"Ursa!" Hermione yells as she spots Ursa. Ursa turns to see Hermione running towards her, the boys trailing behind her begrudgingly. "Ursa!" Hermione skids to a stop in front of Ursa.

"Whoa! What's got you all excited?" Ursa asks.

"I found Dobby." Hermione whispers.

"Really? You did?" Ursa smiles.

"Yeah come on!" Ursa enthusiastically follows Hermione to the kitchen entrance.

The boys sigh. "I know what this is about." Harry says as they walk down the hall.

"That spew thing again?" Ron groans.

"It's not spew." Ursa says.

"Oh come on she's got you wrapped up in this?"

"If you'd seen what I have, you would too."

"I came to talk to them and... I found something you're going to like." Hermione says. Hermione opens the door and shoves Harry in. The others walk in behind him.

"Whoa." Ursa says as she looks around the kitchen. It has four long tables in the middle and one at the front just like the Great Hall.

A small blur starts hurtling towards Harry. "Harry Potter sir, Harry Potter." The blur yells before it hugs Harry tightly. They see it's Dobby and Ursa smiles softly.

"D-Dobby?" Harry asks in shock.

"It is Dobby sir it is." Dobby says. "Dobby has been hoping and hoping to see Harry Potter and Harry Potter has come to see him."

"Dobby, what are you doing here?"

"Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir! Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby a job, sir! Dobby had been traveling the country for two whole years, trying to find work. Dobby finally thought to ask Professor Dumbledore. Professor Dumbledore says he will pay Dobby, sir, if Dobby wants paying! And so Dobby is a free elf, sir, and Dobby gets a Galleon a week and one day off a month!"

"That's not very much!" Hermione exclaims.

"Professor Dumbledore offered Dobby ten Galleons a week and weekends off, but Dobby beat him down, miss. Dobby likes freedom, miss, but he isn't wanting too much, miss, he likes work better."

Harry looks at Ursa, still very apprehensive of her. "Why the hell did you make us stop for Malfoy if Dobby's here, Hermione?" Harry asks. "Isn't it bad enough Dobby had to deal with them before?"

"M-Malfoy?" Dobby asks nervously.

"Shut up Harry. You know nothing about their relationship." Hermione says.

"Hi Dobby." Ursa says as she kneels down to his height.

"H-h-hi. Where is- where is M-Malfoy?" Dobby asks.

Ursa chuckles. "Do I really look that different than I did three years ago?" Ursa asks before switching to an American accent. "Maybe it would help if I spoke like this? Like I did for nine years."

Dobby tilts his head and looks at Ursa. His eyes light up when he recognizes her. "Miss Ursa, miss! You're here?!"

Ursa goes back to her normal accent. "Yeah I am. I heard you were free." Dobby runs to Ursa and they hug, Dobby tighter than her. "I'm so happy for you." They release each other. "You look so much better in actual clothes instead of that horrid pillowcase."

"I'm confused." Ron says. "Why is Dobby happy to see you and why are you happy he's free?"

"Miss Ursa was the only master that was nice to Dobby, sir." Dobby says. "Dobby missed Miss Ursa."

"He was her friend." Hermione says.

"He was." Ursa says. "My parents and Draco were so cruel to him though. Constant threats and abuse. I honestly think they enjoyed it. I often had to save him from punishing himself. I'm happy he is free from that finally."

"Why is Miss Ursa at Hogwarts? Shouldn't she be at Ilvermorny, miss?"

"I got expelled and sent home for turning a Muggle into a frog."

"Well you never have had a good temper Miss Ursa."

Ursa chuckles. "That's very true."

"Dobby is happy you're here."

"So am I."

"Is Mr Draco still a horribly rude boy?" Dobby slaps his hand over his mouth and Ursa chuckles. "Dobby shouldn't have said that. Wait. Dobby forgets he can speak his mind now that Dobby's free."

"Yes, Dray is still very rude to others. Before you three ask, I gave him permission to speak his mind when we were alone which is why he was comfortable commenting on my temper."

"Can't house-elves speak their minds about their masters, then?" Harry asks.

"No." Ursa says with a scoff.

