Dobby blinked his huge, bewildered eyes, quickly swallowing the truth he was about to blurt out.
But Malfoy, as if struck by a sudden realization, started pacing the room, muttering to himself as he pieced things together. "You must've heard from my parents about the trouble between me and Potter last term, right? So, you thought you'd get even for me. A few days ago, you intercepted an owl meant for him and blew up his Muggle aunt's pudding."
"And he got a warning letter from the Ministry, nearly expelled!"
Malfoy grew more animated, nodding approvingly at Dobby. "I've got to say, that's a brilliant move. Honestly, I'd love to have seen how you blasted that pudding and the look on Potter's face afterward. But—"
He stopped abruptly, his tone shifting.
"Don't do it again. Sure, Potter and I had our… differences, but those are sorted now. So, no more taking matters into your own hands."
"Otherwise, if my dad finds out, you'll be in for another beating."
Malfoy almost added a threat but caught sight of the scars on Dobby's hands and the fresh bump on his head. Edward's words echoed in his mind, and a strange pang of pity hit him.
Dobby's enormous eyes welled with tears. "Master Malfoy is warning Dobby not to disobey his master's orders! Master Malfoy cares about Dobby! Oh, what has Dobby done!"
Malfoy, torn between annoyance and feeling sorry for the sniffling, teary elf, didn't know what to say. He started to wave Dobby off, but the elf piped up, "Master Malfoy, may Dobby ask a question? How did Master Malfoy know Dobby visited Harry Potter yesterday?"
"Stupid question, Dobby. Potter told me himself," Malfoy said, thinking the elf wasn't the sharpest wand in the shop. "Ed took us to Potter's aunt and uncle's house."
"What did you think I was doing today? I still can't believe Potter grew up in a place like that. If I had to live in that Muggle house, with one bowl of vegetable-less vegetable soup a day, I'd either die or make those Muggles disappear first!" Malfoy said with a sudden edge.
"But, Dobby, not everything Muggle is as evil as Father says, or useless compared to magic. Their playgrounds, for instance, are kind of… interesting," Malfoy mused, almost to himself. "Why don't we have stuff like that? Magic could make it even better, don't you think?"
"A Malfoy amusement park… now that sounds brilliant!" His face lit up with a dreamy grin.
He wanted to share the idea but knew better than to mention Muggle playgrounds to his parents. The only one around to listen was the elf in front of him.
Dobby, however, wasn't paying attention. His little head was spinning with too many questions.
Why would Master Malfoy help rescue Harry Potter?
But if it was Mr. Bedivere leading him, that made sense!
Mr. Bedivere was a good man! A true knight!
But they shouldn't be saving Harry Potter! Harry Potter mustn't return to Hogwarts!
"Alright, Dobby, I've said enough. Don't breathe a word of this to my parents, got it?" Malfoy snapped, pulling himself out of his daydreams with a stern look.
"Yes, yes, Master Malfoy. Dobby's going—Dobby has lots of clothes to wash." With a pop, Dobby vanished.
Harry felt like he was having the best summer of his life.
At Bedivere Manor, he stayed in a spacious, bright room. Hedwig could fly freely whenever she wanted. He didn't have to endure the Dursleys' constant sneers or scorn. Every morning, he woke up to delicious food, and his clothes were designer pieces handpicked by Mrs. Anli herself.
The manor was filled with all sorts of magical wonders—talking portraits that visited each other, moving suits of armor and statues, doors that opened and closed on their own, and frying pans that cooked by themselves. It was just like Hogwarts.
Harry even got personal tutoring from Edward. Though he was close with Hermione, Edward explained things more clearly. Best of all, Edward didn't pepper him with comments like, "Why don't you pay attention in class?" or "How do you not know this?" or "Don't you ever read?"
He'd even picked up some basic swordplay from Mr. William, though he was limited to a wooden sword. His scrawny arms could barely swing a heavy metal one three or four times before they ached.
