Harry couldn't watch her, he didn't have the time and couldn't afford the risk of sneaking into her office over and over again to prevent her from harming anyone else, but he knew of no other way to stop her. He was the only one who could move about the castle unseen and undetected with the cloak, nobody else managed to pass unnoticed.
House elves, he realised. A cruel smile crossed his lips. Perhaps Umbridge would like to have the protection of Hogwarts' only free elf just as I did in the second year. He pulled himself out of the chair and disillusioned himself to sneak out past the sleeping portrait of the Fat Lady.
The not so secret entrance to the kitchens wasn't too far from Gryffindor Tower and Harry was sure he would find Dobby there.
He strode down the steps into the basement level, taking them two at a time and then along the well lit corridor with its many paintings of food.
At its end lay a large picture of a bowl of fruit within a silver bowl and Harry knew, from overhearing the escapades of the twins and Katie's ill-fated, alcohol inspired kitchen trips that tickling the pear would grant him access.
The pale, green fruit giggled and transitioned itself into a large door handle.
The kitchens were enormous, every bit as large as the Great Hall above, with a high vaulted ceiling, and walls covered in shelf after shelf of brass and copper pans.
It was also full of house elves.
'I'm looking for Dobby,' he announced loudly, drawing the attention of every elf in the room. They froze, staring at him curiously, pausing in their work to look at their visitor. The nearest elf, who was busy preparing fruit for the breakfast drinks, lost his grip on the lemon he was was holding, and the yellow fruit rolled across the table and fell onto the floor.
There was a loud crack and the bright green eyes of the mildly mad elf gleamed up at him in a disturbing adoration.
'Master Harry Potter called,' Dobby, bobbing his head up and down, setting his ears to flapping like broken bats' wings. 'I have something that I need your help with, Dobby,' he murmured so the others couldn't hear. 'There's a teacher at this school who's harming the students and needs to be stopped.'
'Dobby knows the one Harry Potter means,' the elf nodded, 'but Dobby can't help, not while he's an elf of Hogwarts.'
'Ah,' Harry sighed.
So much for that brilliant plan.
'Dobby could help if he had a different master,' the elf continued, still staring at Harry intensely. He was fairly sure the elf had yet to blink.
'If you had a new master would you be able to watch her office and remove anything that could be dangerous to students from it?' Harry asked. 'Yes,' Dobby nodded enthusiastically. 'If Harry Potter offers, if he wants, then Dobby will be accepting him as his master, and serving him as proudly as any elf could.'
'How should I offer?' Harry inquired. 'Is there something I have to do?'
'Harry Potter has to offer Dobby his magic, once Dobby has touched and accepted a wizard's magic Dobby is bound to them.'
'Do you want to be bound to me, Dobby?' Harry didn't want to enslave the elf again, not when he had been so happy to be free of the Malfoys.
'Dobby likes working here,' the elf finally blinked, and Harry almost sighed with relief, 'but an elf is best off with the magic off a master and a family. Hogwarts has enough magic to keep house elves alive and sane, but it's distant magic, Harry Potter, not personal, it's lonely magic.' 'I'm not sure if that's a yes,' Harry grinned.
'Dobby would most certainly like to have Harry Potter as a master, Harry Potter is a great wizard, one an elf would be proud to serve. Dobby heard how master Harry Potter dealt with his nasty former young master.' The elf grinned viciously, and Harry almost took a step back from the sheer malice and hate present in the normally cheerful eyes of the elf.
'Then I offer you my magic, Dobby,' Harry said, wondering exactly what would happen next.
The elf beamed, and reached out one small hand and firmly grasped Harry's wrist for an instant. In that moment he felt his magic surge to the surface and subside again, and Dobby shivered and straightened up.
'Master Harry Potter is a very great wizard,' Dobby uttered adoringly. 'His magic is stronger than Dobby imagined.'
'Can you watch Umbridge for me, Dobby?' Harry asked. 'And if she tries to harm a student, make sure she's stopped. I know you can use your magic within the school walls and remain undetected.'
'Dobby will stay and work at Hogwarts,' the elf agreed, 'he will make sure the nasty pink woman doesn't hurt any of Master Harry Potter's friends.'
'Thank you, Dobby,' Harry smiled. 'Do you still want paying?'
'Master Harry Potter freed Dobby from… from,' Dobby's face screwed up in hatred, 'from the Malfoys and lets him touch his magic. A house elf is greatly affected by his master's magic and Master Harry Potter's magic is strong. Dobby owes him a debt that he can never repay.' Harry was tempted to ask the elf to stop addressing him as such, but he knew well enough that Dobby would likely no listen unless he gave him a direct order, and that was something he was loathe to do if it was not necessary. Harry did not want servants and slaves to follow his whims. That was a path he was determined never to tread.
'Dobby will go and start watching,' the elf decided, stepping back. Harry was surprised to see that the elf's skin had tanned to a slightly more healthy shade, the lines on his face and the curve of his spine had reduced, and his eyes glowed bright with magic.
Dobby disapparated with a loud crack, leaving Harry in the kitchen in front of a curious horde of elves, who were suddenly a lot closer than before. One of the elves darted forwards to place a lemon in his hands, along with half a slice of buttered toast wrapped partially in a napkin, nodding enthusiastically all the while.
Unsure of what to say he accepted the unusual gift and gave them a wave before turning and heading back the way he had come towards Gryffindor Tower, munching on the toast. Some of the earlier risers might be up and around by now so he snuck back as quickly as possible. The Hufflepuffs dorms and set was around the basement somewhere and he didn't need any more of them thinking he was up to no good than already did.
He ran into Katie in the passageway behind the Fat Lady, staggering forwards as he held her to him to avoid knocking her over, and dropping his lemon. It rolled out of sight.
'Harry,' her voice was shaky and upset, 'we have a problem, a big problem.' He was suddenly aware that she was holding onto him rather tightly and that a warm, damp feeling was spreading across his shoulder.
'What is it?' Harry asked gently, guiding her back into the common room and trying to ignore the twist of anxiety in his stomach. Katie slumped onto the arm of his chair, sliding partially into his lap until Harry moved across to share with her. The room was otherwise empty, but Katie seemed distraught.
'This,' she pulled a copy of the Daily Prophet out from under her creased robes and Harry got a glimpse of red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ready to lose yourself in an epic tale? Download the full PDF now and start reading from page one!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
https://fictiontopia.tiendup.com/