"Oh no sir no." Dobby says. "Tis part of the house-elf's enslavement, sir. We keeps their secrets and our silence sir. We uphold the family's honor, and we never speaks ill of them."

"But you can say what you want about the Malfoys now?" Harry asks.

Dobby looks at Ursa cautiously. "Whatever you say will not make it back to my family." Ursa says. "You know I would not do that to you."

"Dobby could-" Dobby starts nervously. "Dobby could tell Harry Potter that- that- that his old masters were- were- bad dark wizards." Ursa laughs at the same time Dobby goes to the nearest table and bangs his head on it. "Bad Dobby. Bad Dobby." Harry grabs Dobby and pulls him away from the table. "Bad habits."

"Why did you laugh?" Ron asks. "I thought he was your friend."

"Sorry." Ursa says as she calms down. "I was not laughing at Dobby. I was laughing because he is not wrong about my family being bad Dark Wizards. Though that might actually be a bit of an understatement."

"Except Miss Ursa!" Dobby interjects. "Miss Ursa was always good to Dobby."

"Are you just saying that cause she's here?" Ron asks.

"Not at all sir. Miss Ursa isn't like her family."

"I mean I kind of am." Ursa says. "I am a good Dark Witch not a bad one." The Trio looks at Ursa concerned. "The Dark Arts are not inherently evil. Some types of runes and enchantments are considered Dark Arts. I do not use them for evil purposes. I only use Dark Arts spells in dueling. Well other than on Draco."

"And me!" Harry exclaims.

"You insulted my mother!" Ursa argues back.

"Oh no Harry Potter sir, you don't insult my old mistress in front of Miss Ursa." Dobby says. "Miss Ursa never lets anyone speak ill of her. Not even when Miss Ursa was little. Dobby remembers Miss Ursa trying to attack a man who insulted my old mistress when Miss Ursa was four. Miss Ursa's magic appeared protecting my old mistress."

"That sounds like something I would have done. Most of the fights I got into at Ilvermorny involved someone insulting my family or house."

"Like your house at Ilvermorny?"  Ron asks.

"No like the House of Black."

"Why call her 'Miss Ursa?'" Harry asks. "She doesn't own you anymore."

"Tis what Dobby's always called her."

"And technically my father owned Dobby." Ursa says. "He was just told he had to serve the rest of the family too. If I could have I would have freed him long before you tricked my father."

"Is Miss Ursa still powerful?" Dobby asks. Out of nowhere the tea cozy Dobby uses as a hat lifts off his head and flies over to Harry's head, following Ursa's eyes.

"Does that answer your question?" Ursa asks.

"How the?" Harry says. Ron looks confused.

"What just happened?" Hermione asks. Harry goes to grab the tea cozy only for it to lift up again and move again. Hermione notices it following Ursa's eyes as it goes back to Dobby's head.

"It does." Dobby says. "Miss Ursa doesn't have to close her eyes and focus anymore."

"I do if they are heavier than a couple pounds." Ursa says.

"Did... did you do that Ursa?" Hermione asks.

"Miss Ursa is a powerful witch!" Dobby says. "Since she was a tot. Miss Ursa was three the first time she lifted something."

"So what?" Ron says. "A lot of young wizards do that."

"Yes but are they able to control it?" Ursa says. "I could control some of my magic without a wand, young. Not long after the first time it appeared actually."

"Dumbledore wasn't kidding when he said you were powerful." Hermione says.

"He was not. The first time I used magic, I threw a man across the street in Diagon Alley, after forcing him to let go of my mother's wrist.

"Tea anyone?" Dobby asks.

"Sure." Harry says.

"Harry." Hermione says as several elves bring them tea.

"Come, come, sit by the fire." The four follow Dobby to a small table by the fire. The house-elfs put the tea on the table and everyone sits.

"How long have you been here Dobby?" Ursa asks.

"Just a week." Dobby answers. Ursa sees an elf crying near the fire. "Winky is here too."

"Winky?" Hermione asks.

"The Crouch Family house elf." Ursa says and Ron looks at her in confusion. "When you grow up in a pureblood family like mine you know everyone's elf's name."

"Ex-house elf." Harry says. "She was freed after the World Cup in punishment." Winky cries harder.

