Dobby the House-Elf and Voldemort (3)

"Thank you, Dobby." Harry's voice was a little hoarse, but he tried to keep his tone steady. He was afraid that if he sounded too harsh, Dobby would think he was angry, become frightened, and start tugging at his ears.

"Thank you for telling me all this. It's important."

He turned his head and glanced at the bedside table. It was piled high with things—Ron's Fizzing Whizbees, Hermione's Advanced Potion-Making, Neville's burnt biscuits, the fruit basket and carnations Draco had left behind, and all manner of gifts from the people who had come to visit that morning.

Among the colorful clutter, he spotted several Chocolate Frogs Madam Pomfrey had given him to help restore his strength. He reached out and took one. Its wrapper was gold, gleaming in the sunlight.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, holding the Chocolate Frog out to him. "Would you like some chocolate?"

Dobby stared at the beautifully wrapped Chocolate Frog, his huge eyes widening even further. Tears still swirled in them, but beneath those tears now was not sorrow or fear, but shock.

He stretched out a trembling hand, only to pull it back just before touching the Chocolate Frog, as though he had been burned. He jerked his hand away and clenched both hands tightly together, his knuckles whitening as his nails dug into the skin on the backs of his hands.

"No! No! Dobby cannot! Dobby is a bad elf! A bad elf does not deserve a gift from the great Harry Potter!" He began tugging at his ears again, harder than before, pulling them out of shape as if they might be torn off at any moment.

"Take it, Dobby," Harry insisted, gently placing the Chocolate Frog on the blanket in front of him. His movements were slow and light, as if