Harry-Dementor

15- Ron Meet Ronnie

Dobby, following Hedwig, caught up to Harry on the Astronomy Tower. He had eventually calmed down some after his panic attack in the common room. Being outside his human body as a dementor made things a lot clearer to him. Jamie was a mess, was his conclusion. It was easier to blame his more human emotions and instincts on the soulless body than having to own up to them, though he was very aware that Jamie had no thoughts or feelings, so it was a lie he was willing to tell himself.

"What's you doing here, Mr. Harry Potter?" Dobby asked as Hedwig settled on the parapet beside Harry who scratched her head with a long, skeletal finger.

"Calming down, figuring out what I actually feel," Harry answered with a sigh. "I don't know if I'm angry at Umbridge, disgusted at myself, afraid of getting caught, or worried about what my friends will think…I'm just kind of messed up right now. I think I'm settling into angry at Umbridge and righteous indignation that I was the one that had to handle the situation."

"Dobby agrees with that last one," the elf nodded enthusiastically. "Winky does too. Really, she wishes Winky was the one that handled it."

Harry sank to where he was hovering over the floor cross-legged so that he could be more on the same level as his friend. "So, what's the plan? Did Winky have any suggestions for how we're going to handle all this? I can't believe I'm talking about covering up a murder…one of those things that you'd swear you'd never be doing."

Dobby nodded again and comfortingly took Harry's hand that wasn't petting Hedwig in his. "She say that there'll be an investigation. She see old master Barty Crouch do this many times. But, Winky and Dobby will make sure no one will find the body, and if Mr. Harry Potter keeps to the story that he didn't have detention and she wasn't there, then there isn't anything they can do."

"What about Veritaserum?" Harry asked anxiously. It was what he was concerned about the most.

Dobby shook his head and smirked though. "No, Mr. Harry Potter is a minor. Winky says you cannot be given any truth serum. It's illegal. She says if you's are given anything, just starts talking about everything you knows about Sirius Black and the rat and the Dark Lord. Don't lets them ask questions, just keep talking until it wears off and they're distracted. Then they's have to deal with all that."

Harry laughed and seemed to lose a couple pounds of anxiety. "Honestly, I almost wish they would give me something then."

Dobby wrinkled his nose but chuckled. "Let's still avoid it."

"Can I actually help you in the kitchen tonight to get ready for breakfast? I need something to do to keep me busy?" Harry sighed, knowing the house elves hated when anyone tried to help them. "I promise I won't make a habit of it, and I won't touch the all-sacred stove."

Dobby seemed to think about it for a minute. "I's guess we can move Sparky off dishes and let him chop things. I's hold no responsibility if breakfast isn't perfect though."

Harry smiled and almost bounced off the floor. He knew the house elf known as Sparky was as much, if not more, of a klutz than Tonks, and was not a fan of having to wash dishes. He was on probation for dropping an entire bowl of pudding on the floor outside of the kitchen. It would be an entertaining evening at the very least if he was on chopping duty. "I'll be the best dish washer ever."

Dobby chuckled and pulled Harry along behind him back down from the tower. "You's just have to be better than Sparky, and we's can shame him to do better then."