Root Out the Weeds

"Dobby isn't bad by nature. He had his reasons for attacking you," Anduin explained. "Do you remember that Dark Magic Prop Ginny had—the one that drove the four of you mad?"

"It was actually placed on Ginny by Dobby's former master. He went to such lengths to drive you out of Hogwarts because he was trying to keep you safe."

"What?" Harry was taken aback. "So that's what was behind it all! But why didn't he just tell me? All he did was cause us trouble."

"The highest law for a House-elf is its master's command. They can't disobey their masters, much less betray them of their own accord." Anduin shook his head sadly. "Dobby was already incredibly brave to go as far as he did."

"I see. Then you caught him—was it because you found out he'd tampered with my Flying Broomstick?" Harry had finally pieced together what had happened.

"Mm." Anduin nodded. "I caught him, then had his former master release him from servitude. After that, Dobby started working for the Silver Flash Merchant."

"Who was his master?" Harry's face darkened with anger. "Who was trying to hurt Ginny? We can't just let him get away with it."

"Don't worry. He's no longer a threat to us." Anduin smiled, putting Harry at ease. "But I can't tell you who he is just yet, and I hope you won't ask Dobby too many questions."

"All right..."

Harry nodded, looking a little disappointed, but he didn't blame Anduin. After spending the past two years together, he was no longer the naive boy he used to be.

When a person stopped thinking only of himself and learned to consider things from other people's perspectives, that was a sign of maturity.

Harry even guessed that Anduin was keeping this person's identity from