A/N: Only half of you guessed this right.

Chapter Eighteen, Dobby the House-Elf

At Hogwarts - Headmistress Office:

At Hogwarts in the Headmaster now Headmistress Office, Professor McGonagall had called a meeting with all of her staff to outline the upcoming year but to address the changes in teaching staff this year.
"Thank you all for coming." Professor McGongall said, to all of her staff, smiling but it came out more like a grimace than a smile. "It is the Dursley's trial and Dumbledore's trial today, and I personally hope that they get sentenced to life for all that they have put Isadora through." McGonagall said passionately, her Scottish accent becoming thicker due to her anger. Once she calmed down she continued. "Moving on; the Board of Governor's have decided to make me Headmistress permanently.

So, I have decided to make Filius our new Deputy Head and Mrs Andromeda Tonks the Head of Gryffindor House and our new Transfiguration Professor after passing all of the Boards tests with the highest marks, and therefore, have qualified with the highest marks." She paused, while all of her staff applauded and welcomed their new colleague, and congratulated Filius - Severus Snape clapping half-heartedly for all of five seconds before he stopped. "Now, on to the hardest position to fill." continued Professor McGonagall. "I have had Curse Breakers assess the school and that particular position and there is indeed a curse on that job, placed there by Voldemort himself, around the time he asked Dumbledore to teach here.

It is a very extensive curse and one they have been working tirelessly to break. Unfortunately, they have not done so yet, but they have weakened it to a degree so it'll not affect anyone's life in a dire way, so we should be able to hold a Professor for more than a year, hopefully. If you agree, Remus?" McGonagall asked, looking over to the tired, sandy-haired man. "Like with Andromeda he passed and qualified with the highest marks and the Board have agreed to allow him to teach if you agree to make him Wolfsbane, Severus?" Snape did not look happy but nodded nonetheless. "Perfect. The Curse Breakers have also warded your office and chambers, Remus, so you will be able to stay in there during the Full Moon. Once the sun goes down on that particular day no one will be able to enter or leave your office, not even you in your wolf form until the sun rises the following morning." She assured kindly, smiling at him as he let out a breath of relief.

"Is there anything else that needs to be discussed, Minerva?" Snape drawled.
"Not to my knowledge." She said, looking around at the other members of staff who were all shaking their heads. "Andy, Remus, how is Sirius?" Minerva asked.
"He's getting better slowly but strongly," Remus started, a weary sigh escaping his lips. "He's getting antsy though. He's desperate to see Izzy, as am I. I should never have listened to Dumbledore about staying away from her. But it's taken everything in me, and Andy, to convince Sirius to get better first so he'll be healthy enough to be around her, let alone look after her. So, he's now throwing every effort into getting better for Izzy. I'm going to go see him later." He explained.

"Please can you tell him I'll stop by after I've had lunch with Nymphadora." Andy asked.
"Of course." Remus agreed. That started a round of well wishes being passed back and forth.
"Can we get on with the rest of the meeting?" Severus drawled in a bored tone.
"Of course." Minerva agreed, but she did give him a dirty look as well as a warning look. She would not tolerate his old ways or bullying the students like Dumbledore did and she would let him know just that once the meeting was over. He turned over a new leaf, as the Muggle saying went, or he looked for another job it was as simple as that.

***

~ At The Burrow, Ottery St Catchpole, Devon ~

"Isadora Potter, such an honour it is." The strange creature said, in a high pitched voice as he climbed off the bed and bowed to Izzy. Izzy guessed he was a House-Elf. He was only three feet tall, had bat-like ears, a bulbous nose, bright green eyes -almost tennis ball green in colour- and he wore a dirty, old pillowcase.
"Excuse me but who are you?" Izzy asked nervously.
"I'm Dobby, Miss. Dobby the House-Elf." Dobby introduced, but looked nervously at the Weasleys, Neville and Luna.
"Not to be rude, but how come you're in my room, Dobby?" Izzy asked, coming in and sitting on the bottom of her bed with Dobby standing besides her.
"Of course Miss, Dobby understands. It's just that Dobby has come to tell you... it is difficult, Miss. Dobby wonders where to begin." Dobby said fretfully, ringing his hands anxiously.

