paris."
"Paris," Neville said without hesitation. "They don't have shortages of healers in France."
"Have you had them looked at by muggle physicians – healers?" asked Harry.
"What can muggles do?" asked Neville.
"There are sixty million muggles in Great Britain," Harry said. "They have powerful science."
"What's science?" the other teenage wizard asked.
His grandmother replied, "That's what the muggles use instead of magic to make their lives filled with magic-like devices. In many ways, the muggles are more powerful than magical people."
~~~~**~~~ Change Scene