In the dormitory lit only by starlight, Harry stared wide-eyed at the pile of boxes.
After a long while, he shifted his gaze to the two house-elves by the window.
Dobby was still dressed as eccentrically as he had been the previous school year, like a rock-and-roll hippie from the Muggle world.
And Sparkle. Harry was surprised that after returning from that horrible graveyard, he had not thought to visit her and thank her.
But Sparkle, standing before him now, looked much better than she had when he had seen her in the Hogwarts kitchens.
She wore a tea towel printed with the Hogwarts School Emblem. Though she did not look particularly lively, one could not ask too much of her. After all, she had witnessed the tragic fate of the master's family at the scene of Voldemort's resurrection.
Old Barty had essentially been forced into suicide by Voldemort, while Barty Crouch Jr. had died at Professor Breen's hands.
Honestly, Harry found it surprising that Sparkle had not gone mad because of it.
Harry restrained the urge to ask Sparkle how she was doing, lest he stir up the poor elf's emotions. He looked back at the boxes piled from the floor all the way up to the edge of his bed, sniffing as he caught a sweet, rich scent.
"You brought me food, didn't you?"
Harry asked hesitantly. It sounded rather absurd, after all—two house-elves waking him in the middle of the night just to bring him something to eat.
"Can Dobby show Harry Potter the things?"
Dobby asked cautiously.
"Sparkle also prepared some things for the great Harry Potter."
Sparkle blinked her tennis-ball-sized eyes and looked timidly at Harry.
"Thank you, Harry Potter, for saving Sparkle from the Dark Lord."
"Oh, don't mention it, Sparkle. You know the