Find Him

CHAPTER FOUR: FOR HIS OWN GOOD

He shouldn't be doing this. Harry Potter tells him to keep quiet, to tell no one. But Harry Potter is not here. The rumours are everywhere. Gossip has spread like the fire about his disappearance and nowhere is gossip more loud and more extreme than in the kitchens of Hogwarts.

He can not stand it anymore. The untruths he has been hearing all the time; the natural feeling that he should bang his head on every solid surface he sees - punishment for what he has done. But Harry Potter tells him not to. Harry Potter orders him to act like nothing has happened. And so he has. He has ignored the gossip, has turned a large, deaf ear to all the questions and rumours, but he can not stand it anymore.

He knocks on the large door in front of him. A pause. Then: "Enter." The doorknob is too high up for him to reach so he opens the door with a tiny burst of magic and tiptoes into the large, awe-inspiring Headmaster's Office. He can not help but notice the quick look of surprise and confusion, but Headmaster Dumbledore recovers quicker than anyone. The many portraits stare in bewilderment and amusement, disdain and derision, but not Headmaster Albus Dumbledore - he is a truly great wizard. Just like Harry Potter.

"Ah, Master Dobby." His heart leaps; Headmaster Dumbledore is too kind to call him 'Master'. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

He cringes. His legs shake. Harry Potter tells him not to say, but he has too! It is for Harry Potter's own good.

"Would you care for a Lemon Drop?"

He shakes his head quickly. He can not stop the tears forming in his large eyes. Headmaster Dumbledore is offering him food like an equal!

"Would you like to at least sit down?"

It is too much. He runs forward to the desk and begins to bang his head on the leg before him. He is betraying Harry Potter: the first wizard to ever ask him to sit down. He is bad. Very Bad. "Bad Dobby!"

He is grabbed by the shoulders. Even at such an old age, Headmaster Dumbledore moves quicker than most. Even when so old and not so well. Headmaster Dumbledore is truly the greatest wizard in the world. Except for Harry Potter...

He bangs his head once more on the desk support. "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"Dobby! Stop!" At Headmaster Dumbledore's orders he becomes still, although his vision swims before him. He feels woozy. "Now, Dobby, please sit down." He begins to protest; he is not worthy enough to sit on one of Headmaster Dumbledore's chairs. "Dobby, sit down." He blinks away the tears from his eyes and climbs onto the lush, colourful, all-together too luxuriant chair offered to him. Headmaster Dumbledore is too kind.

Headmaster Dumbledore stares at him in silence for a moment or two. It is unbearable. He moves to grab one of the heavy bright objects on the desk in front. "No Dobby. You will not harm yourself." He looks up to the blue eyes behind the funny-shaped spectacles. Headmaster Dumbledore is cleverest. He is brilliantest!

"Dobby will do as great Headmaster Dumbledore requests," he says timidly.

Headmaster Dumbledore smiles; such a wonderful smile it is. "Dobby, do you want to hurt yourself?" He is confused by the question. He answers slowly. "Dobby must do what he deserves. Dobby deserves punishment."

Headmaster Dumbledore leans forward. He speaks clearly. "If you had the choice, would you hurt yourself?" He is without the words. Choice? Dobby doesn't have choice. "You are free are you not? I have explained this before, Master Dobby: you have the choice whether you want to work here at Hogwarts or not. It is you who chooses whether you have to punish yourself in such a way. No one chooses for you. Now, do you want to hurt yourself?"

Headmaster Dumbledore is so smart. He is most wisest. He cannot look Headmaster Dumbledore in the eyes. He shakes his head as tears begin to fall once more. "Of course you don't. Now, I wonder why you are here." Headmaster Dumbledore leans back into his chair. "Is there something you wish to tell me?" He nods his head quickly. His hand twitches towards the heavy object, but he does not want to hurt himself. It is for Harry Potter's own good.

Headmaster Dumbledore does not respond. He wants Dobby to speak. Dobby shakes and stutters. It is for Harry Potter's own good! "Harry Potter comes to the kitchens to talk to Dobby, Headmaster Dumbledore sir." His voice wavers.

Headmaster Dumbledore's gaze is deep. "And?"

"Harry Potter asks Dobby for a favour." Bad Dobby! Harry Potter tells Dobby to tell no one. It is for Harry Potter's own good! "Harry Potter wanted Dobby to - to..."

Headmaster Dumbledore leans forward once more "What did he want Dobby?"

"It is impossible for a wizard, Headmaster Dumbledore sir. Not even Harry Potter is powerful enough to get undetected into - into..."

"Into where Dobby?"

It is for Harry Potter's own good! "Harry Potter wanted to -" Bad Dobby! His own good!! "Harry Potter wanted Dobby's former master, Headmaster Dumbledore sir. Harry Potter wanted the Mark of He Who Must Not Be Named."

He cannot resist it and he lunges for the bright, heavy object. Headmaster Dumbledore is too fast and with one hand moves the object out of reach. With the other he grabs Dobby's hand and holds it firmly. "What did you do Dobby?"

He has to answer. For his own good! "Dobby knows how to get into evil Manor. Dobby does what Harry Potter could not."