"Why don't you sit down?" Izzy suggested kindly.
"Sit down? Sit down?" Dobby exclaimed, before he burst into large sobs, large tears rolling down his cheeks. Startling Izzy and the group standing by the door.
"Dobby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you or offend you." Izzy exclaimed.
"Offend Dobby?" Dobby asked, so shocked he stopped crying. "Dobby has heard of your greatness, Miss, and how poor Miss has been treated... those people should be ashamed of themselves... but never has Dobby been asked to sit down by a witch or wizard, like an equal!" Dobby exclaimed.
"I guess you haven't met many decent people either, huh?" Izzy asked sadly, kneeling down in front of him.
"No I haven't." Dobby agreed sadly, before his eyes widened at what he'd said. "That was an awful thing to say."

He ran to the wardrobe and started head butting it as hard as he could.
"BAD DOBBY! Bad Dobby!" He screeched, painful yelps falling past his lips in between his shouts.
"NO! STOP!" All seven children shouted, running towards him but Izzy was closer and gently pulled him away from the wardrobe.
"Are you all right?" They all asked him concerned, not noticing Bill had come running up the stairs at their shouts and now stood in the doorway watching what was going on rather confused. His wand at the ready just in case.
"Dobby had to punish himself, Miss." Dobby said, speaking mainly to Izzy as he climbed on to the chair and they all sat on the floor facing him. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, Miss."
"Your family?" Izzy asked, confused.

"Some Pure bloods have House-Elves to help run the home. We have them at Longbottom Castle and you'll have them at Potter Manor, but we never make ours wear pillowcases or punish themselves." Neville explained, with a frown.
"Yes. The wizard family Dobby serves, Miss. Dobby is bound to serve one family forever. If they ever knew Dobby was here..." Dobby trailed off with a shudder but he moved to the edge of the chair to be closer to Izzy. "But Dobby had to come. Dobby has to protect Isadora Potter. To warn her. Isadora Potter must not go back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year! There is a plot, a plot to make the most terrible things happen!"
"Why? What terrible things? Who's behind them?" Fred asked urgently, casting a glance to Bill who nodded discreetly to show he heard.

He didn't want to enter and scare Dobby off. It was obvious he thought very highly of Izzy and had come here to warn her despite his Master's wishes. If they found out he could be treated worse than his current condition suggests.
"Can't say." Dobby said through gritted teeth. "Don't make me talk." He said physically struggling with himself.
"Okay, we understand you can't talk. It's okay you don't have to. Please don't hurt yourself Dobby you never said anything." Izzy said gently, placing her hands on the chair.
"You didn't speak, it's okay." Ron added reassuringly. Dobby continued to mutter to himself as if fighting on whether he should punish himself or not but at least he stayed in the chair and didn't hurt himself this time, although it seemed like a huge effort.

"Anyway, I have to go back. My friends will be there." Izzy said, gesturing to those around them. Even though her stomach fluttered every time she was with Fred.
"Friends who didn't write to Isadora Potter?" Dobby asked slyly.
"How do you know we weren't writing to Izzy?" Luna asked. "Which isn't the case as I have been, as has Neville."
"So has Hermione. She wrote today and asked why you weren't replying back to her, and I told her you haven't received any of her letters." Ron informed his best friend.
"Have you been stopping Izzy's mail?" George demanded, annoyed.
"Now, Isadora Potter and her friends mustn't be angry with Dobby. Dobby is trying to protect Isadora Potter, so Dobby hoped that if Isadora Potter thought her friends had forgotten her..." He paused, as a stack of letters materialised besides Dobby with a snap of his fingers. "Isadora Potter might not want to go back to school, Miss." Dobby said nervously.

"Can I have my letters, please Dobby?" Isadora asked, holding her hands out.
"I'm sorry Miss, but if you say you're not going back to school then Dobby can give you them. Dobby only wants Isadora Potter to be safe." Dobby said, leaning forwards to pat Izzy's hands but kept the letters out of reach.
"I'm sorry but that's not going to happen Dobby." Bill said, pushing the door open wider to reveal himself. Dobby's eyes widened as Bill entered the bedroom. "Izzy will be going to Hogwarts with the others, but thank you for the warning we'll find out who it is so she'll be safe."
"Dobby hopes so." Dobby said, before he popped away.

