Chapter 251: A World Where Only Ron is Injured
"Oh, young master and young master Draco have learned bad things, how shameless." Kreacher muttered bitterly, then fell silent. He turned his head away, as if Dobby were some sort of deadly infection he needed to avoid.
No one paid Kreacher any attention.
"Dobby, if I ever want to—" Draco began.
"Dobby is a free elf and can obey anyone he likes, including his little master." Dobby's wide eyes shone, two rows of crooked teeth flashing as he smiled brightly at Draco.
"That's enough." Draco's voice came out hoarse.
"Dobby, would you like to come to my house? I could use an elf at home," Ron almost blurted aloud, though he only dared to think it.
Even Ron knew this was not the time. He'd wait a few minutes.
"Dobby, you can go to Hogwarts instead," Draco suggested. He knew what Dobby wanted after freedom. "If anywhere would accept a paid elf, it would be Dumbledore."
"Wise little master! As expected of you!" Dobby's eyes sparkled. "How could Dobby not think of that? Most wizards would never want a house-elf asking for wages. That's not a proper elf's quality!"
("Dobby doesn't know this. Shame on Dobby," Kreacher muttered bitterly.)
"This way, Dobby can keep an eye on that person at Hogwarts. Dobby can protect his little master, Harry Potter, and Wei Zi!" Dobby added cheerfully.
"My name is not Wei Zai! Why can't you ever remember? My name is Ron Weasley!" Ron snapped.
"Okay, Wei Zai!" Dobby nodded solemnly, as if committing it to memory.
"Dobby, I'm worried my father might come after you." Draco's brow furrowed. "If it's as you say, then I order you—be careful at Hogwarts. Stay away from the younger version of the Dark Lord."
"Dobby, I also ask you not to take risks," Harry added firmly. "According to your words, I am the great Harry Potter—so don't worry. Tom Riddle, in his younger form, can't be my opponent."
Even so, Harry couldn't shake the sense of danger. Last year, Dumbledore's plan had spared the students, but trolls and unicorns had died in vain.
Next year, would the young Voldemort be sacrificed as just another pawn? Wizards might be safe, but what about Dobby? To Dumbledore, would an elf's life mean any more than that of a unicorn?
"Dobby is free now! Dobby doesn't have to listen to you anymore!" Dobby squeaked. "Dobby is going to Hogwarts!"
Before Harry or Draco could stop him, Dobby vanished.
"I still had something to say," Ron muttered gloomily. His sulky expression almost mirrored Kreacher's own.
Soon after, the four of them piled into the turquoise flying car. Harry sat beside Sirius in the front, while Ron and Draco sat together in the back with Kreacher squeezed next to Draco.
But this time, Kreacher looked less honored than when he first sat with Draco. His eyes reflected disappointment, as though his once-perfect young master and the pure-blood grandnephew he admired had been corrupted.
"Miss Sissy would be heartbroken if she knew," Kreacher grumbled.
Harry, caught up in relief at leaving the Dursleys and celebrating Dobby's freedom, didn't notice.
Sirius rolled down the window, feeling the rush of warm air. For a moment, it was as if he were young again, riding through the Muggle world with James on their enchanted motorcycle.
"How great this feels," Sirius murmured.
"Yeah," Harry agreed. The warm wind whipped his hair as the rooftops of Privet Drive shrank below. He leaned back in his seat, grinning ear to ear. "Wuhu! See you next summer!"
"Let Hedwig out," he said to Ron. "Dobby probably didn't let her fly much these days. She's gotten fatter."
Draco handed Ron the cage. A moment later, Hedwig spread her wings and soared out the window, ghostlike against the sky.
"Kreacher, don't talk in the car." Sirius gave the order automatically, savoring the peace.
"Good call, Sirius! My ears were about to get blisters," Ron said, sticking his head out the window—(a very dangerous habit, don't try it)—and sighing in relief.
"Easy for you. I had to sit next to him, listening to all his muttering about me," Draco complained.
"Honestly, Kreacher and Dobby made me realize maybe it's not so bad not having an elf at home," Ron sighed.
"They're exceptions," Draco replied knowingly.
"By the way, Draco, your father won't scold you, right?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, will this affect you staying at my house—or visiting Sirius later?" Ron added, though his concerns were clearly different.
Both Draco and Harry were used to Ron's odd moments.
Draco ignored him and said to Harry, "My father is a typical Malfoy. There's more than one elf in the family. In his eyes, keeping our friendship with you is far more important than keeping Dobby."
Harry blinked. "I knew you'd thought it all through."
Ron nodded knowingly. "Of course he did. Malfoys never let themselves suffer a loss."
"What about the other elves?" Harry asked.
"They aren't Dobby's family, so my father won't care," Draco explained.
"I say, won't Lucius misunderstand this 'friendship' of yours?" Sirius cut in.
"Relationship? What—" Draco caught on, face twisting like he'd smelled something foul.
"What? Didn't we already explain all that?" Harry groaned, suddenly remembering Rita Skeeter's smear articles.
"Damn Rita Skeeter!" Ron swore. "She can't even get my name right!"
"What if she had remembered your name?" Draco sneered.
"That'd be great! Half the wizarding world would know who I am!" Ron shot back. "Hey, Draco, what do you take me for?"
"As shameless as Rita Skeeter?" Draco said coolly.
"I think so," Harry added with a grin.
Everyone burst out laughing—everyone except Ron and Kreacher.
And so, the world where only Ron was injured was born.
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