House-elves on Broomsticks

Chapter Four - The Sponsor

The next day, Hermione was courteous enough to let Harry and Ron sleep until nine. She, on the other hand, got up bright and early at 7:00 and waited for her friends in the common room. She passed the time by pouring over Ron's hastily written records and making up a practice schedule. When the boys came downstairs, she jumped up and hurried right over to them.

"Ronald Weasley," she scolded, her hands on her hips. "What kind of records are these?" She shook the paper at him. "I can just barely read it! I'm telling you, if we're going to spread this, we need meticulous records, and as recording secretary, you-"

"Hermione, you MADE me recording secretary!" Ron interrupted. "Remember? Otherwise I never would have been, I hate writing and my handwriting is terrible! So don't yell at me."

Hermione's mouth opened and closed several times before she broke out into a smile. "Yes, you're absolutely right. I'm sorry, Ron, I should have asked if you wanted to be recording secretary. And since these records aren't exactly what I had in mind, I guess I'll have to be the recording secretary."

"So, Herm, what time is practice today?" Harry asked quickly, before Ron could argue some more.

"Well, I decided that we're not going to have a practice today."

Harry and Ron looked at each other in surprise. "Why not?" Ron asked suspiciously.

Hermione smiled again. "Because in about an hour, the three of us are going to meet with our sponsor."

Forty-five minutes later, the three friends were waiting by the Entrance Hall.

"How's this guy getting here, anyway?" Harry wondered.

"He's Apparating to the village, where Hagrid's meeting him to take him here," Hermione answered.

"So even Hagrid knows who he is, and you won't tell us?" Ron said angrily.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Hagrid's a special case; if he didn't know, how would he figure out which person he was supposed to pick up? Besides him and Dumbledore, though, no one else knows."

Ron seemed satisfied with this answer, and for the next ten minutes the three friends talked about the upcoming trip to Hogsmeade.

Finally, at 3 minutes past, Harry spotted a tall figure walking towards them.

"Hey, guys!" he yelled. "I think the mysterious sponsor is here!"

The three students walked in the direction of the figure, and when they reached him, he put down his hood. Hermione smiled, Harry's eyes widened, and Ron gaped.

"Krum??????" Ron mouthed to Harry.

"Hermy-own-ninny!" exclaimed Krum. "How haff you been?"

To the boys' surprise, Hermione walked over and gave Krum a quick kiss. "I've been just great, Viktor. How are you?"

Krum smiled, and Harry noticed Ron's ears getting redder every second. "I haff been good, but I haff been missing you ever since you left after your visit."

At this, Ron looked up, and Hermione looked embarrassed. Ron looked like he was going to strangle Krum, so Harry politely asked Krum to excuse the three of them for a moment.

Hermione smiled nervously. "So, what do you guys think? Of course, Krum's not the sponsor himself, he's just here representing the entire Bulgarian Quidditch Team! I think it will be wonderful to have a real, professional team as our sponsor. In Muggle Little League, the sponsors are always small businesses..."

Harry noticed that Hermione was babbling, and when he looked over at Ron's face he saw why. He was furious.

"So, Hermione," Ron said slowly. "You went to visit Krum over the summer?"

"Yes, Ron, I did. I don't understand what you're so upset about, he's-"

"When were you planning on telling us that Viktor Krum is your boyfriend? I mean, honestly, Hermione, he goes to Durmstrang!"

Hermione stared for a second, and then started laughing. Harry felt a little nervous; Ron looked quite upset, and laughing was only going to make him worse.

"All right, Ron," Hermione began. "One, Viktor does not go to Durmstrang anymore, he graduated last year. And two, he is NOT my boyfriend!"

Ron looked visibly happier. "Oh...Then, why'd you kiss him?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry thought she was doing that quite a lot lately. "Ron, don't be so immature. That was a friendly peck! And I only visited Viktor and his family for two days, and my parents were there. We just became good friends who happen to miss each other. Now please, let's go back and talk to our sponsor."

With that, she turned on her heels and walked over to Krum. Ron's face was now looking quite red for a different reason, and as the two boys followed their friend Harry could see him muttering to himself.

"Hello, Harry. Hello, Ron," Krum greeted them. Harry smiled, and Ron sort of grunted.

"Harry," Hermione asked. "We need to pick what model of broom we should get for the teams. They'll be modified, of course, but the performance will be the same as the regular models."

Harry thought for a moment. "Well, they practiced fine on the Shooting Stars, but-"

"No Quidditch team should play on Shooting Stars," Krum broke in. "Even one made of house-elves. I cannot give you enough money for Firebolts, but I vould highly recommend one of the Nimbus models."

Harry nodded. "We don't really need to stretch as far as getting the Nimbus 2001, but what about the Nimbus 2000?"

Krum nodded. "Yes, that vould be good. Now, I must explain - my team's owner vos only villing to sponsor your teams if somehow the Bulgarian Quidditch team vos mentioned somevere..."

Hermione thought for a moment. "Well, we can have whatever we want written on the side of the brooms. What if on one side we write the player's name, and on the other we write "Sponsored by the Bulgarian Quidditch Team?"

