Chapter 20: Entrance Hall

"I've been looking for you, Harry!" Hermione said excitedly.

"I've been here. We said we'd head back to the library after lunch to work on defence," Harry said. He had a smile on his face. Hermione's hair was as bushy as ever and she seemed quite happy about something.

"You've got to come, the most amazing thing happened," Hermione said. "You have to come…" She started dragging him down the corridor.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked. He moved up so they were walking side by side. He didn't like being dragged.

"I'll show you when we get there," Hermione said.

They made their way down to the Entrance Hall and turned down another set of stairs. Hermione dragged him over to a painting of a bowl filled with pears. Harry caught on. The Weasley twins had said that the entrance to the kitchen was behind the painting with the pears. His gaze moved over the rest of the hall. It was lit up in golden hues and filled with paintings of food. It was quite cosy.

Hermione reached out and tickled one of the pears.

Harry waited quietly next to her as the painting opened up. He looked into a huge room with four long tables. It hit him that it looked almost identical to the Great Hall above. The only difference was that the walls lining the tables were filled with brass pots and pans.

"Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter!"

Harry looked down and smiled. "Dobby!" he exclaimed. He looked down at the little elf hugging his midriff.

"It is Dobby, sir, it is!" Dobby squeaked. "Dobby has been hoping to see Harry Potter, sir, and Harry Potter has come to see him, sir!" The little elf let go of him and stepped back a few steps. His tennis-ball-sized eyes looked up at him, brimming with tears of happiness.

Harry hadn't seen the little guy since the end of his second year. Dobby hadn't changed. His bat-like ears were flapping as he moved his big head. His body was thin in comparison making his green eyes seem huge. Harry knelt and placed a hand on the elf's bony shoulder. His clothes looked ridiculous though. Bright coloured and mismatching. "Dobby, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir!" the elf squealed excitedly. "Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs, sir!"

"That's really nice," Harry said. "So, Winky is here too." The name sounded familiar, but he wasn't sure who it was.

"Yes, sir, yes!" Dobby said. He grabbed Harry by the hand. His long spindly fingers were small in Harry's hand. He led the teen through the kitchen over to a small stool in the opposite corner. A small droopy elf was sitting on the stool. It was the elf he had seen at the Quidditch World Cup. "Winky, sir!" Dobby said.

Harry moved down next to her. "Hello Winky," he said softly. He reached out and hugged her as she started crying. "Hush, hush little one," he said quietly.

"Oh, dear," Hermione said. She knelt next to Harry. "Winky, don't cry, please don't…"

"Don't Hermione, it's not going to help," Harry said gently. He pulled the little elf closer and rocked her. He sat down with her. "It will get better Winky," he said softly.

"Would Harry Potter like a cup of tea?" Dobby asked.

"That would be nice Dobby," Harry said with a smile.

"Harry!" Hermione hissed.

"He offered Hermione," Harry said. He didn't understand her idea about house-elves and slavery. "If someone offers you tea it is very rude to say no. Think about it. If you visit someone's house and they offer you a cup of tea you don't say no. Saying no would be very rude."

Hermione opened her mouth, and then she closed it again. What was she supposed to say to that? He was right. Still, she wanted elves to have a chance at a better life.

Harry reached up and accepted the cup from Dobby. "Thank you," he said. He placed it down on the floor so he could lift the cup from the saucer. He took a sip and rubbed Winky's back soothingly. "How long have you been here, Dobby?" he asked.

"Only a week, Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby said. "Dobby came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir. You see, sir, it is very difficult for a house-elf who has been dismissed to get a new position, sir, very difficult indeed…"

Harry looked down at Winky as she started crying harder. He started rocking her again.

Dobby told them about his life. He had travelled around for two years looking for work. But he hadn't gotten any because he wanted to get paid now. Harry could see his point of view. The other elves in the kitchen didn't seem to like it much, though. They turned away and left when he started talking about money. Then they left completely as Dobby exclaimed that he liked being free. It obviously wasn't something they agreed with.

As Dobby told them about meeting Winky, the elf in question was wailing in Harry's arms. He told them about how they had decided to go to Hogwarts to find work. Then the conversation turned to money and Harry moved away with Winky. "Hey Winky," he said. He moved her so he could look at her properly. "I have a question."

Big brown eyes looked up at him. "What does Mr Potter want to ask?" Winky said.

"I know that you miss Mr Crouch," Harry said and that's alright. "But …"

"What are you being paid Winky?" Hermione asked.

Winky turned to Hermione. "Winky is a disgraced elf, but Winky is not yet getting paid!" she said. "Winky is not sunk so low as that! Winky is properly ashamed of being freed!"

"Ashamed?" Hermione said blankly.

"Don't Hermione," Harry said calmly. "She's upset. We don't need to make it worse." He looked down at Winky. "Why don't we go over here?" he said. "I still want to ask you something?"