Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Winky cleared her throat when they all settled on the couches in front of the fireplace that night. Harry's tiny flinch at the sound was internal by now, after a desensitisation campaign instigated by the same elf. Personally, Harry didn't think any of the death eaters were imaginative enough to use that particular trauma against him, but it would be stupid to underestimate their enemy and to leave an obvious weak spot wide open for abuse, either way.
Those last weeks of July had not been fun, though.
"Is September in two weeks and we needs to plan. First, we needs to practice getting Harry Potter swiftly out of trunk into horrible bedroom when alarms sound."
Harry stuck up his hand. "I have an idea!" He sprang up with a bright smile and closed his eyes.
"No!"
But Harry had already popped to the other side of the couch.
It wasn't apparition, though Dumbledore apparating him had been the last puzzle piece he had needed. He'd dug up his memory of landing on the school roof as a child with his rudimentary occlumency and contrasted it with the way elves popped around -both of them had transported him to Dudley's second bedroom like that several times- and how Wix apparated. His magic sense had become fine enough to sense the differences and realise this was what he'd done when he'd ended up on that roof. It was simply a matter of remembering and replicating it.
He turned around with a proud grin as he hadn't thought about his orientation in space when he reappeared. His face fell, though, when he was confronted with two scowling house elves.
"Whats did we tell Harry Potter about being reckless?" Winky tapped her foot.
Harry opened his mouth to explain and then closed it again when he realised he had no excuse. He balled his hand instead of smoothing his hair over his scar and scuffed the floor with a toe. "To think before I act? Because I'm not alone anymore and you don't want to lose me?"
"Sit."
Harry scrambled to the sofa and sat down with apprehension. He worried at his lower lip. Winky's look didn't bode well.
Winky sighed and took his face into her hands. "Harry Potter is important because Harry Potter will be missed dearly." She put strong emphasis on his first name and a small, starved part of him soaked it up. "Youse matter, not because of bond, not because prophecy, but here." She took his hand and laid it against her chest. "Because you is family and Winky and Dobby loves you. You chose us and we chose you."
Harry nodded. He knew that; he'd never felt loved like that before. Even Hermione's care and support paled in comparison, though he didn't begrudge her that. As smart as she was, she still was a teenager and she had no idea what he needed or that her demanding personality sometimes suffocated him. He never spoke up about it and that was on him.
"I know," he said. "I really do. I just..." He made a helpless gesture.
"Winky and Dobby will tells you as many times as you need." She reassured him. "Even if youse never learn." She grumbled a little.
Harry accepted the embrace both elves enfolded him in. And that hurt part of him uncurled a bit more.
"Dobby has an idea." Harry stilled at those words, as if the elf would somehow forget Harry or the scheme that had popped into his head. "Winky can still give Harry Potter his essay; it will make him think. Dobby will give Harry Potter detention!"
The little elf telegraphed his actions by pausing dramatically and looking at Winky until she gestured at him to continue.
Dobby snapped his fingers and a bag appeared at his feet. Harry stared at it with horror. He recognised it.
"No scrubbing or writing lines! Dobby will teach Harry how to knit without magic! He learns patience. He learns planning ahead. And is relaxing!"
Harry shot Winky a pleading look. Knitting seemed like useless busywork. It wouldn't teach him anything or give him any useful skills. And it seemed like the most boring activity on this planet!
That look, of course, sealed his fate. He'd realised it as soon as he'd sent it. Winky nodded approvingly, and Dobby beamed.
Harry gave a long, deep sigh and then he changed the topic. "What else did you want to discuss tonight, Winky?"
Maybe they would forget.
"Winky be thinking we should have vacation before Hogwarts." Her tiny grimace belied her enthusiasm.
"Vacation?!" Dobby was so horrified his hands crept up to his ears before he managed to redirect them towards his t-shirt.
Winky nodded. "Rest and relaxation be important." She shot Harry a significant look.
Harry pursed his lips so he wouldn't give away his amusement. Dobby was currently clutching imaginary pearls and even Winky looked like she might be heading off to her execution.
"No working?" Dobby's hands had grabbed the collar of his shirt and he seemed to be trying to strangle himself.
"No work for war. Unless spying on order."
As the elves had stuck an alarm spell on the Weasley's dining table that would alert them as soon as more than two adults were in the vicinity, that wouldn't require much work. The elves checked out each alert and had caught four order meetings so far and several awkward family dinners with Fleur. That was how they knew that professor Lupin would escort Harry to the train using Muggle methods the day of departure.
Why they couldn't just apparate, Harry didn't know.
Dobby seemed slightly mollified at that news. "How long?"
"A week." Winky could barely utter the words, and Harry decided to put his friends out of their misery.
"I think that's a great idea, Winky. I will take a week vacation and I would appreciate it if we could share some fun activities between your duties when you have time. Maybe you two can focus on more relaxing work if you want to take a break. Perhaps you could teach me to ride a horse if you know how?"
Neither of them knew how. He might just try it anyway. Winky narrowed her eyes at him. Harry held up his hands. "I'm sure there are broom safety spells, right? For when kids start to learn?" She nodded grudgingly. "And you can keep an eye out. It's safer than riding a thestral from Hogwarts to London."
At her look of horror, Harry got a foreboding feeling. He probably shouldn't have said that.
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