Eventually, Dobby stopped crying in happiness and constantly thanking Hermione every other breath. She started asking questions about what the great danger at Hogwarts that Dobby had been worried about.
He explained about the Chamber of Secrets, built by one of the four founders of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin, for his Heir. Inside was a great monster that would be under the heir of Slytherin's control. Lucius meant to open the chamber and cause chaos in the school.
“But, Dobby. How? How is he going to do all of this?” Hermione asked.
“Dobby does not know, Ms. Granger. Mast— Lucius Malfoy never said so when Dobby was listening.”
“You can call me Hermione, you know. I’m not like those Malfoys making you use titles all the time if you don’t want to.”
“Uh, uh. Dobby wishes to call you Ms. Granger if it is okay? You are worth the respect!”
“Oh! Well, uhm. Thank you, Dobby. You can if you still want to. I just didn’t want you to feel forced to. This whole thing is rather horrible. I can’t believe all the house elves are enslaved like that…”
Dobby scratched his head. “The Malfoys were ter.. Terrible masters, Ms. Granger. But there is a reason us house elves let ourselves be bound. It is told to each of us house elves by our parents.”
Hermione drew back. “Huh? What reason would there be for following everyone’s orders to the letter like that? Didn’t the wizards make your ancestors do it?”
Dobby began to speak with a musical lilt, as if he was telling an epic Viking tale.
“Well, elves have very powerful magic and used to be very powerful people. Stronger than most wizards. But our king, who was as powerful as he was greedy, cast a massive ritual that sacrificed the potential of his people to empower himself. The elves at the time were left without a way of regenerating their own magic after the king went on a maddened rampage with all his stolen power and then disappeared. In the following years, many died before they found that they could survive by binding themselves to places or people of magical power.”
“We were too weak by that point to fight for major places of magical power. So we bound ourselves to the wizards and the majority of the population managed to survive the cataclysm. This is why we continue to serve the families, because we would not live today if they had not taken us in at our moment of need. By binding ourselves to a family we can be supported by a sliver of the magic of each person in that surviving line. They set the terms of servitude in exchange for this privilege and that’s what they received. Even to this day the magic of our families sustains us.”
Dobby returned to a normal tone. “That is how Dobby’s father told it to him.”
Hermione shook her head. “That’s no good, even if they saved you they forced you into slavery afterwards! That’s not okay. Wait, what will happen now you aren’t bound to the Malfoys’ magic?”
Dobby froze, “Dobby… Dobby does not know. Dobby did not think of this. It usually takes a year or two for a house elf to die after being unbound by a family. The less magic Dobby uses, the more time he will have.”
Hermione thought about it. She didn’t want to save Dobby just to have him die a year later of some kind of magical starvation. What could he bind himself to? He definitely shouldn’t go to another wizarding family…
Places of power…
“Hey, what about Hogwarts? I read in Hogwarts: A History that Hogwarts is magically active. I wonder if you could bind yourself to the grounds?”
Dobby nodded and became more energetic. “Ah, Dobby had forgotten about that, Ms. Granger! Dobby knows several house elves that are bound to Hogwarts. It’s similar to a wizarding family except the headmaster would be giving orders. Do you know him? Would he be a good master?”
Hermione frowned, “He’s actually giving me lessons! I think he seems nice enough. But why do you have to have a master? No matter how kind a person is, it can’t be nice being forced to follow orders all the time. You should be able to make your own choices about stuff.”
“No… Maybe Ms. Granger is right.” Dobby replied, his ears drooping, “Most house elves would be appalled at the idea of what you are saying. Dobby thinks maybe forcing house elves to think loyally is part of most wizarding contracts… Dobby feels much less desire to consider the feelings of the hor– horrible Malfoy family than before he was free.”
Hermione tried to think, but she didn’t know any other places of power. And Dobby was right about one thing. Places of magical power were always being fought over by magical beasts or ancient wizards. Ancient wizards that built fortresses or towers with all sorts of dangerous traps in them. There was no way a place of magical power would just be unoccupied.
They both sat there in silence, Dobby still standing there and Hermione thinking about what she could do. Eventually she sat down on her bed with a huff.
“I mean, I could research places with lots of magic. But I don’t think any would be unprotected from what I’ve read. I just wish there was something I could do.”