"What're we going to do now?" Ron asked his eldest brother.
"You seven, are to do nothing, but just show Neville Izzy's wonderful room. That she, Ginny and Luna spent ages painting. You are to be kids and enjoy yourselves and I'll inform Mum, Dad, Augusta, Xeno and Charlie when he gets back, of what just happened. We will sort this out." Bill said sternly, looking at each of them in turn before he left the room. It was silent in the room for a moment; not one of them making a move to rise from the floor as they digested all that had happened in this very long day.
"This room is amazing, Izzy." Neville said in awe, looking around the amazing room, especially the mural on the Thestrals in the Forest.
"Thanks Nev." Izzy said shyly.
"My Izzy is truly amazing." Fred said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as butterflies erupted in her stomach and a blush appeared on her cheeks.

***

~ St Mungo's Hospital, London, Locked Ward, First Floor ~

Sirius was going crazy. He had just finished another session of physical therapy, after lunch that he had a course of potions to take before he could even eat- he had a session with a Mind Healer. Apparently he was making excellent progress and was healing faster than they thought he would, but he was desperate to see his precious Goddaughter. Even if he had sworn to himself and promised Andy and Remus he would get better first, he was desperate to see her but he couldn't help but reluctantly agree with them. He was in no fit state to look after anyone or even do things with her and she's been through enough, and he couldn't help but blame himself. If he hadn't gone after that blasted rat.

Besides feeling better in himself it felt so nice to get all the dirt and grime off his skin and out of his hair which he had to cut to just above his shoulders. It had been that matted, but it looked healthier than a few weeks ago. He was actually in better shape; mind, magic and soul wise than the Healers had expected all because he remained with that determination that he was innocent while he was human and when he shifted to Padfoot, Izzy kept him going. Being an Animagus had helped his body rest from the effects of the Dementors so he hoped he would be out of here before Izzy went back to Hogwarts or perhaps a little after that, at the latest. He was pulled from his thoughts when the lock clicked open and in walked Remus.

"Have you seen her?" Sirius demanded, jumping from the bed to face his friend. Their friendship was a little strained at the moment due to Remus listening to Dumbledore, but they were working past it for Izzy's sake. He asked Remus that same question every time he visited as if he expected a different answer. Well, not so much expected but more like hoped there would be a different answer.
"No I haven't yet. The trials were today, Pads." Remus sighed, slumping down into the chair. The door was now locked behind him. Only those keyed into the room via both Madam Bones and the Head Healer Valerie Smith could enter and exit. No one under PolyJuice can enter as the room assesses your magic as you approach the door and if you're not keyed in it alerts the Aurors and Hospital security.

"But I'll be seeing her soon as will Andy. I've been made the D.A.D.A Professor and Andy the Transfiguration and Head of Gryffindor. Oh, Andy said she'll come by after she's had lunch with her daughter." Remus added.
"Well done." Sirius said, smiling tightly at his friend. "I just want to see her, Remus." Sirius sighed, seating himself in the chair opposite Remus.
"So do I, Sirius. But she's safe and happy at the Weasleys. She's a cute little thing, so smart, and the kindest person they've ever met. She's also obsessed with Magical Creatures." Remus laughed.
"She'll get along well with Hagrid, then." Sirius laughed.

"She already does. The stories I've heard already." Remus said, shaking his head half ruefully but mostly angry at Dumbledore. Shaking those thoughts from his head he spent the rest of the afternoon telling Sirius the stories he heard after the meeting from several of the Professors. One thing they knew for sure was they both missed their Cub/pup and they realised that before James and Lily died it hadn't been the elder Potters keeping them all together - (as there had been suspicion between all of them thanks to doubts planted by Dumbledore) - it had been Izzy, and they missed her. And without her it was almost like they were strangers again. They needed to work on that too, if they wanted to be around her, she's had enough tension and grief to last her several lifetimes and they would not be the cause of more.