Dobby's Return
Chapter 25

Disclaimer: This work of fan-fiction is not intended for personal profit. All characters utilized herein which are not creations of myself belong to J. K. Rowling.

Just as Dobby finished cleaning the Slytherin boys' dormitory, he heard the unmistakable noise of the entrance wall grinding as it slid aside, admitting students who were quickly getting something from their room for the afternoon classes. Frustrated, Dobby tried popping into the second-year girls' dorm quickly. He spotted Flipsy's box on Pansy's bed, but just as he prepared to stealthily open the box, Millicent Bulstrode barged into the room. Dobby, having hurriedly jumped off Pansy's bed, didn't want to make a noise disappearing. She would have spotted Dobby but for the fact that someone called her name at the doorway and she turned to look at whoever was talking to her.

Dobby took that moment to quietly pop away to the kitchens, hoping the noise of conversation would keep Millicent from realizing a house-elf had been "cleaning" in the dorms (after all, elves were to be unseen and unheard).

While working in the kitchens, Dobby pondered and discarded plan after plan as he helped send second helpings of food to any serving dish that went empty, then later on started helping to clean the dishes. Unfortunately, his concern over finding something dark from former Master Lucius at Hogwarts began to get noticed…

"Dobby! You has nearly dropped another plate!" barked Wibby.

Dobby sighed, his ears drooping as he realised the plate he was about to transfer to the clean pile had nearly fallen from his fingers but for unconsciously gripping it after Wibby's warning. He'd already had one close call previously, and he didn't like to think he'd be considered an unreliable house-elf in Hogwarts.

"Dobby will do better," he said firmly as he strove to put all thoughts out of his mind except for cleaning duties for the time being. It was hard, but he managed to successfully clean the rest of the dishes.

/\/\/\/\

After dish duty was over and Dobby had finished helping prepare the dinner meal before the other kitchen elves began the cooking, he quickly popped up to the Great Hall and found Robby, the house-elf he knew had been on the informal rota to keep an eye on Harry Potter that day.

As they went through and cleaned in preparation for the night, Robby quietly informed Dobby that nothing had happened to Harry at lunch or immediately after. Slightly relieved, Dobby mentioned the strange gift that Pansy had received (albeit without mentioning he had contemplated stealing it or otherwise interfering with another student's mail). Robby, a bit skeptical, said, "And how is you so sure it will harm Harry Potter?"

"Dobby doesn't know! He only knows that former Master Lucius had Dark Arts things he liked to buy in Knockturn Alley." His ears drooped again. "We should finish here, Robby. Dobby will personally watch Harry Potter tonight."

The two elves nodded at each other and continued the cleaning of the Great Hall.

/\/\/\/\

Dobby's first break came when he heard the supper bell ring, and in the confusion in the kitchens, he slipped away to hide under the drooping tablecloth of the High Table. He secreted himself on the side near the Slytherin table, crouched down and peeked out from under the tablecloth. He zeroed in on Pansy Parkinson walking in next to Draco Malfoy.

She wasn't carrying the box, but she did have a bookbag with her. Draco did, as well. Draco's always-present "bodyguards" of sorts, Crabbe and Goyle, had no bookbags. As Draco and Pansy sat down next to each other, he saw her furtively pass something wrapped up in black cloth over to Draco, who smirked and quickly shoved it into his bookbag.

If Dobby could have cursed out loud like a human, he would have at that moment. Draco wouldn't let that item out of his sight, and if Dobby hadn't been around when Flipsy delivered whatever the item was, he probably wouldn't have even known it existed, since Draco would likely have been told how to mask the Dark signature from the object and keep a Professor from finding out about it.

He eased his way over to where Snape was sitting at the High Table and kept an ear out. As it turned out, he was just in time. "—need to see you after dinner tonight."

"Is it something we can discuss here?"

"No."

"Very well; come see me when you finish your meal."

Perhaps some spying on Severus Snape was called for. In the meantime, Dobby quietly transported himself to just outside the Headmaster's office, where he could watch to see if Snape came to the gargoyle.

/\/\/\/\

As it transpired, Snape did indeed go to see the Headmaster after the evening meal. Dobby, having materialised on the high beam again, had an unobstructed view from the semidarkness of that part of the Headmaster's office.

No sooner did Snape sit down opposite Dumbledore's desk before he barked, "Are the privacy wards up, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore looked at him askance before waving his wand. "Severus?"

"Where's the diary?"

"Safely locked up, where it has been for the last several months now, under protections I personally devised and which are known to no-one else," stated Dumbledore.

"Because I got an owl from Lucius Malfoy. He obliquely warned me about a plot to discredit you, and I wanted to make sure he hasn't found a way to get that artefact. Obviously, I'm to stay on the sidelines, et cetera, et cetera, and when you're forced out, he'll use his influence on the Board of Governors to have me made Deputy or full Headmaster." The sour look on Snape's face told Dobby what the man thought of former Master Lucius's underhanded dealings.

"Mm." Dumbledore reached for his small bowl of sherbet lemons and popped one in his mouth. Around the candy, he said, "Has Draco Malfoy received any owls?"

"Not as far as I can tell, aside from the usual sweets his mother sends him. I can keep an eye on Slytherin for you, but there's not much of a chance I can find a Dark object on his person; if Lucius has been at all smart, he'll already have taught Draco how to mask their signatures."

"And we can't go around searching students' mail or personal possessions on mere suspicion; the students wouldn't stand for it and neither would their parents. They are entitled to a reasonable expectation of privacy," said Dumbledore flatly. "I am afraid, Severus, that we are just going to have to wait and see what happens next."

Snape made a noncommittal noise and stood up. Dumbledore also stood and said, "Thank you, Severus, and good night."

After the tiniest inclination of his head, Snape strode out of the office, prompting Dobby to return to his personal quarters as well.

In frustration, Dobby smacked his head against the wall. "Bad Dobby! Dobby has been unable to help protect Harry Potter!"

Unfortunately, thought Dobby as he rubbed his head, that hadn't made him feel that much better.

Author Notes: Well well well!