Chapter 71
Thousands of enchanted paper cranes fluttered up and down in the rain, their flight slowed by the downpour. Ron and Hermione pushed through a cluster of Hufflepuff students and slipped into the space beneath the stands.
Ron wasn't playing for Gryffindor today because of his punishment for unfinished homework. His penalty: no participation in this match.
"This is an Eastern tracking technique Albert taught me," Hermione explained as they ran. "Luckily, the attacker didn't use a curse this time but manipulated the Bludger with raw magic. He was arrogant and didn't bother to hide his magical trail, so even as a beginner, I can use this spell to track him."
"And what do we do once we find him? Call a teacher?" Ron panted.
Hermione darted around a pillar. "It's probably too late for that. By the time a professor arrives, Harry's head could already be smashed by the Bludger. We'll have to handle this ourselves. Consider this our first real fight after all our practice."
Neville, wide-eyed, pointed upward.
At that moment, the rogue Bludger suddenly stopped. Albert had taken a direct hit and deliberately let himself fall to the ground, forcing the match to halt. He knew if play continued, the Bludger would keep targeting Harry.
The referee immediately suspended the game.
Albert scanned the stands. He could sense the attacker hiding in the front corner of the crowd.
Mounting his broom, he shot toward the direction of the magical disturbance.
When he spotted the figure, Albert drew his wand with his right hand and aimed. "Who's there?"
Harry soon arrived on his broom, followed quickly by Hermione, Neville, and Ron on foot.
The attacker crouched behind a curtain near the back of the stand.
Albert spoke quietly, his tone even:
"Someone here wants to hurt us. I rushed to catch him, but he's got Apparition-like abilities. Forget what I said for now—his goal is to harm one of us. Don't panic, understood?"
Hermione and the others nodded. Albert gave a small nod and advanced, with Hermione close behind.
In the corner, Albert finally saw it—a small creature with bat-like ears, clutching a filthy pillowcase and waving its hands as if pleading.
"Stupefy!"
Two red bolts shot out, and the creature toppled forward, stunned. Albert strode up, wand trained.
"Why are you trying to kill Harry?" Hermione joined him, recognizing the trembling figure. Harry and Ron stayed at the entrance, unwilling to step closer.
"Albert, I don't think this rogue Bludger was meant to kill Harry," Hermione said after a moment, studying the creature. "This must be the house-elf Harry told us about—the one who tried to keep him from returning to Hogwarts."
"Fine," Albert said, loosening his grip but still keeping the wand ready. He seized the elf by the shoulder. "Then explain. Why are you trying to harm him?"
"You are friends of the great Harry Potter," the elf squeaked. "But none of you can stop Dobby from saving him!"
"Saving him? By smashing his head with a Bludger or throwing him from the sky? That's saving him?" Hermione snapped, furious. "House-elves are supposed to serve, not kill. Who are you really?"
"Harry Potter has a friend who cares for him… Dobby is so happy! But Dobby must save Harry Potter now. Goodbye!"
And with a sharp snap of his fingers, the elf vanished.
"How is that allowed in Hogwarts?" Hermione gasped. "Ghosts can't Apparate, but he just disappeared!"
"I think it's only human Apparition that's blocked," Albert murmured, thoughtful. Then he glanced at Hermione. "Didn't Harry call Dobby pitiful? Why don't you feel sorry for him?"
"Sorry? Are you mad?" she shot back. "He's a would-be killer who nearly got our friend injured!"
Moments later, she peeked down through a gap in the stands and gasped. "Oh no! He's attacking Harry again—we need to stop him!"
Albert conjured another flock of paper birds to trace the elf's path. This time, the trail led toward an unmanned tower overlooking the pitch.
Albert and Hermione sped there, cornered the trembling elf, and stunned him again. But before they could bind him, Dobby snapped his fingers and vanished a second time.
"Damn it," Albert muttered, slapping his thigh in frustration. The brief stun had helped, though; it delayed the rogue Bludger for several minutes before control was restored.
Albert couldn't help but envy Dobby's instant-escape ability. If I had that in a real duel, he thought, I could survive even the deadliest battles. One snap, and I'd be gone.
By the time Albert and Hermione returned to the pitch, the Bludger had finally been destroyed by a well-aimed spell.
Ginny emerged from the crowd, breathless, explaining what had just happened. Harry had taken a hit to the mouth—two teeth knocked out—and Lockhart had made things worse with his "treatment," earning himself a shoulder hit from the Bludger in the chaos.
Eventually, Madam Pomfrey resolved the problem and admitted Harry to the hospital wing. Albert and Hermione rushed there to find a lively scene: a group of giggling girls around Lockhart's bed, while Harry lay nearby with Ron and Colin at his side.
"Where were you?!" Ron demanded angrily.
Albert glanced at Madam Pomfrey, who was shooing away Lockhart's admirers, and quickly explained everything they'd done to track down the attacker.
Harry listened, frowning. "Dobby's always warning me to leave school… said terrible things would happen here. But nothing bad has happened this year except because of him. Does that mean someone doesn't want me here? Hogwarts is protected by Professor Dumbledore. No one can hurt me… right?"
Albert watched him, silently praying Dobby wouldn't leave lasting scars on the boy's mind. He alone knew the truth: for the first time in fifty years, the Chamber of Secrets would soon be opened, releasing the basilisk's deadly power. He had to gather every scrap of knowledge and every tool he could before that day came.
That night, Gryffindor's team visited Harry, but Madam Pomfrey swiftly expelled them from the hospital wing. Growing six new teeth would be a painful process, and Harry would need to stay overnight.
Albert left quietly, already planning for the battles to come.
To be continued…