Uncontrolled House-elf

That creature looked like a house-elf.

It could teleport at will, arriving without a trace and departing without a shadow...

Its resistance to the Axii Sign was exceptionally strong.

The only good news was that it held no malice toward him.

But the bad news was that its master likely held a great deal of malice toward him.

Harry picked up a pen and scribbled a line of text: "Urgent, contact Snape, save me!"

He tied it to Hedwig's leg and sent her off to find Hermione as quickly as possible, but in less than ten minutes, Hedwig flew back, looking dazed, and pecked at Harry's head, demanding owl treats.

Such bizarre magical ability.

The realization that he hadn't sensed a thing, yet Dobby could hear his master's call, made Harry's expression turn even uglier.

Could it actually monitor him twenty-four hours a day?

That night, Harry feigned sleep, then suddenly rose in the early hours of the morning, tied up a fresh letter, opened the window, and tossed the energetic Hedwig out.

In less than ten minutes, she flew back, looking proud of herself.

It really could monitor him every single moment.

The next day, Harry used Hedwig as bait, attempting to communicate with Dobby, but he never got the chance; the creature was wary of Harry's Sign, and the moment it appeared, it snatched the letter and vanished instantly.

At dinner.

Harry spoke up, saying to Vernon, "Uncle, I'm afraid I need to borrow some money from you."

"Isn't the inheritance your parents left you enough for your freakish expenses?" Vernon sneered. "Impossible. You won't get a single penny from me."

"You gave me fifty pence for Christmas," Harry pointed out.

Vernon's smile stiffened.

"I only need enough to take the bus to London," Harry continued. "Of course, if you have the time, driving me there would work too."

"Going to London to see those freakish friends of yours?" Vernon spat, his fork scraping against the plate with a harsh, grating sound.

"Actually, I've been targeted by a dangerous creature," Harry said calmly, slicing his sausage. "This trip to London is to seek help."

The other three stared intently at Harry.

"A dangerous creature?" Vernon's voice was panicked, his pitch rising almost to the level of Petunia's shrieks.

Harry nodded.

"How dangerous?" Petunia asked, trembling.

Harry shrugged: "At the very least, I have no way to deal with it right now."

Vernon stood up and pointed a finger at the door: "Now, immediately, get out!"

Harry put down his knife and fork and looked at him.

Vernon took out his wallet, tossed a twenty-pound note onto the table, and repeated: "Get out!"

Harry took the money, stuffed it into his pocket, and nodded at Vernon: "Thank you, I will pay you back."

He stood up and grabbed a kitchen knife: "Aunt Petunia, I'll borrow this knife."

Petunia watched as he skillfully tucked the blade into his waistband and nodded, terrified.

"Only taking a knife, not your freakish things?" Vernon raised an eyebrow, gritting his teeth.

"I'll be back," Harry waved a hand without looking back, paused, and added, "Once I've dealt with that dangerous creature."

"You'd better not come back!" Vernon roared, sending him his most sincere blessing.

When one cannot solve a problem alone, it is best to find someone to help.

He walked out of the neighborhood and took the subway all the way to the Leaky Cauldron; perhaps... that strange creature could restrict him, but it couldn't possibly restrict an entire pub full of wizards.

And if all else failed...

There was always Diagon Alley, where there were even more people.

Just as Harry walked into a secluded alley, with a pop, Dobby appeared before him, begging bitterly: "Dobby begs Harry Potter, do not go any further."

"Harry Potter must not return to Hogwarts."

Harry looked at him and sneered: "Finally decided to show yourself?"

"We should talk, shouldn't we?"

Dobby shivered and said nothing.

"If you can convince me, perhaps I won't go to Hogwarts." Harry raised his hand, reached toward his waist, and slowly moved closer to Dobby.

A glimmer of hope flickered in Dobby's eyes: "Really?"

"The condition is that you must convince me." Harry stopped within striking distance of Dobby. "First, answer me: who is your master?"

Panic flashed across Dobby's eyes, and he began banging his head against the wall: "Bad Dobby, bad Dobby! Dobby told secrets, Dobby told Harry Potter what the master is going to do!"

"Stop," Harry commanded sharply. "Who is your master?"

Dobby let out a shrill scream: "Dobby cannot say, this is Master's secret. Dobby told Harry Potter the secret, but cannot say who the Master is."

He began to beat himself even more violently.

"What are you?" Harry grabbed Dobby, changing his question.

Dobby sobbed: "Dobby is a House-elf."

"What do House-elves do?"

"They serve wizards, serving one wizard family forever. A House-elf that no one wants is the most pitiful, the most lowly existence."

Harry raised an eyebrow: "Are you from the Malfoy family?"

Dobby looked at Harry in terror, slapping his own face and tugging at his ears so hard he looked as if he wanted to tear them off: "Oh heavens, Harry Potter can read Dobby's mind!"

