The rogue Bludger, having finally accomplished its mission, fell silent after striking Harry.
"Harry!"
Malfoy landed his broom none too gently, tossed it aside, and sprinted to Harry's side. "Harry, I… I…"
"Don't talk like that, Harry! You're going to be alright!"
"I think I've broken a bone!"
Hearing Malfoy's words, Harry was furious and wanted to hit him, but with his arm broken, he didn't want to move.
"Oh, is that so?"
Malfoy awkwardly scratched the back of his head. He had honestly thought Harry was about to die, seeing him lying motionless on the ground like a dead fish.
"Stop talking nonsense! Just get me to the infirmary, now!"
Malfoy quickly helped Harry up, and they limped toward the stadium entrance.
Marcus Flint and Wood, meanwhile, were already engaged in a full-blown brawl on the pitch, thanks to the series of unfortunate events triggered by Harry's accident.
...
In the infirmary on the second floor of the castle, Harry and Malfoy found it empty; instead of Madam Pomfrey, only Gilderoy Lockhart was there, acting suspiciously, as if he were up to no good.
"Ahem... Madam Pomfrey has just gone to fetch Professor Snape's freshly brewed medicine."
"Oh."
But then Harry spoke up, "What are you doing here, then?"
"I… was just wandering around."
He dared not reveal that he had come to retrieve the potion for the Whomping Willow; after all, if word got out, his reputation as a "Potion Master" would be utterly ruined.
Harry and Malfoy already suspected something was up.
However, they didn't realize Lockhart still hadn't healed the Whomping Willow after all this time; otherwise, they never would have agreed to Lockhart's next move.
"You two… Potter is injured?"
Lockhart looked them over, quickly noticing Harry's disheveled state and his arm dangling uselessly.
Hearing this, Harry and Malfoy briefly explained what had happened.
"Oh, I see! A minor problem! I shall heal Potter!"
Lockhart declared, drawing his wand.
Harry looked at Lockhart with skepticism. "Are you sure you can manage it?"
Malfoy also looked dubious; given Lockhart's past antics, it was hard for either of them to trust him.
"Don't worry, I've practiced this many times; there won't be any mistakes!"
Lockhart was so obsessed with selling his own myth that he wasn't just fooling others, he'd successfully fooled himself.
His claim of "practicing many times" was technically true… but only in the pages of his books.
Harry hesitated, slightly retracting his arm, but didn't completely refuse Lockhart. After all… what if he actually could?
Lockhart simply grabbed Harry's injured arm with his left hand and pointed his wand at it with his right. "Brackium Emendo!"
A flash of white light erupted from Lockhart's wand, and then…
"I CAN'T FEEL MY HAND!!!"
Harry shook his arm and found that not only was it numb, but the bone was now visibly… missing!
"Ahem… this spell, uh… that's how it works," Lockhart stammered, glancing away from Harry. "But it's not so bad, is it? It doesn't hurt anymore… and you're more aerodynamic."
"..."
Harry didn't speak, just quietly stared at Lockhart.
"I suddenly remembered I have something urgent to do, so I'll be going!"
Realizing things were escalating badly, Lockhart quickly turned and fled.
"You absolute wanker! Get back here!"
Hearing Harry's enraged roar behind him, Lockhart sprinted even faster.
...
When Madam Pomfrey returned, she took one look at Harry's arm, first scolding him for his recklessness, then applying Skele-Gro.
"The patient needs rest; you can go now."
Hearing Madam Pomfrey's dismissal, Malfoy bid Harry farewell and left the infirmary.
A while later, bored and with nothing to do, Harry lay on the hospital bed, staring out the window. Just then, a whooshing sound rang out, followed by a heavy weight landing on his leg.
Looking down, Harry saw Dobby, the house-elf he'd met at the Dursleys', standing on the bed right on top of his lap.
"Why won't Harry leave?"
Dobby looked at Harry with an expression that held a mixture of anger, confusion, anxiety, and disbelief.
"How did you get here?"
Harry looked at Dobby with confusion, a strange thought suddenly occurring to him.
"Why won't Harry leave? He could have just left! Dobby doesn't understand. Why is everything Dobby has done useless?!"
Dobby spoke excitedly, gesturing wildly.
"So… you did all that? I couldn't get onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters because of you! The Bludger attack was also because of you!"
Harry's expression twisted with rage.
Seeing Harry's reaction, Dobby panicked. "No! Dobby just wants Harry Potter to stay away from Hogwarts!"
"Heh… why would I stay away from Hogwarts?"
Harry gave a cold laugh.
Hearing this, Dobby quickly explained, "Because Harry Potter's life is in danger if he stays here! So…"
"But all the danger I'm facing right now is caused by you!"
Harry shouted, startling Dobby.
Dobby seemed a little lost. "There really is danger, but Dobby can't say. As long as Harry Potter leaves, everything will be fine."
"Why should I leave?"
Harry found the elf's words utterly ridiculous. "Where can I go if I leave? Back to the Dursleys? Back to be their house-elf? So I can be your colleague?"
Harry realized then, are all house-elf recruitment processes this hardcore?
"Dobby doesn't know how to explain, but anyway, Dobby will protect Harry Potter!"
"Just get out of here! And get the hell out of here!"
Hearing this, Dobby sadly jumped off Harry's lap, then snapped his fingers and disappeared.
Dobby's jump, of course, was equivalent to stomping hard on Harry's leg.
So, after Dobby left, Harry's cry of pain echoed throughout the infirmary.
"Dobby, you son of a bitch!!!"
...
The afternoon sky was overcast, completely different from the morning.
At this time, on a mountain not far from Hogwarts Castle, Dobby was gazing sadly at the distant castle, lost in thought.
"Do you want Harry's forgiveness?"
Just then, a voice rang out behind him.
"Who's there?!"
Dobby whirled around, only to find no one.
"I mean, do you want to get along better with Harry?"
The voice came from behind him again.
Turning around once more, he saw a handsome young man smiling at him, his emerald green eyes seemingly capable of captivating the soul.
"The... the Dark Lord!!!"
Dobby was so frightened that he fell to the ground with a thud. Regaining his senses, he quickly snapped his fingers, trying to Apparate away, but to his surprise, it was useless.
His magic was sealed!
"Answer me, do you... or not?"
Tom Riddle half-squatted in front of Dobby, silently watching him.
After a long while, Dobby slowly uttered a single word, "Yes..."
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