"Don't cry Winky." Hermione says. "How much is Professor Dumbledore paying you Winky?" Winky stops crying and glares at Hermione.

"Winky may be a disgraced elf but Winky is not getting paid. Winky is ashamed of being freed."

"Ashamed?" Hermione questions. "Why would you be ashamed. Mr. Crouch should be ashamed. You didn't do anything wrong. He was really horrible to you-"

"Hermione." Ursa says. "I told you, not all elfs are like Dobby." Winky covers her ears.

"You is not insulting Mr Crouch." Winky says. "Mr Crouch is a good wizard!" Winky dissolves into tears. They talk happily about Dobby his life as a free elf and plans for his wages. When they leave, the elves try to offer them snacks. Hermione and Ursa decline while Ron and Harry stuff their pockets.

"You'll come see me Miss Ursa and Harry Potter. Right? Or can Dobby come see you."

"Of course!" Harry and Ursa both say. Dobby hugs Ursa before they leave.

"I think this is the best thing that could happen to the elves here." Hermione says. "Dobby being here. Maybe they'll see how happy he is and they will start to want that too."

"As long as they don't look too close at Winky." Harry says.

"She'll cheer up." Ron and Ursa look at each other with knowing looks. "Once the shock has worn off."

"She seems to love Crouch." Ron says with a mouthful of cream cake.

"She's loyal to him. It is what happens to house elves." Ursa says.

***

Ursa walks into Hagrid's hut and goes over to the creature first aid supplies, not noticing the Trio with Hagrid. "How are the hippogriffs?" Hagrid asks.

"Well Clawhoof and Hothoof got in another fight." Ursa replies.

"Who won?"

"Who do you think won Hagrid?"

"One of these days Hothoof is going to learn her lesson the hard way."

Ursa grabs a jar of creature healing salve and some bandages. "You'd think she would've by now. Isn't this like the fifth fight they've been in this year?"

"More or less. Where's Lyra?"

"Making sure they don't start fighting again." Ursa picks up a jar. "Looks like you're almost out of Burn Healing Paste, creature," Ursa picks up another jar. "and human. I guess the Skrewts are making good use of it. I'll take care of it." Ursa turns to face Hagrid and finally notices the Trio. Harry is staring at her in a mix of negative emotions. "Oh hello, I did not know you three were here."

"Hi Ursa." Hermione says. "Who's Lyra?"

"My owl."

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Harry asks.

"What does it look like I am doing Potter? I am getting supplies to go help Hothoof."

"Ursa helps me on the weeken' for a few hours." Hagrid says. "Do yeh wanna join us?"

Ursa turns back to the supplies and grabs a needle and thread. "Maybe later. Clawhoof hurt her pretty badly."

"Do yeh need help?"

"No, I'm just going to patch up Hothoof and have a talk with Clawhoof about his anger issues."

"A talk?" Ron asks.

"Hippogriffs can understand us Ron." Ursa replies. "May I remind you why Draco got hurt last year, which he over exaggerated. Their fights are getting worse. It needs to stop."

"Good luck." Hagrid says.

"Thank you. I will need it."

"Are you really the best one to talk about anger issues?" Ron asks.

"That is only when someone insults my family Ron. Or Draco annoys me."

"I know you know some healing magic," Hermione says. "Why don't you just use that on the hippogriff?"

"Some creatures do not like healing magic being used on them." Ursa answers. "Hothoof thinks she gets stronger letting it heal naturally. I think it is ridiculous since the healing spells do almost the exact same thing in less time."

"How do you know what they think?" Harry asks.

"Uh... do not worry about it." Lyra lands on the windowsill and hoots. Ursa turns around and groans. "Oh no. That's not good." Lyra flaps her wings. "Damn it. Thank you Lyra. I need to go. They're about to fight again."

"Good luck!" Hagrid yells after as she runs out.

"You really trust her?" Harry asks. "Alone with creatures?"

"Harry..." Hermione sighs.

"I do." Hagrid replies. "She's good with 'em. Helps the smaller ones for me."

"How'd she know they were about to fight again?" Ron asks.

"Lyra completely understands Ursa. They have some kind of connection since Lyra was her only friend. They often set signals for Lyra to communicate with her. That must've been the one for ''bout to fight'"