Harry Potter 04 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

carrying something contagious. Winky, however, remained where she was, though there was a definite increase in the volume of her crying.
    ‘And then, Harry Potter, Dobby goes to visit Winky, and finds out Winky has been freed, too, sir!’ said Dobby delightedly.
    At this, Winky flung herself forwards off her stool, and lay, face down, on the flagged stone floor, beating her tiny fists upon it and positively screaming with misery. Hermione hastily dropped down to her knees beside her, and tried to comfort her, but nothing she said made the slightest difference.
    Dobby continued with his story, shouting shrilly over Winky’s screeches. ‘And then Dobby had the idea, Harry Potter, sir! “Why doesn’t Dobby and Winky find work together?” Dobby says. “Where is there enough work for two house-elves?” says Winky. And Dobby thinks, and it comes to him, sir! Hogwarts! So Dobby and Winky came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir, and Professor Dumbledore took us on!’
    Dobby beamed very brightly, and happy tears welled in his eyes again.
    ‘And Professor Dumbledore says he will pay Dobby, sir, if Dobby wants paying! And so Dobby is a free elf, sir, and Dobby gets a Galleon a week and one day off a month!’
    ‘That’s not very much!’ Hermione shouted indignantly from the floor, over Winky’s continued screaming and fist-beating.
    ‘Professor Dumbledore offered Dobby ten Galleons a week, and weekends off,’ said Dobby, suddenly giving a little shiver, as though the prospect of so much leisure and riches was frightening, ‘but Dobby beat him down, miss … Dobby likes freedom, miss, but he isn’t wanting too much, miss, he likes work better.’
    ‘And how much is Professor Dumbledore paying you , Winky?’ Hermione asked kindly.
    If she had thought this would cheer Winky up, she was wildly mistaken. Winky did stop crying, but when she sat up she was glaring at Hermione through her massive brown eyes, her whole face sopping wet and suddenly furious.
    ‘Winky is a disgraced elf, but Winky is not yet getting paid!’ she squeaked. ‘Winky is not sunk so low as that! Winky is properly ashamed of being freed!’
    ‘Ashamed?’ said Hermione blankly. ‘But – Winky, come on! It’s Mr Crouch who should be ashamed, not you! You didn’t do anything wrong, he was really horrible to you –’
    But at these words, Winky clapped her hands over the holes in her hat, flattening her ears so that she couldn’t hear a word, and screeched, ‘You is not insulting my master, miss! You is not insulting Mr Crouch! Mr Crouch is a good wizard, miss! Mr Crouch is right to sack bad Winky!’
    ‘Winky is having trouble adjusting, Harry Potter,’ squeaked Dobby confidentially. ‘Winky forgets she is not bound to Mr Crouch any more; she is allowed to speak her mind now, but she won’t do it.’
    ‘Can’t house-elves speak their minds about their masters, then?’ Harry asked.
    ‘Oh, no, sir, no,’ said Dobby, looking suddenly serious.‘’Tis part of the house-elf’s enslavement, sir. We keeps their secrets and our silence, sir, we upholds the family’s honour, and we never speaks ill of them – though Professor Dumbledore told Dobby he does not insist upon this. Professor Dumbledore said we is free to – to –’
    Dobby looked suddenly nervous, and beckoned Harry closer. Harry bent forwards.
    Dobby whispered, ‘He said we is free to call him a – a barmy old codger if we likes, sir!’
    Dobby gave a frightened sort of giggle.
    ‘But Dobby is not wanting to, Harry Potter,’ he said, talking normally again, and shaking his head so that his ears flapped. ‘Dobby likes Professor Dumbledore very much, sir, and is proud to keep his secrets for him.’
    ‘But you can say what you like about the Malfoys now?’ Harry asked him, grinning.
    A slightly fearful look came into Dobby’s immense eyes.
    ‘Dobby – Dobby could,’ he said doubtfully. He squared his small shoulders. ‘Dobby could tell Harry Potter that his old masters were – were – bad Dark wizards !’
    Dobby stood for a moment, quivering all over, horror-struck by his own daring – then he rushed over to the nearest table, and began banging his head on it, very hard, squealing, ‘Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!’
    Harry seized Dobby by the back of his tie and pulled him away from the table.
    ‘Thank you, Harry Potter, thank you,’ said Dobby breathlessly, rubbing his head.
    ‘You just need a bit of practice,’ Harry said.
    ‘Practice!’ squealed