Chapter 243: Dobby Is a Free Elf
In Nottingham Forest, Alexander Smith walked leisurely through his woods, feeling quite satisfied.
As an observer of events — a self-described "melon-eater" — he had certainly gotten his fill today.
Lucius Malfoy's reaction earlier was surprisingly fast. Though initially panicked, he had quickly regained composure, analyzed the situation, and drawn sharp conclusions.
The appearance of the younger Tom Riddle immediately made Lucius think of the Horcrux he had once given away. And when he connected this with Dumbledore's mention of an "unexpected" candidate for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, Lucius quickly understood — the candidate was Tom Riddle himself, the Dark Lord's forgotten past.
Even more impressive, Lucius was quick to act. After steadying himself, he decided almost immediately to investigate further — by preparing a gift to deliver to Hogwarts.
In contrast, Narcissa Malfoy's reaction had been slower. Upon hearing of the Dark Lord's suspected presence and their family's shifting allegiance, her first response had been to focus on appearances — changing her story about her cousin, thinking about Ron Weasley's name, and suggesting gifts for Harry and his friends.
But it was unfortunate that Dobby had overheard only half the conversation before running away. He didn't know that his master had already turned toward the camp of his second most-admired wizard: Albus Dumbledore.
Instead, Dobby was fixated on a single idea — he had to stop Harry Potter from returning to Hogwarts.
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Dobby's Thoughts
Dobby is a free elf.
When had this thought first awakened in him? Was it after the sacrifice of his parents — who died as subjects of Voldemort's cruel magical experiments?
Or was it after watching his fellow house-elves remain numb to such tragedies, celebrating their kin's death as if it were glorious?
Perhaps it was on that October night in 1981. Dobby, who should have perished alongside his parents in the name of Malfoy "honor," had survived — because Voldemort had vanished.
Harry Potter had survived Voldemort's curse that night. The Dark Lord's magic was broken, and hope returned.
From then on, Dobby never forgot the name: Harry Potter.
Before that night, house-elves were treated like vermin. Even afterward, their lives were still harsh — but undeniably improved. For elves who had thought darkness eternal, Harry Potter was like a beacon of light.
And perhaps that was how Dobby began to long for freedom.
But freedom was forbidden for house-elves. Every time such thoughts arose, he punished himself — burning his hands with an iron, slamming his ears in the oven door, or most often, banging his head against the wall.
His masters noticed, but were never surprised. Sometimes they even encouraged him to punish himself more severely. They refused to give him even the smallest chance at freedom — not even a pair of socks.
Years passed like this. A "little master" was born into the family, but he too grew into a cruel boy.
When the little master went off to Hogwarts, Dobby wondered: would he meet Harry Potter?
Time went on, and Dobby overheard endless stories. Harry defeating a professor, slaying a troll, becoming a Seeker.
But one story struck Dobby most of all — Harry Potter, noble and kind, had actually befriended his cruel little master.
Guided by Harry's influence, the boy had even once stopped Dobby mid-punishment.
"Your body also belongs to the Malfoy family. Next time you want to harm yourself, clean the house instead — whether it is already clean or not."
To Dobby, this too was Harry Potter's greatness.
And even more, Harry — still only a first-year — had defeated the remnant soul of Voldemort himself.
But what had Dobby heard today?
That same devil intended to return to Hogwarts as a professor!
Harry Potter must be stopped.
Harry must not return to Hogwarts.
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Alexander's Observation
Through his magical anchor, Alexander saw Dobby carry out his plan. The elf arrived at Harry's home, even intercepting a letter from Ron.
In Dobby's mind, blocking Harry's letters would make the boy believe he had no friends — perhaps even convincing him to drop out of school.
What Dobby didn't realize was that Draco Malfoy himself was already planning to arrive at Privet Drive to fetch Harry on July 31st, letter or no letter.
To Alexander, this was all fascinating. He noticed something he hadn't fully appreciated before: the mechanism of Harry's protective enchantment.
Lily Evans had sacrificed her life to protect her son, embedding that protection into Harry's bloodline.
In the original world, it had appeared almost like a faint intelligence. It wasn't truly self-aware, but it could sense malice and repel it. Much like how Gaara's mother's sacrifice created sand that shielded him instinctively in another world Alexander remembered, Lily's sacrifice provided Harry with automatic protection.
This was different from the Fidelius Charm, which hid addresses in another dimension. Instead, it allowed everyone — even Ministry workers and Order members — to know Harry's address, but prevented any being with malice from approaching.
That explained why young Harry still occasionally encountered wizards, why Dobby could appear at Privet Drive, and why even Dementors could — they carried no malice themselves, only the hunger to drain joy.
Thus, Fudge's cronies could manipulate events years later, sending Dementors to provoke Harry into breaking the law without directly violating the protection.
Now Alexander fully understood: the charm did not block danger itself, only malice. Which was why Dobby's "well-intentioned" attempt to save Harry by keeping him away from Hogwarts went unchallenged.
And so, under Dobby's misguided protection, Harry Potter began to live a strangely isolated summer.
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