Dobby looked up with his overly large eyes, and his ears twitched. “Well, Dobby…. No, nevermind.”
Hermione noticed his discomfort and spoke up, “Hey, what is it Dobby? You can tell me, I won’t get mad or anything.”
Dobby spoke again haltingly, “Well, Dobby’s magic tells him that Ms. Granger belongs to a new wizarding line. There are no existing family bindings on you, so if Dobby were to bind to you then you could set new terms to be whatever you wanted…”
Hermione jumped up and clapped her hands. “Oh, how did I not think of that? Let’s do it, then you can be free!”
Dobby drew back, “Ms. Granger does not understand. You would be sacrificing some of your magic to Dobby constantly. You will be a much less powerful witch if I do this. Dobby doesn’t want to pay back your kindness by crippling you.”
Hermione’s excitement dampened. Oh yeah, she had forgotten about that part. “There really is no way around it?” She said glumly.
“Children?” Dobby said hesitantly, “To expand your family line?”
Hermione jolted, “Ugh! Gross, Dobby! No way. I’m not having kids until I’m like…”
Hermione struggled to come up with a number, “Thirty five! That doesn’t help anything right now.”
Dobby shrunk back and Hermione felt a little guilty for yelling so loudly.
“Oh, uh sorry Dobby. I guess you’re right technically, but that doesn’t really help you survive…”
More silence as Hermione thought about it.
“How much of my magic would it be, Dobby?” She said, “Can you give like, a percentage, or, I don’t know…” She trailed off, unsure.
Dobby considered it for a moment, “Fifteen percent for me to live, and another five percent or so to keep my current amount of magic, Dobby guesses.”
“Twenty percent… One fifth of my magic…”
As Hermione thought about it, Dobby noticed her expression and started waving his arms.
“Ms. Granger shouldn’t do it, Dobby is being ungrateful. He can go try for Hogwarts, he had heard great things about Albus Dumbledore from the house elves there! All Dobby wants is to be treated right. Dobby doesn’t want to hurt his greatest friend after she has already done so much for him.”
Greatest friend…
Hermione thought if she would sacrifice a fifth of her magic to save Harry, Ron, or Neville from being slaves. Of course she would. That made her decision much easier. She didn’t know Dobby that well, but he was a person too.
She cleared her throat, “No Dobby. I want to do it.” Her voice came out weak, so she said it again stronger this time. “I want to do it. Let’s do it. How does it work?”
Dobby hesitated, “Is Ms. Granger sure? You can take more time…”
Hermione shook her head, “No way, I want to do it now before I chicken out. How do we do it, C’mon tell me.”
Dobby hesitated but after a visible internal struggle raised his arm as if for a handshake. Hermione felt something like static electricity building in the house elf’s palm as he held it up.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“Ms. Granger, take my hand and then we will negotiate. Dobby is not sure how it works exactly. All house elves know how to do so, but a new contract has not been formed in thousands of years as far as Dobby knows.”
“Whoa,” Hermione said.
She took a deep breath before shooting out her hand, slapping her palm to Dobby’s. The static of what must be magic leapt upwards through her arm until she was frozen in place, vibrating violently like a boiling tea kettle. Everything started jittering until the room began to dissolve along with Hermione’s perception of her body.
She was surrounded by a black void on all sides and felt utterly numb along with losing all feeling in her body. She could sense that Dobby was there too with her too even if she couldn't see him. There was only the dark void, but another sense opened up, something new that let her feel something in the void. Dobby was next to her somehow.
She felt Dobby communicate something in her newly found sense, but the message didn’t come directly to her. Where was she? Inside her mind? Soul? She wasn’t sure she had ever read about anything even close to whatever this was in any of her books. Hermione felt Dobby’s message go upwards to a third presence she hadn’t noticed before. A message from this presence came a few seconds later, directed at her. It spoke with booming words in her mind.
‘Curse capable of observing magical activity detected. Removing interloper from soul to facilitate free and open negotiation…’
Hermione felt something tug in her non-existent gut and suddenly felt lighter. Before she could think about what had just happened, the voice continued.
‘The other party requests a fragment of your magic representing one fifth of your total potential. This will allow the other party to survive and maintain the level of magical power present when he was under his former contract. In addition he requests no mental manipulation or binding magical orders between either party of the contract. What do you wish for in return?’
