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Chapter 601: A Bit of Practice

To other house-elves, it was a disgrace to like freedom and accept wages as Dobby did.

“Thank you, Miss, Master Evan!” said Dobby, grinning toothily at them. “After Winky has been freed, Dobby led her to find a lot of wizard families, hoping they could take Winky in. But most wizards doesn’t want a house-elf who wants paying. ‘That’s not the point of a house-elf,’ they says, and they slammed the door in Dobby’s face! Some wizards are willing to let Winky work for them for free, but Dobby can’t give Winky to them. She needs to work, but she needs to wear clothes and she wants to be paid like Dobby…”

The Hogwarts house-elves had now started edging away from Dobby, as though he were carrying something contagious. Winky, however, remained where she was, though there was a definite increase in the volume of her crying

She was crying so sad that she flung herself forward off her stool and lay face down on the flagged stone floor, beating her tiny fists upon it and positively screaming with misery.

Hermione hastily dropped down to her knees beside her and tried to comfort her, but nothing she said made the slightest difference.

Dobby continued with his story, shouting shrilly over Winky’s screeches.

“And then Dobby had an idea, Evan, sir! Fooby thought of Hogwarts. There is enough work here to make it easy for Dobby to take care of Winky, and Professor Dumbledore took her in. He was willing to pay her,” said Dobby. “He’s the greatest wizard besides Harry Potter and Master Evan. Dobby has heard a lot about him.”

Dobby beamed very brightly, and happy tears welled in his eyes again.

“How much did Professor Dumbledore pay you?”

“He offered Dobby ten galleons a week, but Dobby didn’t want it. Master Evan has already paid Dobby for his work. Dobby is only here to help,” said Dobby. “When the holidays come, Dobby will return to Master Evan’s house.”

“Hum!” Hermione didn’t speak, and she glared at Evan.

She knew that Evan only paid Dobby a Galleon a week. She thought that was not very much.

She had also persuaded Evan to give more money to Dobby more than once, but it was useless.

Every time he mentioned it, Dobby seemed very frightened.

He would hug Evan and wail bitterly, repeatedly asking him if he did not want him anymore!

Dobby thought that too much wealth and leisure time was frightening. In his words, he “likes freedom, but he isn’t wanting too much.”

He preferred work over leisure and riches.

“What about you, Winky? How much money is Professor Dumbledore paying you?” Hermione continued.

If she had thought this would cheer up Winky, she was wildly mistaken.

Winky did stop crying, but when she sat up she was glaring at Hermione through her massive brown eyes, her whole face sopping wet and suddenly furious.

“Winky is a house-elf who has been swept out of the house, but Winky is not yet getting paid!” she squeaked, “Winky is not sunk so low as that! Winky is properly ashamed of being freed!”

“Ashamed?!” said Hermione blankly. “Winky, come on! It’s Mr. Crouch who should be ashamed, not you! You didn’t do anything wrong, he was really horrible to you… ”

But at these words, Winky clapped her hands over the holes in her hat, flattening her ears so that she couldn’t hear a word, and screeched, “You is not insulting my master, Miss! You is not insulting Mr. Crouch! Mr. Crouch is a good wizard, Miss! Mr. Crouch is right to sack bad Winky!” 

“Dobby has Winky’s salary. She refused to take it. Dobby saved it to her, and gives it to her when Winky needs it! “Dobby whispered to them in a shrill voice, “Dobby helped Winky decide and asked Dumbledore for the same wage, a Galleon a week. But Winky has no holiday. Dobby couldn’t convince her…”

“You did a good job, Dobby!” said Hermione, looking anxiously at Winky wailing and crying.

When he heard her praise, Dobby smiled shyly again.

“I can’t believe she still thinks Mr. Crouch is right.”

“Winky needs time to adjust, Miss, she is having trouble adjusting!” Dobby continued. “Winky forgets she is not bound to Mr. Crouch anymore; she is allowed to speak her mind now, but she won’t do it.”

“Why? Can’t house-elves speak their minds about their masters?” Hermione asked, frowning.

“Oh no, absolutely not,” said Dobby, looking suddenly serious. “This is part of the house-elf’s enslavement. We keeps their secrets and our silence. We upholds the family’s honor, and we never speaks ill of them… though Professor Dumbledore told Dobby he does not insist upon this. He said we is free to… to…”

Dobby looked suddenly nervous, and came up to Evan and Hermione. He lowered his voice a little to ensure that no one else could hear him.

“He said we is free to call him a … a barmy old codger if we likes!”

Then, Dobby raised his body and gave a frightened sort of giggle.

“You can say that to me if you like. It’s your freedom, Dobby!” said Evan.

“Me too!” Hermione added.

“No, no, Miss, Master Evan!” Dobby hurriedly shook his head, with a look of fear on his face. He shook his head and clapped his ears. “Dobby doesn’t want to do this, Dobby will never do this. Dobby likes Master Evan and his friends very much. Dobby is more willing to keep secrets for you and keep silent for you. And he is proud of it.”

“Thank you!” said Evan happily.

Dobby’s eyes were full of tears again and he looked at Evan gratefully.

“Oh, then the Malfoys, you can say what you like about them now??” Evan hurriedly asked.

He knew that if he didn’t find something to talk about, Dobby was going to cry again with his thighs in his arms.

Hearing Evan’s words, a slightly fearful look came into Dobby’s immense eyes.

“Dobby … Dobby could,” he said doubtfully. He squared his small shoulders. “Dobby could tell Master Evan that his old masters were … were … bad Dark wizards!”

Dobby stood for a moment, quivering all over, horror-struck by his own daring. Then, he rushed over to the nearest table and began banging his head on it very hard, squealing, “Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!“

Evan hurriedly seized Dobby by the back of his tie and pulled him away from the table.

“Thank you, Master Evan, thank you,” said Dobby breathlessly, rubbing his head.

“Well, you just need a bit of practice,” said Evan.

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