The New Trio and the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter 2: Dobby's Warning

Dobby, the creature in question turned so he could see Draco, and then went pale. "M-master Draco? What is he doing here? Dobby only wanted to come and... well, it is difficult to explain, sir... Dobby wonders where to begin..."

Draco got out of his makeshift bed and put his hand on Dobby's shoulder and said, "From the beginning please, Dobby, and does my mother know you're here?"

Dobby shook his head rapidly, making his large bat-ears flap about his head. "Dobby overheard something, sir, something he is very sure he shouldn't have."

"From my father?" Draco guessed, unease filling his belly.

Dobby wrung his hands in anguish, and all three of them knew he couldn't tell them anything properly without starting to punish himself. Draco had told them stories of the Malfoy house-elves' mistreatment, and they'd been appalled that anyone could cause such pain for the already high-strung creatures who were frighteningly loyal to their masters.

"How about you tell Draco's mum what you heard?" Neville suggested. "That way, you're not breaking your master's confidence, and she can decide on what to do with that information."

Dobby stood there, awestruck, at the three twelve-year-olds who were willing to help him with his dillemma, while still being able to maintain his loyalty to his family. He snapped his fingers and Disapparated.

"Well," said Harry, "we can hope he took the advice."

The other two nodded sagely, and settled down to wait and see if he'd come back with good news.

*Narcissa's POV*

Narcissa hadn't had a very happy summer so far. Not only had she been unable to spend as much time with Draco as possible, but her oh-so-good husband was almost always busy with something. He hadn't yet told her what it was, but from his shifty behaviour, she had a feeling it wasn't good. When he did pay attention to her, it was with only one goal in mind: bringing a new Malfoy heir into the world. This sort of thing would have had her over the moon a few years ago, as she'd always wanted to give Draco a brother or a sister, but now... Well, now Draco may never get the chance to properly meet any potential sibling, and it was all Lucius' fault. She'd barely been able to get away from his advances so far, citing mourning for the loss of her one and only son, but her time was running out; in about a month, Draco would be back at Hogwarts, and Lucius would have every legal right to attempt to impregnate her.

Currently, she was in the music room, playing a custom piece on her grand piano. In here, she was relatively safe from him, as he'd only stepped foot in it once during his adult life, and that had been to inform her of Draco's disownment, even though she'd known what had happened when she'd felt the Malfoy familial magic resting more heavily on her than before, and when she'd felt that, she'd sought out the connections available to her. To her dismay, she'd found out that Draco wasn't her son in magic any longer, only by blood. She'd barely managed to compose herself before Lucius had walked in, and once he'd left, she wrote to Gringotts as well, giving Draco the Black name and a vault, and then she'd succumbed to hysterics again. It had been Severus who'd found her, coming through the nearest Floo to inform her of Draco's breakdown. He'd comforted her, telling her he was heartened again by the Gringotts note in her name, and when he'd left, she'd felt better than she had in a while.

Her peace was disrupted by a small pop behind her. She stopped playing and turned to face her house-elf visitor. "Mistress Cissa! Dobby overheard something from Master Lucius and went to Harry Potter-Black to warn him, but Young Master Draco told Dobby to tell Mistress Cissa instead!" Dobby rushed out in one breath.

"You saw Draco? How is he-no, don't tell me that, not until you tell me what you overheard. It must be important if you felt like you needed to tell Harry about it. Please, join me."

This had the opposite effect of the soothing one she'd intended, as Dobby promptly burst into tears-very noisy tears. She quickly put up silencing wards around the room, and grasped Dobby by the shoulder. "Dobby, you must understand that Lucius has never treated you, or any other elf, this way because he felt you were all inferior to him. I, on the other hand, do not. You will sit here, calm down, and tell me what you overheard, so I can decide what to do with the information.

Having orders, Dobby followed them to the letter, spending a good fifteen minutes to explain his discovery, and then Narcissa made a decision on what to do. Her plan was simply devious, and proved beyond doubt that she was anything, if not Slytherin.

*Draco's POV*

They were immediately awoken out of their fitful sleeps when Dobby Apparated back into the room, clutching a satin sock. He was in tears, and Draco asked, "What happened? Are you okay, Dobby?"

Amidst tears, he let his audience in on what had transpired. "Y-yes, Master Draco, Dobby is better than okay, he is free!"

"What?" exclaimed Neville. "Where did that come from?"

"Dobby did just as ordered: he went to Mistress Cissa. Dobby told her Harry Potter-Black was in danger from Master Lucius, and she freed Dobby and suggested he go to Master Draco and become his personal house-elf, then spy on his old master so he could protect Master Draco's friends!"

Draco blinked a few times, processing all of the information he'd been given, then looked over to his friends, who had similarly shocked expressions. He turned back to Dobby and said, "Dobby, if this is what you want, then once you're bound to me, I'll give you a salary of one galleon a week, which you can use to buy whatever you want. You would also be allowed a den in Grimmauld Place, and I expect you to keep yourself clean, and to wear an appropriate house-elf robe that would show you are a part of the House of Black. I would forbid you to punish yourself for any wrongdoings, and I won't punish you either. Do you agree to all this?"

With fresh tears in his eyes, Dobby nodded ecstatically.

He held out his hand to the diminuitive elf, palm up, and said, "Elf, with your best interests at heart, you have asked of me something I can give you. What say you to serving me for as long as it pleases me?"

"Dobby, formerly of the House of Malfoy, agrees to be bound to the House of Black, and primarily serve Draco Black," he said, laying his small hand into Draco's palm.

There was a flash of light, and then Dobby explained why he'd been so terrified for Harry. "Lucius was talking to himself in his study while Dobby was cleaning out the chimney, Harry Potter-Black. He was saying that his preparation was almost complete, and soon all Mudbloods would be wiped out of the school, as well as all those who thought they were better than someone. Dobby does not know who this someone is, and since Dobby didn't hear a reply, he snuck down the chimney to look."

"What did you see?" asked Draco.

"Only Draco's father sitting at his desk, no one else. He then only said that he was 'looking forward to watching as all of these terrible things happen', and that he couldn't wait to blame them on Dumbledore. Sir, Harry Potter-Black must not go back to Hogwarts this year! Dobby has heard of his greatness, and does not wish for him to be in such danger."

Harry shook his head mutely, unsure of what to say, so Draco explained for him. "Harry is one of my best friends, Dobby, and we have lots more friends, all waiting for us to go back to Hogwarts. We've got Sirius, Remus, Professor McGonagall, and Uncle Severus to protect us. If you spy on my father, then we'll be aware of any danger, and we can tell the adults. This is enough safety in order for us to go back to Hogwarts, and I expect you to agree with me."

Hearing the order from his new master, Dobby nodded vigorously and popped away.

Draco breathed out a sigh of relief when the energetic elf was gone, and he heard both Neville and Harry echo him.

"Well," Neville started, "that was a bit intense. I don't suppose we'll be left in peace, now, do you?"

Harry snorted. "If we're not, they better expect a hex."

Draco and Neville quickly agreed and they all soon fell asleep.