Hermione panicked. She sent a message to the thing. ‘Nothing! I just want him to be free.’
The thing replied to her nearly instantly, ‘Unacceptable. Contract invalid. There must be an equal exchange. State your terms.’
Hermione tried again, but the entity replied the same way almost word for word. It was like some kind of robot or something. What could Hermione ask for that was worth one fifth of her magic?
Hermione tried to communicate with Dobby in this strange place but there was no reply. She wasn’t even sure that it had worked at all. Then she remembered how Dobby had said how elf magic was special. That must be really valuable, right?
‘I want my magic to have the same special qualities as elf magic. Without the drawbacks of being dependent on other magical sources to survive,’ She sent to the entity.
There was a pause and Hermione could feel Dobby communicating with the larger entity. The thing returned and spoke in her mind again.
‘Prior terms were unequal. Elf magic without the main drawback is more valuable than the offered amount of magic. The other party has amended their offer. He wants the lowest possible magical allotment for parity with your given terms. You will increase your current magical potential transfer to an amount equaling thirty five parts out of a hundred to the other party, with all other terms in the contract remaining identical. In return you will be granted elf magic without being dependent on other magical sources for power. These terms represent an equal exchange. This contract does not include inheritance or inclusion of members of either of your bloodlines. Do you accept this eternally binding contract? Or do you wish to negotiate further? Due to your magic being embedded in the other party, there is an increased ease of placing magical compulsions and contracts upon them by you and the reverse as well. Removing this vulnerability against mental manipulation to both parties is significantly increasing the amount of magic required to be transferred by you for this contract to function.'
Thirty five percent…
But that Elf magic must be amazing if it was worth that much. And she had already gotten this far, she wasn't going to back off now. And no way was she going to try to make Dobby more vulnerable to being enslaved again. Or her surprisingly, if she was understanding the entity right. Not that she thought Dobby would do that to her, but it was good to know she would be protected against it too.
‘I accept,’ She replied.
Hermione felt something. In her body. Her room was a mess, wind whipping everywhere and tossing her things every which way. Hermione could hear her parents shouting and calling her name from the door. But her hand was locked on Dobby’s and they were both still vibrating violently with magic. Hermione felt the robotic voice one more time. Her arms began heating up as the magic flowing between her and Dobby grew scorching hot.
‘Beginning transfer…’
The flow of magic grew fiercer and Hermione’s arm felt like it was on fire. The growing tornado grew fiercer and Hermione heard the walls and ceiling began to creak under the pressure. Dobby and Hermione were gradually lifted to float several feet off the ground, spinning slowly at the center of the growing tornado.
Hermione saw her parents at the door to her room looking horrified. Her mom was trying to rush into the room as Hermione’s dad held her back. A broken chunk of wood from her dresser whipped around and embedded itself halfway into Hermione’s bedroom wall. She tried to widen her eyes but she was frozen in place. Hermione kept spinning and her parents floated out of view again. Hermione could see Dobby’s eyes darting around like her own.
They spun faster and faster and Hermione grunted as something left her. She somehow felt like she was less than before, weaker. Then something new entered her and her magic… changed somehow. Hermione wasn’t sure how, but she could feel her magic and it was… strange. Different than before.
The searing flame in Hermione’s arm died down as the winds around her and Dobby began to decrease in ferocity. The two of them lowered to the ground as the magic flowing through them slowly petered out. Their feet touched the ground again amongst the rubble of Hermione’s shattered bedroom.
‘Transfer complete. This contract is sealed. ’
Then Hermione felt the flow of magic shut off between the both of them all at once. They both stumbled as the force holding them in place released. Dobby stumbled over to the bed and braced himself against it drunkenly. Hermione’s ears were still ringing, but Dobby seemed to be groaning. She was feeling a little motion sick herself, but managed to hold it in. Hermione turned around and saw her parents staring into her room in shock, looking unsure what to do. Her mom was holding her hand to her bleeding upper arm.
“Mom! Are you okay?!”
Hermione rushed forward as her parents came forward. Hermione let out a sigh of relief as she saw it was only a little scratch on her mom’s arm. Her parents hugged her.
“Honey! Oh my god, what is happening. You magic has never done anything like this before. I thought you wand was supposed to fix all of this…” Her mom babbled.
Her dad straightened and drew back from the group hug and his tone grew more unfriendly as he looked over Hermione's shoulder.
