The Potter Twins and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter 11: House-Elves

Michael, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went up to the Owlery that evening to find Pigwidgeon, so that the twins could send Sirius a letter telling him that they had managed to get past their dragons mostly unscathed. On the way, they filled Ron in on everything Sirius had told them about Karkaroff. Though shocked at first to hear that Karkaroff had been a Death Eater, by the time they entered the Owlery, Ron was saying that they ought to have suspected it all along.

Ron, "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, guy's, if it was Karkaroff who put your names 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!"

Ron and Hermione went back to bickering over how dangerous the tasks could be as the twins used Pigwidgeon to send their letter to Sirius about everything that had happened. It was comical to see such a tiny owl carrying such a large letter.

Soon, they went back to their dorms, with One mentioning his brothers stealing some food from the kitchen for a victory celebration.

Sure enough, when they entered the Gryffindor common room it exploded with cheers and yells again. There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface; Lee Jordan had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Dean Thomas, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Harry zooming around the Horntail's head on his Firebolt, and Michael taming Norberta with the purring, depicted with musical notes, though a couple showed Cedric with his head on fire. Michael cracked up at those.

The twins helped themselves to food; they had almost forgotten what it was like to feel properly hungry, and sat down with Ron and Hermione. Fleet sat in front of Michael as he ate, with the young wizard sometimes tossing him a little bit of food. They couldn't believe how happy they felt; they had Ron back on their side, they'd gotten through the first task, and they wouldn't have to face the second one for three months.

Lee Jordan was picking up one of the golden eggs, which Harry and Michael had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands.

He said, "blimey, this is heavy. Open it, guy's, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!"

Hermione, "he's supposed to work out the clue on his own. It's in the tournament rules…."

Harry, "we were supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on our own too."

Hermione grinned rather guiltily.

"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it", several people echoed.

Lee passed Harry and Michael the eggs, and Harry dug his fingernails into the groove that ran all the way around his egg and prised it open.

It was hollow and completely empty, but the moment Harry opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room. The nearest thing it compared to was the ghost orchestra at Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, who had all been playing the musical saw.

Fred, "shut it!"

Harry slammed it shut again.

Michael looked at his egg and asked, "wonder if mine will make that noise."

Michael was about to open his egg when everyone yelled, "STOP!"

Michael put his hands in the air and said, "sorry."

Seamus Finnigan, "what was that? Sounded like a banshee….Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, guys!"

Neville, "it was someone being tortured! You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!"

George, "don't be a prat, Neville, that's illegal. They wouldn't use 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 shower."

Fred, "want a jam tart, Hermione?"

Hermione looked doubtfully at the plate he was offering her. Fred grinned.

Fred, "it's all right. I haven't done anything to them. It's the custard creams you've got to watch-"

Neville, who had just bitten into a custard cream, choked and spat it out. Fred laughed.

Fred, "just my little joke, Neville…."

Hermione took a jam tart. Then she said, "did you get all this from the kitchens, Fred?"

Fred, "yep", he put on a high-pitched squeak and imitated a house-elf, "'anything we can get you, sir, anything at all!' They're dead helpful…. Get me a roast ox if I said I was peckish."

Hermione, "how do you get in there?"

Fred, "easy. A concealed door behind a painting of a bowl of fruit. Just tickle the pear, and it giggles and-", he stopped and looked suspiciously at her, "why?"

Hermione, "nothing."

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

Several people chortled. Hermione didn't answer.

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

Just then, Neville caused a slight diversion by turning into a large canary.

Fred, "oh, sorry, Neville. I forgot, it was the custard creams we hexed!"

Within a minute, however, Neville had molted, and once his feathers had fallen off, he reappeared looking entirely normal. He even joined in laughing.

Fred, "Canary Creams! George and I invented them; seven Sickles each, a bargain!"

It was nearly one in the morning when Michael and Harry finally went up to the dormitory with Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean. Before they pulled the curtains of their beds shut, they set their tiny model of the Dragons on the table next to their beds, where they yawned, curled up, and closed their eyes. Michael and Harry now realized why Hagrid loved these creatures so much….

….

The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Everyone dealt with it in their own ways.

The skrewts now only numbered 10 when winter began. Hagrid had tried to see if they hibernated by having the class put them in pillow lined boxes…. Turns out they didn't hibernate and caused a rampage.

Draco and his cronies had led almost everyone into the cabin when it happened.

Michael, Harry, Ron and Hermione at least tried to help Hagrid with the situation.

Rita Skeeter had shown up and tricked Hagrid into an interview, which worried all four of the teens as they set off….

Divination was actually fun for once, since Michael, Harry and Ron were making jokes about Trelawney's absurd predictions.

But later that day, Hermione had basically forced Michael, Ron and Harry to the secret entrance to the kitchens.

Yep, she was doing her whole S.P.E.W thing again.

Soon, they entered the kitchen.

