At the mention of healing, Harry took a really careful look at the little elves' body. Sure enough, he did look a little more run down and shabbier than he had just a year earlier. There was no need to hesitate anymore. Dobby needed the help and there was no reason not to give it to him. Dropping both of his hands onto Dobby's shoulders, Harry looked the little elf in the eyes. "Dobby you've been a good friend to me. I would very much appreciate having you in my family." With that said, Harry started channeling his magic into the elf with an ease that he'd never felt before. While he was momentarily startled by the immensity of it all, his magic sang happily as it rushed out of him and into the little elf's body.
In no time at all, Dobby's body started glowing, and then as the process continued he began trembling violently under Harry's hands. Under normal circumstances Harry would've let go in alarm by now, but his magic seemed to be screaming at him to go on for just a few seconds longer.
Off on the sidelines Poppy shook her head as she stared at the hugely exaggerated power transfer happening right in front of her eyes. She rolled her eyes at the grandiosity of it all, because she, like most wizards, knew exactly what a normal binding was like. Under normal circumstances, all it would've taken to bind the elf was enough power to fuel a Wingardium Leviosa. What Harry was doing right now was not a normal binding ritual...
After several more moments spent channeling a large amount of power directly into the elf, Harry's magic was finally satisfied and he started easing his hands away from Dobby's shoulders. Just before he let go however, he felt some of the power he'd released rush back throughout his body. The magic appeared to create a connection of some kind between master and servant that left both Harry and Dobby staggering away from each other.
After regaining his balance, Dobby the house elf shook out his body and then looked himself over in a moment of complete amazement. He was taller, healthier and younger than he'd ever been in his entire existence. He also looked somehow more... dignified, graceful, if that's a word that can be applied to a house elf wearing a tea cozy and mismatched socks. Another immediately noticeable change was that Dobby had a capacity for complex, abstract thought that he'd barely even known existed before...
When Harry's new house elf finally looked back up at him, he was surprised by how sharp his friend's eyes had become. Before the elf even said a single word, it was obvious that he was far, far more intelligent than he'd been just a few moments earlier.
Despite his newfound intelligence, Dobby opened and closed his mouth several times as if he didn't know exactly what to say. Finally, he took a very deep breath and smiled. "Harry Potter Sir has just flooded me with thousands and thousands of times more power than was necessary for such a binding ritual." Laughing softly, Dobby shook his head as he rapidly pieced together a more human grammar set. "Suffice it to say, we have a very strong bond Mas... Harry, but I'm also... more than I was. Not only that... I have taken in your history Harry... Your deeds and bravery are inside of me now... Thank you... Harry..." By the end, the elf was choking out his words through an outpouring of tears, and he was very clearly overwhelmed with emotion.
Nodding his understanding, Harry patted the elf softly in the shoulder. "I'm happy for you Dobby. Now, onto the next order of business. How do I change up your uniform without freeing you by accident?"
While he offered a somewhat watery smile in his amusement, Dobby didn't look surprised in the least that Harry was being so accommodating. "I would suggest you just tell me how you'd like me to look and I will take care of the rest."
Once again, Harry nodded his understanding. "Any elf that serves with the Potters will wear a uniform. Black is probably best, official looking, comfortable, complete with a house crest if I have one."
In response to Harry's ignorance, Dobby smiled in a rather rakish way. "Harry... It appears I know more about your family history than you do. You, of course, have a family crest as well as a family history dating back to before Merlin himself." Over the next few seconds, Dobby laughed at both his new brain capacity and the fact that for the moment at least he was more knowledgeable about the magical world than his master was. Then he beamed at Harry again because the boy was so inherently kind. "Oh Harry... I'm going to enjoy making and owning a uniform. I can wear my colorful socks without clashing or tarnishing your family's honor... It'll have to wait however because I must first make sure that you're well fed."
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