“And, who may I ask, is this man who was floating in that tornado with you?”
“Oh, he’s a house elf. He's friendly, house elves are…”
Hermione turned and saw a form that was most definitely not a house elf.
The formerly knee high creature was now even taller than Hermione. Actually he might even be as tall as her Dad who was on the taller side. The person's face looked completely human besides the slightly oversized eyes and different ears replacing human ones. The ears were now completely reshaped into two large spikes like fox ears sticking up nearly to the top of his head. The ears swiveled independently of each other as the man seemed to take in the room, the only other non-human feature remaining were fingers that looked a little longer than normal. His whole body was completely devoid of hair and he was only wearing a loincloth made from his former dirty sack and Hermione blushed slightly at how indecent he was.
She hadn’t cared about it for the small elf but it was weirder now that he looked more like a human.
The man stabilized himself and finished inspecting the room and his new body. He looked directly at Hermione. He spoke and his pitch was deeper but Hermione recognized the elf she had been talking to for the last few weeks in his tone and hesitance.
“Dobby has grown quite a bit taller, Ms. Granger. It is odd being as tall as a witch. This new body feels amazing… Ah, but Dobby will help you clean up. House elves are well practiced at this magic.”
Dobby snapped his fingers and the room was whirling again in utter chaos as chunks of wood and scattered junk began flying back to where it had been. Hermione and her parents watched in shock as over the course of ten minutes the room reassembled itself like it had never been damaged under the direction of Dobby’s magic.
After Dobby finished the final touch he turned back to the trio again. Hermione’s dad’s reflexive protective anger had devolved to confusion as he watched the room reassemble itself. But after they were done he remembered what he was doing before and looked at Hermione.
“I’ll ask again,” he said, “Who the heck is this ‘Dobby’ and what does he have to do with all of this?”
Hermione gestured to Dobby who was inspecting his new body again. Noticing her gesture he straightened and gave a little wave at her parents.
“Mom, Dad, meet Dobby. He’s… And, he was a house elf. I kinda… Well, I kinda freed him from slavery. He was going to die afterwards, so I made a magical contract with him. And he turned into… Well, you can see him. So, yeah…”
Dobby’s eyes lit up, “Ah, Dobby did not know! You are the parents of Miss Granger!”
He rushed forward and clasped her fathers hand as he was standing closer and began shaking it vigorously. His face was a perfect picture of confusion as his arm limply flopped up and down under Dobby’s assault.
“An honor, an honor to meet you sir. I can’t believe I am able to shake hands with someone like a wizard does. My old master did this with people he respected, but I more than respect you! I do not know a better gesture to show my gratitude. Your daughter is a great and kind witch, she saved me from my vicious and evil masters! I will sing her praises as long as I live, I will…”
Hermione blushed deeper as Dobby went on and on and her dad seemed to relax at Dobby’s effusive praise of Hermione. Her mom cleared her throat and went to speak, but that only made Doby notice her too.
“Ah, Dobby is terribly rude. Mrs. Granger, truly an honor to meet you as well. Your daughter is…”
Dobby shifted and grabbed her mom’s arm now and started pumping it up and down just as he had with her father. Her dad stared at his freed arm in apparent shock as Hermione’s Mom stared blankly at Dobby as she seemed to be trying to understand Dobby’s rapid speech and looked overwhelmed. Hermione’s dad shifted behind Mom, ignoring the woman's shocked look of betrayal as her husband abandoned her to the elf's praises. He sidled up to Hermione and leaned down to her.
“We have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”
Hermione looked at Dobby that was still going on. “Yeah, Dad. A lot.”
He straightened and spoke with a louder voice. “Well, I’m going to go make some sandwiches for lunch. And to get our new friend some proper clothes. I’m sure our elf friend here is hungry after his big change.”
Dobby’s stomach rumbled and he glanced down in surprise. He looked back up at Hermione’s dad. “It appears so, Sir. Dobby would appreciate that.”
“Alright,” Hermione’s dad said, “Then let’s all move to the kitchen. Let’s wait for explanations until we’re all nice and full. And after us adults have some time to wrap our heads around what the heck just happened.”
“Okay,” Hermione said.
“Yes, sir,” Dobby said at the same time.
They all set off for the kitchen, Hermione's mom trailing behind the rest of them.