They had one brief glimpse of an enormous, high-ceilinged room, large as the Great Hall above it, with mounds of glittering brass pots and pans heaped around the stone walls, and a great brick fire-place at the other end.

But suddenly, something small hurtled toward the twins from the middle of the room, squealing, "Harry and Michael Potter, sir's! Harry and Michael Potter!"

Next second all the wind had been knocked out of them as the squealing elf hit them hard in the midriffs, hugging them so tightly they thought their ribs would break.

Harry, "D-Dobby?"

Michael, "is that you?"

"It is Dobby, sir, it is", squealed the voice from somewhere around their navels, "Dobby has been hoping and hoping to see Harry and Michael Potter, sir's, and Harry and Michael Potter have come to see him, sir's!"

Dobby let go and stepped back a few paces, beaming up at Michael and Harry, his enormous, green eyes brimming with tears of happiness. He looked almost exactly as they remembered him…. All except the clothes, which were very different. When Dobby had worked for the Malfoys, he had always worn the same old pillowcase. Now, however, he was wearing the strangest assortment of garments they had ever seen. He was wearing a tea cozy for a hat, on which he had pinned a number of bright and colorful badges; a tie patterned with horseshoes over a bare chest, a pair of what looked like children's soccer shorts, and the socks Michael and Harry had removed from their own feet and tricked Mr. Malfoy into giving Dobby, thereby setting Dobby free.

Harry, "Dobby, what're you doing here?"

Michael, "yeah, the last time we saw you, you blasted Mr. Malfoy across the room!"

Dobby, "Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir's! Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs, sir's!"

Michael, "good old Dumbledore…."

Harry, "Winky? She's here too?"

Dobby, "yes, sir's, yes."

He seized Michael and Harry's hands and pulled them off into the kitchen. Each of the tables were positioned exactly beneath the four House tables above, in the Great Hall. At the moment, they were clear of food, dinner having finished, but they supposed that an hour ago they had been laden with dishes that were then sent up through the ceiling to their counterparts above.

At least a hundred little elves were standing around the kitchen, beaming, bowing, and curtsying as Dobby led the twins past them.

They were all wearing the same uniform: a tea towel stamped with the Hogwarts crest, and tied, as Winky's had been, like a toga.

Dobby stopped in front of the brick fireplace and pointed.

Dobby, "Winky, sir's!"

Winky was sitting on a stool by the fire. Unlike Dobby, she had obviously not foraged for clothes. She was wearing a neat little skirt and blouse with a matching blue hat, which had holes in it for her large ears. However, while every one of Dobby's strange collection of garments was so clean and well cared for that it looked brand-new, Winky was plainly not taking care of her clothes at all. There were soup stains all down her blouse and a burn in her skirt.

Harry, "hello, Winky."

Winky's lip quivered. Then she burst into tears, which spilled out of her great brown eyes and splashed down her front.

Hermione, "oh my. Please Winky, don't cry, please don't…."

But Winky cried harder than ever. Dobby, on the other hand, beamed up at Harry and Michael.

Dobby, "would Harry and Michael Potter like a cup of tea?"

Harry, "er, yeah, okay."

Michael, "water, please?"

Instantly, about six house-elves came trotting up behind them, bearing a large silver tray laden with a teapot, cups for Harry, Michael, Ron, and Hermione, a milk jug, and a large plate of biscuits.

Ron, "good service!"

Hermione frowned at him, but the elves all looked delighted; they bowed very low and retreated.

Harry, "how long have you been here, Dobby?"

Dobby, "only a week, Harry and Michael Potter, sir's! Dobby came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir. You see, sir, it is very difficult for a house-elf who has been dismissed to get a new position, sir, very difficult indeed…."

At this, Winky howled even harder.

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

The house-elves all around the kitchen, who had been listening and watching with interest, all looked away at these words, as though Dobby had said something rude and embarrassing.

Hermione, however, said, "Good for you, Dobby!"

Dobby, "thank you, miss! 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 likes work, but he wants to wear clothes and he wants to be paid, Harry and Michael Potter…. Dobby likes being free!"

The Hogwarts house-elves had now started edging away from Dobby, as though he were carrying something contagious. Winky, however, remained where she was, though there was a definite increase in the volume of her crying.

Dobby, "and then, Harry and Michael Potter, Dobby goes to visit Winky, and finds out Winky has been freed too, sir's!"

At this, Winky flung herself forward off her stool and lay face down on the flagged stone floor, beating her tiny fists upon it and positively screaming with misery. Hermione hastily dropped down to her knees beside her and tried to comfort her, but nothing she said made the slightest difference. Dobby continued with his story, shouting over Winky's screeches.

Dobby, "and then Dobby had the idea, Harry and Michael Potter, sir's! 'Why doesn't Dobby and Winky find work together?' 'Where is there enough work for two house-elves?' says Winky. And Dobby thinks, and it comes to him, sir's! Hogwarts! So Dobby and Winky came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir's, and Professor Dumbledore took us on! And Professor Dumbledore says he will pay Dobby, sir, if Dobby wants paying! And so Dobby is a free elf, sir, and Dobby gets a Galleon a week and one day off a month!"