"You need to build up your strength, lad! Edward would be happy to help with that!" William said, flexing his toned arms with a dazzling smile.
Harry knew Edward would help, but he wasn't ready for the torture of 6 a.m. runs.
Mrs. Anli's potion workshop was always open to him, stocked with all sorts of ingredients and brews. She even guided him through brewing potions herself. Though, Harry noticed most of the potions—like powerful love potions, memory-wiping draughts, or laxatives that'd leave someone sick for a week—weren't exactly legal.
"As long as no one catches you, dear, it's fine," Mrs. Anli said with a gentle smile.
All in all, his time at Bedivere Manor was the happiest he'd ever been, outside of Hogwarts—or maybe just as happy, since there was no Professor Snape around.
Still, Harry sometimes felt uneasy, like the manor's corridors were full of hidden dangers. Once, two suits of armor brawling nearly flattened him. A chandelier almost crashed down on his head. And his bedroom door slammed shut just as he walked in, nearly crushing his fingers.
He thought about mentioning it to Edward but decided against it. Edward was kind enough to let him stay—why bother him with these little things? He wasn't hurt, after all.
"Young Master, as per your instructions, I've been keeping a close eye on Master Harry. Just as you suspected, strange things keep happening around him," Selyn reported respectfully in Edward's room.
"I've always thought there might be another house-elf in the manor. Maybe he's behind it, but I haven't caught him yet—he's fast, Young Master."
"No worries, Selyn. Just make sure Harry stays safe. I'll handle the elf. Thank you," Edward said thoughtfully.
Selyn bowed and vanished with a pop.
Ever since bringing Harry to the manor, Edward hadn't let his guard down. It wasn't that he didn't trust Harry—he just knew Dobby wouldn't give up so easily. If the elf could intercept Harry's letters and blow up a Muggle's pudding, he was capable of worse. Keeping Harry safe was a priority.
Sure enough, if Selyn hadn't been watching, the Boy Who Lived might've already ended up in St. Mungo's, courtesy of a falling chandelier.
Keeping Harry from returning to Hogwarts? What was going to happen at Hogwarts this year?
Was it those dark knights again? But they'd be after me, not Harry, right?
A few more days passed in heightened alertness. Finally, it was the Wednesday before term started—the day Edward, Harry, and their classmates had agreed to meet in Diagon Alley to buy supplies for the new school year.
To Harry's surprise, he received a letter from Hogwarts by owl, addressed to him at Edward's house. The school somehow knew where he was.
"We need Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2, Break with a Banshee, Gadding with Ghouls, Holidays with Hags, Travels with Trolls, Voyages with Vampires, Wanderings with Werewolves, and Year with the Yeti. Why are all these by Gilderoy Lockhart? Who's this guy?" Harry asked, puzzled, as he read through his list.
"Our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Edward said. He'd heard plenty about Lockhart from his father.
And seen his face in magazines, though he always flipped past those pages.
"Lockhart, that fraud," William's voice came from nearby as he slipped on a sleek cloak. "Hmph."
"Darling, are you jealous he's won Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award five times? That used to be your title," Mrs. Anli teased, using a floating comb to smooth her husband's hair.
"Jealous? Of him? Please! The man's nothing but a fame-chasing fraud!" William huffed. "I'll admit, he's decent-looking, but that's it."
"Those stories in his books? Who knows how he pulled them off. If he's so great, where was he when Voldemort was around years ago?" William's voice rose, only to be cut off by a sharp yelp as Mrs. Anli kicked him with her high heel.
"Sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to bring him up," William said quickly, catching his wife's look and apologizing to Harry.
"It's fine, Mr. William. I don't mind. Actually, I say his name all the time now," Harry said, pleased to hear more people using Voldemort's name openly.
"Ready? Let's toss some Floo Powder into the fireplace! Diagon Alley!"
With a whoosh of flames, the Bedivere Manor hall fell silent.