Aunt Penny's loud, false laughter came from the living room. The elf raised her head. "It's not that I don't want to see you," Harry said hurriedly, "but, uh, is there any particular reason for you to come here?"

"Oh, yes, sir. Dobby said eagerly. "Dobby is here to tell you, sir...... It's a little hard, sir...... Dobby didn't know where to start...... "Sit down." Harry gestured to the bed and said politely.

What scared him was that the elf suddenly cried - and it was harsh.

"Sit—sit!" he pleaded. "Don't you ...... Don't ...... like that," Harry faintly heard voices downstairs.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I didn't mean to offend you. “

"Offend Dobby!" the elf choked. "Dobby has never been invited to sit by a wizard—like a peer—"

Harry whispered "Shhh Then he was able to control himself, and sat down watching Harry with reverence.

"Surely you haven't met many good wizards. Harry tried to encourage it.

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he jumped to his feet and slammed his head against the window, shouting. "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"Don't do this—what are you doing?" Harry booed and jumped up to pull Dobby back to the bed. With a loud hiss, Hedwig woke up and flapped her wings against the railing of the cage.

"Sir, Dobby has to punish himself," said the elf, its eyes squinting a little. "Dobby is in the service of a wizarding family. Dobby is the spirit of a house - the duty is to serve a house and a family forever......"

"Do they know you're here?" asked Harry, curious.

"Oh no, sir, no...... Sir, Dobby will punish himself severely for coming to see you. Dobby would have his ears clipped to the oven door because of this. If only I let them know, sir—"

"But won't they know you're putting your ear on the oven door?"

"Sir, Dobby guesses they know. Dobby always has to punish himself for something, sir. They don't care about Dobby continuing to do it. Sometimes they remind me to do some extra punishment......"

"But why don't you leave?

"An elf must not be released, sir. This family will definitely not liberate Dobby...... Dobby is going to serve the family until it dies, sir......"

Harry's eyes widened.

"I think four weeks of sin here is bad enough," he said. "But it sounds like the Dursleys are a little human. Can no one help you? Can't I?"

Almost at the same time, Harry wished he hadn't said it. Dobby wept of gratitude.

"Please," Harry whispered urgently. "Please be quiet. If the Dursleys heard something. If only they knew you were here......"

Harry Potter asked if he could help Dobby...... Dobby had heard of your awesomeness, sir, but never knew of your kindness......"

Harry felt a fiery look on his face and said, "Whatever you hear about me, it's just a pile of garbage. I wasn't the best at Hogwarts, but Feng Chang was. He-"

"Harry Potter is humble," Dobby said reverently, his bulbical eyes red. "Harry Potter didn't talk about his victory over the man who can't be named?"

"Voldemort?" said Harry.

Dobby covered his ears with his hands and pleaded, "Ah, don't say that name, sir!"

"I'm sorry," Harry said hurriedly. "I know a lot of people don't like it – my friend Ron ......"

"Dobby hears rumors," it said hoarsely, "Harry Potter has met the Dark Wizard twice, just a few weeks ago...... Harry Potter escaped again. Harry nodded, and suddenly Dobby's eyes filled with tears.

"Ah, sir," he gasped, wiping his face with the scruffy corner of the pillowcase he was wearing.

"Harry Potter was brave and daring! he bravely faced many dangers! But now Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter and warn him, even if he has to put his ear to the oven door in the future...... Harry Potter can't go back to Hogwarts. “

There was silence. The clash of knives and forks downstairs and the muffled voice of Uncle Vernon in the distance came from time to time.

"W-what?" Harry stammered. "But I have to go back – school is going to start on September 1st. It allowed me to hold on. You don't know what life is like here. I don't belong here. I belong to your world—at Hogwarts. “

"No, no, no," Dobby screamed, shaking his head desperately and tapping his ears. "Harry Potter needs to stay in a safe place. He was too great, too kind, too little. If Harry Potter were to return to Hogwarts, he would be in great danger. “

"Why?" asked Harry, surprised.

"A conspiracy, Harry Potter. There's a plot to create the most horrific thing at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," Dobby whispered, trembling suddenly. "Dobby knew about it months ago, sir. Harry Potter can't go on adventures. He's so important, sir!"

"That's enough!" Harry shouted, grabbing the elf's arm to stop it. "You can't say, I see. But why are you warning me?" a sudden, unpleasant thought flashed. "Raise your head -- does this have anything to do with the 'man' -- I'm sorry -- you just have to shake your head or nod your head. He added, as Dobby's head leaned against the wall in worry.

Slowly, Dobby shook his head.

"No—not the one who can't be mentioned, sir. “

Dobby's eyes widened, as if to give Harry a hint. But Harry was completely confused.

"But I have to go back to Hogwarts, right? it's the only place I can go—yes, I think I have friends there. “

"Don't write to your Harry Potter friends all the holidays?" said Dobby, mischievously.

"I hope they're in- wait," Harry said with a frown. "How do you know my friend didn't write to me?"

Dobby toyed with his feet. "Harry Potter don't be mad at Dobby - Dobby is doing it for your own good......"

"You intercepted my letter?"

"Dobby brought them all, sir," said the elf. It quickly walked out of Harry's reach, pulling a thick stack of letters from under the pillowcase it was wearing.

Dobby winked at Harry worriedly.

"Harry Potter, don't be angry...... Dobby wants to ...... If Harry Potter thought his friends had forgotten him, Harry Potter wouldn't have wanted to go back to school......"

Harry didn't listen to it. He tried to snatch the letter, but Dobby jumped away.

"Harry Potter will get them, sir, if he promises Dobby that he won't return to Hogwarts again. Ah, sir, this is a danger you cannot face! Say you won't go back, sir!"

"No," Harry said angrily. "Give me a letter from a good friend!"

"Then Harry Potter is forcing much more than no choice. The elf said sadly.

Before Harry could act, Dobby ran to the door and pulled it open—running down the stairs.

Harry, with a dry mouth, gently followed him downstairs. He jumped over the last six stairs and stopped on the carpet of the hall like a cat, looking around for Dobby's whereabouts. From the dining room he heard Uncle Vernon say, "...... Mr. Mason, tell Penny those interesting stories about American plumbers, she wants to hear them......"

Harry ran down the hall into the kitchen, and all of a sudden his appetite was gone.

Aunt Penny's masterpieces, cream and violet candy flowers and mountains of pudding, are floating against the roof. Dobby, on the other hand, is shrunk in a corner of the top of the cupboard.

"No," Harry said in a hoarse voice. "Please...... They're going to kill my ......"

"Harry Potter has to say he's not going back to school—"

"Dobby...... Please......"

"Say it, sir"

"Can't!"

Dobby had a sad expression.

"Sobby had to do it, sir, for Harry Potter's sake. “

With a thrilling thud, the pudding fell to the floor. The saucers shattered, and cream spilled all over the windows and walls. With a whipping crack, Dobby vanished.

The screams in the dining room continued, and Aunt Vernon rushed into the kitchen to see Harry glued to Aunt Penny's cityman from head to toe, and his face was expressionless.