Hermione, "that's not very much!"

Dobby, "Professor Dumbledore offered Dobby ten Galleons a week, and weekends off, but Dobby beat him down, miss…. Dobby likes freedom, miss, but he isn't wanting too much, miss, he likes work better."

Hermione, "and how much is Professor Dumbledore paying you, Winky?"

If she had thought this would cheer up Winky, she was wildly mistaken. Winky did stop crying, but when she sat up she was glaring at Hermione, her whole face sopping wet and suddenly furious.

Winky, "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!"

Hermione, "ashamed? 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-"

But at these words, Winky clapped her hands over the holes in her hat, flattening her ears so that she couldn't hear a word, and screeched, "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!"

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

Michael, "can't house-elves speak their minds about their masters, then?"

Dobby, "oh no, sir, no. 'Tis part of the house-elf's enslavement, sir. We keeps their secrets and our silence, sir. We upholds the family's honor, and we never speaks ill of them, though Professor Dumbledore told Dobby he does not insist upon this. Professor Dumbledore said we is free to…. To…."

Dobby looked suddenly nervous and beckoned the twins closer.

They bent forward.

Dobby whispered, "he said we is free to call him a…. A barmy old codger if we likes, sir's", Dobby gave a frightened sort of giggle, "but Dobby is not wanting to, Harry and Michael Potter", he said, talking normally again, and shaking his head so that his ears flapped, "Dobby likes Professor Dumbledore very much, sir, and is proud to keep his secrets and our silence for him."

Harry, "but you can say what you like about the Malfoys now?"

A slightly fearful look came into Dobby's immense eyes.

Dobby, "Dobby…. Dobby could…. Dobby could tell Harry and Michael Potter that his old masters were…. Were…. Bad Dark wizards!"

Dobby stood for a moment, quivering all over, horror-struck by his own daring…. Then he rushed over to the nearest table and began banging his head on it very hard, squealing, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

Harry seized Dobby by the back of his tie and pulled him away from the table.

Dobby, "thank you, Harry Potter, thank you."

Harry, "you just need a bit of practice."

Michael, "one day you'll confidently call them way worse names."

Winky, "practice! You is ought to be ashamed of yourself, Dobby, talking that way about your masters!"

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

Winky, "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.

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

Winky, "you is seeing my master? You is seeing him here at Hogwarts?"

Hermione, "yes. He and Mr. Bagman are judges in the Triwizard Tournament."

Winky suddenly got angry and said, "Mr. Bagman comes too? Mr. Bagman is a bad wizard! A very bad wizard! My master isn't liking him, oh no, not at all!"

Harry, "Bagman, bad?"

Michael, "he seemed nice to me."

Winky, "oh yes. My master is telling Winky some things! But Winky is not saying…. Winky…. Winky keeps her master's secrets…. Poor master, poor master, no Winky to help him no more! "

They couldn't get another sensible word out of Winky. They left her to her crying and finished their tea, while Dobby chatted happily about his life as a free elf and his plans for his wages.

Dobby, "Dobby is going to buy a sweater next, Harry Potter!"

Michael, "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? We might have to shrink it a bit to fit you. But it'll go well with your tea cozy."

Michael, "and maybe I'll get you some mittens to match for the holiday season."

Dobby was delighted.

As they prepared to take their leave, many of the surrounding elves pressed in upon them, offering snacks to take back upstairs. Hermione refused, with a pained look at the way the elves kept bowing and curtsying, but Harry, Michael and Ron loaded their pockets with cream cakes and pies….

"Thanks a lot", Harry said to the elves, who had all clustered around the door to say good night, "see you, Dobby!"

Dobby, "Harry and Michael Potter…. Can Dobby come and see you two sometimes, sir's?"

Michael, "'course you can."

Dobby beamed at the reply!

Ron said, once he, Hermione, and Harry had left the kitchens behind and were 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!"

Hermione said as she led them up the stairs, "I think this is the best thing that could have happened to those elves, you know. 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!"

Harry, "let's hope they don't look too closely at Winky."

Michael, "indeed."

Hermione, "oh she'll cheer up. 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, "she seems to love him."

Harry, "doesn't think much of Bagman, though, does she?"

Michael, "yeah. That seemed really strange. Wonder what Crouch says at home about him?"

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

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

Hermione, "don't let Percy hear you saying that."

Ron, "yeah, well, Percy wouldn't want to work for anyone with a sense of humor, would he? Percy wouldn't recognize a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing Dobby's tea cozy."

Michael, "I think all of his humor went to Fred and George…. And even Ginny, since she likes a good joke or two."

And with that, the five of them set off back to their dorm….

….

Reviews:

Canadude2029: thanks. I'm glad you liked that addition and such.

Bailey Radcliff: well, glad you're enjoying it and hope you're doing well.

….