Krum smiled. "That vould be good. But I'm afraid I am not allowed to donate any money for uniforms. The owner is of the opinion that this league vill go novere I am sorry, Hermy-own-ninny."

Hermione thought for a second, and then lit up, obviously coming up with an idea. "That will be fine, we don't need uniforms right now. However, if this becomes a big thing..." She went up on her tiptoes and whispered in Krum's ear.

He smiled and nodded. "I vill try, Hermy-own-ninny. That vould be much fun. Just let me know ven this league becomes popular. I vill vork on the owner and get him to agree. But now, I think I should be leaving. Say hello to Dumbledore for me."

"Oh, wait," Hermione called. "I need you to sign these forms from Creature Sweepers."

Krum did so, and then everyone waved good-bye.

"So, Hermione, what was that all about?" Ron asked.

She smiled mischievously and shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that, boys. That is a surprise."

Ron frowned. "Another surprise? Krum was enough of a surprise as it is..."

Hermione pretended to zip her lips. "I'm not telling. Now, I have to go fill out the rest of these annoying forms. Would you two mind going to the kitchens and telling all the players that our very first practice will be at noon tomorrow?"

Ron nodded. "So long, Herm."

When the boys arrived in the kitchens, Dobby immediately came running over. "Harry Potter, sir! There is a problem with one of the captains!"

Harry frowned. "What do you mean, Dobby?"

"Come, Dobby will show you." Harry took the little elf's hand and followed him to a small area in the very back of the kitchen. Harry's eyes widened when he saw the sight.

There, sitting all alone on the floor, was a tiny house-elf, whose skin was purple and whose large eyes were very red. She was sweating profusely, but her lips were blue and she was shivering. A wet washcloth was placed over her head, but it didn't seem to be helping.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Ron.

Dobby shook his head sadly. "Scabby has selsaem, Harry Potter. Dobby already told Mr. Dumbledore, and Madame Pomfrey is saying that Scabby is needing to be sent away to a very special hospital for house-elves."

Harry frowned. "Why couldn't Madame Pomfrey just fix her here?" He couldn't remember ever hearing of a medical problem Madame Pomfrey couldn't solve.

Dobby's eyes widened. "Selsaem is a very bad disease. Madame Pomfrey is not knowing how to make Scabby better." Dobby sobbed. "Scabby could-" he paused, looking at his friend. "Scabby could die!" he whispered.

Harry patted Dobby on the head. "Don't worry, Dobby, I'm sure she'll be okay."

At that moment, Dumbledore came into the kitchen. He nodded to Ron and Harry. "I'm sorry boys, but I can't talk to you right now. I'm transporting this elf-" he motioned towards Scabby- "to a hospital in France. I'll see you tomorrow if you wish."

Harry nodded, and watched as Dumbledore took the shivering Scabby in his arms and left, a very sad Dobby following behind them.

"Wow, I hope she gets better," Harry said, still in a bit of a shock.

"Yeah..." Ron agreed. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Harry, Hermione's going to have a fit! I mean, she'll be really sad and everything, but Scabby was the Captain and Seeker of her team! We're down by one player...what are we gonna do?"

"Harry Potter and Harry Potter's friend Ron?"

The boys jumped at the small voice which came out of the shadows. They turned around, and saw Clunky.

"Yeah, Clunky?" Harry acknowledged her.

Clunky curtseyed. "Maybe Clunky can help. Remember how Clunky said Doodly would be coming to visit Hogwarts?"

Ron stared blankly. "I don't remember anything about a Doodly."

"Doodly is Clunky's cousin," Doodly explained.

"Oh, yeah, I remember you saying something about that," Harry remembered.

"Doodly..." Clunky's voice trailed off, and she looked as though she was searching for the right words. "Doodly would very much like being captain. Doodly is...very good at many things. Doodly plays Quidditch, and Doodly plays any position. If Doodly was to be in the kitchens, Doodly would not be liked very much, so Doodly can help play Quidditch!"

Harry frowned a little. Why wasn't Doodly liked?

Ron, however, smiled broadly. "That's great, Clunky! You know," he paused, thoughtfully. "You speak a lot better than Dobby and some of the other house-elves do. Did you go to school or something like that?"

Clunky shook her head violently. "No! Clunky never gone to school! Clunky is a good house-elf. Clunky works, Clunky never ever gone to school! Only cela-trams go to school!"

"All right, Clunky, calm down!" Ron exclaimed. "I was only asking....And yes, we'd love to have Doodly play."

Clunky smiled. "Good. Then Clunky must leave now." And with a curtsey, she vanished from sight.

Harry looked at Ron, who shrugged. "How'd I know she'd get so offended? Come on, we better go update Hermione."

Harry nodded, and they left the kitchen. Harry hoped Scabby would recover from her case of selsaem as soon as possible. This Doodly person didn't seem to be too likable, from what Clunky had said.

"Hey, Harry?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, Ron?"

"What's a cela-trams?"

"I have no idea. But somehow I get the feeling we're going to find out."