Draco Malfoy and the House of Black

The Opposite of a Dementor

The plan was to rest, but most plans gave way under the weight of Gryffindor determination. First, the most Gryffindor elf in history appeared in the Slytherin boys' dorms with food for Draco. He assured Draco he had asked permission to leave the kitchens and wouldn't get in trouble, before launching into a distressed wail.

"Dobby is worried about Draco Malfoy! Dobby asked Harry Potter, but Harry Potter said that Draco Malfoy disappeared after Defense Against the Dark Arts and none of the other Slytherins will say why! That they are all too scared of Draco Malfoy to say what is wrong!"

Draco gave a satisfied smirk at that, taking the plate from Dobby and sitting up at the edge of his bed to eat. He still felt so drained that he was only half-present with Dobby, but he thought his lack of visible physical injury should at least reassure him. "I just got upset in class, that's all. And I'm really tired now, that's why I'm not at dinner. Thank you for bringing me food. I just hope you won't get in trouble..."

"Dobby should not be in the Slytherin dormitory," Dobby agreed, "Dobby is not assigned to clean here, but Dobby had to make sure nothing terrible had happened!" And then a slight smile came to his face. "Draco Malfoy likes the lamb with rosemary?" Draco nodded, holding up a hand, and Dobby slapped him five like he had taught him. "Draco Malfoy is enjoying the food!"

"If you're not allowed here again, Dobby, you might as well give yourself a tour before you have to go," Draco sighed, feeling some energy return from the unexpected pleasure of stuffing his face. Dobby looked around the murky dark sea of green curtains with distinct trepidation. "Sorry if it reminds you too much of Malfoy Manor. But I'd bet it smells better than the Gryffindor dorms."

"Dobby has never been there either," Dobby told him, "Though Dobby is watching over Harry Potter as much as he can." He walked over to Draco's bed, studying the place Draco slept with a curious look, and then went over to examine the other beds. Draco waved him permission to examine Draco's trunk from beneath the bed. "Draco Malfoy has a nicer bedroom at Malfoy Manor. Dobby liked Draco Malfoy's dragon on the door that lit up and made fireworks."

"My major criticism of this room," Draco drawled, "Would be of my roommates. And yes, I still have that dragon on my door, though I might take it down soon. I won't if you don't like," he laughed at Dobby's scowl. "Hey, where do the house elves live at Hogwarts?"

Dobby looked shifty. "This is a mystery, Draco Malfoy, that we are not allowed to tell the students. A part of the castle only we go." Draco presumed it was near the kitchens. "But our magic lets us back into the main castle quickly." Or maybe it was under the Great Lake.

"Tell me one thing," Draco sighed, "Can you still feel the Dementors from wherever it is?" Draco could feel them even down in bed in the dungeons, though it was sometimes hard to tell whether the constant tugging at the edges of his mind was the distant presence of Dementors, or from his own mental agitation and imbalance. "Wait- are you affected by Dementors, Dobby?"

Dobby nodded gravely. "Dobby has not seen them, but Dobby feels. Especially when Dobby is higher in the castle. They are many, floating above Hogwarts. Dobby understands they must be here to protect the students, but Dobby hates the feeling. It makes Dobby remember the dungeons in Malfoy Manor."

"Of course you feel them," Draco mused, "Because house elves have souls too, and that's what Dementors act on. I suppose they wouldn't be different enough from human souls that Dementors couldn't still give you the Dementor's Kiss..."

Draco was perhaps unwise, thoroughly terrifying Dobby with his explanation of the Kiss, by the time other footsteps began to sound in the dungeon. "What Dobby has never understood," Dobby said softly, "Is why dark wizards like Lucius Malfoy's friends are guarded in Azkaban by Dementors. Dark creatures. If the Dark Lord returns, will Dementors go to the Dark Lord?"