"Dobby said nothing, yet Harry Potter still knew."

"Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby exposed Master's secret!"

"Bad Dobby is an unqualified House-elf."

Harry nodded coldly: "Indeed. What exactly is their conspiracy?"

Dobby trembled, wanting to say something, but the things carved into his very bones prevented him from speaking, leaving him only able to continue punishing himself.

"You cannot stop me." Harry lifted him up, looking him straight in the eyes: "In another month, Professor Flitwick will come to find me."

"Do you think you are a match for a powerful wizard?"

"Perhaps your intentions are kind, but I do not like it. To me, this is malice."

Dobby sobbed: "Dobby only wants to protect Harry Potter!"

"I do not need you to protect me; I can protect myself." Harry sneered: "How can someone who must constantly punish himself just for speaking ill of his master protect me?"

"You are helping your master deal with me."

Dobby was stubborn, retorting: "No, Dobby really is just protecting Harry Potter. Hogwarts will face a great conspiracy!"

"Harry Potter..."

Harry threw him to the ground: "Besides repeating those few sentences, what else can you say?"

"Last year, Dumbledore made me face Voldemort..."

Dobby screamed: "No, you cannot speak his name!"

"Weak creature." Harry said with a cold face, continuing: "I faced Voldemort, and I even fought him. I still survived safely."

"Can the danger provoked by the Malfoy family be greater than Voldemort?"

Dobby's sobbing grew weaker: "But Harry Potter will still be in danger..."

"So you want to put a dog collar on my neck and keep me at home?" Harry's eyes were fierce.

Dobby was terrified: "No, Dobby is not like that, Dobby just thought..."

"Can you represent me?" Harry interrupted him: "Just because you think it is for my own good, I must accept it?"

He drew the knife at his waist and pressed it against Dobby's neck: "If you are truly doing this for my own good, then tell me what the Malfoy family intends to do."

"Dobby cannot expose Master's secret." Dobby tugged at his ears, the roots tearing, blood seeping out and staining them.

Harry was indifferent: "Then stop harassing me, or I will take your life."

"No, Dobby must protect Harry Potter!" Dobby shook his head, his voice unusually firm and resolute.

This made him frown, the little patience he had left completely worn away.

This creature was truly annoying.

He wouldn't listen to reason, stubborn as a heart of stone.

He raised his hand and cast a Sign.

Axii!

He only needed a moment of unconsciousness.

He swung the kitchen knife in his hand, stabbing at Dobby's neck.

Clang—

The dagger sank into a crack in the wall and missed; almost simultaneously, with a pop, Dobby vanished from beneath the blade and reappeared on the other side.

Dobby looked at Harry in horror, and he raised his hand: "Harry Potter will not listen to Dobby's warning, so Dobby has no choice!"

A surge of magic, several times more powerful than the aura he usually possessed, erupted, and all the trash cans in the alleyway flew into the air.

Bang—

Then they crashed heavily to the ground.

Harry pinched the Sign.

Igni!

A fire serpent flickered and coiled around Dobby's body, the molten flow scorching his skin, consuming nearly half of his life force in an instant.

Harry hurled the dagger fiercely at Dobby—

Clatter, the dagger hit the ground.

Dobby vanished.

Harry spat; this ability to teleport at will was truly infuriating.

He picked up the dagger and tucked it back into his waistband.

A fluttering sound came from the sky, and a stern-looking brown owl landed on his shoulder, extending its leg.

Who would be sending him a letter at a time like this?

He took it off and opened it to read.

"Dear Mr. Potter:

We have received intelligence that you performed a Levitation Charm in Old Sivers Alley in London at 9:12 tonight. Please remain where you are and await an official from the Ministry of Magic.

As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform magic outside of school. Should you engage in such behavior again, you may be expelled from our school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph 3).

Furthermore, please be reminded that under Clause 13 of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, any magical activity that risks drawing the attention of members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense.

Enjoy your summer!

Mafalda Hopkirk

Ministry of Magic

Misuse of Magic Office"

Harry's face turned a shade of green.

What did a spell cast by a House-elf have to do with him?

With a pop—the same sound as when a House-elf appeared—someone materialized behind him.

Harry instinctively lunged backward with his blade.

Only after turning around did he realize it wasn't Dobby, but a wizard. He hurriedly twisted his wrist, causing the dagger to miss, but unable to dissipate his momentum, he slammed heavily into the wizard's chest, sending the man stumbling back.

"Are all young wizards this rude nowadays?" the wizard yelped in pain, pushing Harry away. "Hello, I am Arnold Picquery from the Obliviator Headquarters."

"Tell me about your situation, young wizard."

Thanks to Wanbian for the tip.

There will be another update tonight, around nine o'clock; I'm having a bit of writer's block!