For the second time in less than ten minutes, Poppy was completely floored by the latent magical ability of the boy standing in front of her. A normal mindscape might make it up to one and half times faster, but that's only if you're an absurdly strong wizard like an Albus Dumbledore. After she spent several silent moments recollecting her calm, Poppy turned back to Harry and smiled. "After you complete a lap around the lake, I'll show you one of Hogwarts' best kept secrets. It's a utility room that can become whatever you need it to be. The only reason I even know about it is because I've worked here for fifty-seven years, and I stumbled upon it by mistake. Before that though. Let's go harass one of the school elves to take care of your food for the summer."
After taking a half dozen steps towards the door, Harry stopped in place as a smile formed on his face. "Dobby," Harry quietly called out.
POOF!
A small body was now firmly wrapped around Harry's right leg, hugging him as hard as it could. "Great Wizard Harry Potter calls Dobby," he exclaimed, in what sounded like total rapture.
"Hey there Dobby," Harry offered, feeling a little awkward but happy to see the little elf. "I didn't expect to see you so fast. Where are you staying these days?"
"Dobby be staying at Hoggywarts," Dobby called out joyfully. "Thays say that free elfeses are welcoming here."
Harry smiled down at Dobby again, both because he was safe and because he was nearby. "That's great to hear Dobby. Poppy here claims I'll need a very large diet for the summer with a lot of different elements involved. I'll need triple servings of fats, proteins, carbs and vegetables of all varieties. Judging by my projected growth we're really concerned that I'll end up deficient in essential stuff like iron, protein and calcium. Do you think you can help me take care of all that Dobby?"
"Dobby be serving Great Harry Potter Sir," the little elf exclaimed, while completing a bunch of very muggle looking fist pumps. "I be overjoyed sir!" Turning back towards Harry, Dobby suddenly adopted a bashful look upon his face. "I be wanting to ask you something as well, great Harry Potter Sir."
The little elves' new nervous demeanor was quite the surprise, so Harry kneeled down to get closer to his level. "You've always been there for me Dobby. How can I help you?"
"I be overjoyed beings free sir, but eyes not the healthiest of elfeses because of it. Dobby fear bad masters and was waiting for trusted wizard to be ins need of an elf." Dobby looked up at Harry with perhaps the most sanity he'd ever had in his little brown eyes. "Would great Harry Potter Sir bind Dobby to his service?"
Out of a reflexive dislike of servitude, Harry almost immediately rejected Dobby on the basis that he should be free. At the very last instant, something Dobby had just said stopped him in his tracks. Leaning even closer towards the little elf, Harry's face started reflecting concern. "Dobby... Is being free bad for a house elves' health?"
After slowly nodding his head, Dobby looked at the floor and clicked his heels together bashfully. "House elves be gaining their magical power and abilities from masters sir. We be magical creatures sir and without Master's magic we start to waste away... Right now, Dobby taking what he can straight from castle Hoggywarts, but he is not bound to the headmaster. It is not best arrangement for Dobby's health sir."
After hearing all of that, Harry didn't have to think long before he made up his mind. "Dobby, if I bind you to my family I want you to call me Harry and remain a close friend of mine. Do you understand?"
Immediately, Dobby's eyes started leaking huge amounts of tears but he nodded solemnly.
"Tell me how I would bind you to my service Dobby," Harry ordered, while smiling at the little elf.
At Harry's words, Dobby started bouncing around the room with a completely ecstatic look upon his face. Then, when he finally collected his calm again, he scampered back to Harry's side and began his explanation. "Just hold on to Dobby's shoulder and channel some magic into him. Eyes be doing the rest, healing Dobby's body and declaring that magic is Dobby's master's."
....
Guys awesome news. Myp@treon is live. Join now to read ahead by 60 chapters.
Link: pa*treon.com/MysticVerse (Remove the *)
Free members also get 2 advanced chapters for free.