Chapter 417: Dobby and Winky  

"She's called Winky? Who's her owner? What have you encountered?"

Tears rolled down Dobby's large eyes, trembling as he spoke, "Her name's Winky. We've known each other for a long time, back when I was still with the Malfoy family..." He shuddered.

"Please, go on, Dobby."

"Her owner is Mr. Crouch, Barty Crouch, sir..." Dobby said, causing a furrow on Felix's brow. "I went to Mr. Crouch's house. It was dark, but Dobby had been there before, knew the way... Dobby found Winky. She was terrified, urging Dobby to leave quickly. Dobby didn't know why, and our voices woke the master of the house."

"You mean Barty Crouch?"

"Dobby isn't sure!" The house elf trembled, "It was too dark, there wasn't even a magical light! They're so backward!"

Felix almost chuckled but managed to focus as Dobby got to the point.

"I heard a cold voice say, 'Something's intruded, a filthy house elf, kill them.' Dobby had never heard such a chilling voice! But next second, Mr. Crouch appeared, casting a spell at us, not just at me, but also at Winky!"

"A killing curse?"

"No, not... bright green light, full of deathly aura, that spell!"

"The Avada Kedavra?" Dobby nodded continuously, Felix's eyebrows twitching fiercely.

"What happened next? Did you manage to escape?"

"Then... the spell went off course. Dobby used a defense item Mr. Hagrid had given, blocking a powerful cutting curse, then Dobby fled with Winky. But Winky didn't want to go, she wanted to plead to Mr. Crouch... Dobby couldn't leave her alone! Dobby... Dobby stunned her."

Dobby's slender chest rose and fell as he spoke, breathless. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a dull yellow sock, emptying a cracked, unusable amulet from it.

Felix squatted, tracing the spider-web-like cracks on the amulet's surface, then pointed at the unconscious house elf. "Revive quickly."

Winky's slender neck twitched, she blinked hard, opening wide brown eyes, still groggy. Spotting Dobby and Felix beside her, her eyes widened suddenly, emitting a loud shriek—

"Winky needs to go back! Winky must leave this place!"

Her body turned ethereal. Felix raised a finger, but the elf, flickering like a bad signal, couldn't leave the area.

"Dobby said urgently, 'Winky, we're safe.'"

"No, Winky must go back, back to the master!" She struggled desperately.

"Dobby exclaimed loudly, 'You no longer have a master, he wants to kill you, think!'" freeweɓnøvel.com

Winky's slender body froze as if flattened, her round head jerked, stubbornly saying, "No, it's not—"

"The master needs care, he's very sick!" She cried.

Dobby yelled louder, "There were no signs of sickness when he attacked us!"

"Because the master needs to care for Master Barty, he's terribly ill. He feels guilty, wronged his son..." Winky trembled, tears streaming, "Oh, Winky shouldn't say this, Winky's a bad elf!"

She screamed, rolling in the dirt, startling students emerging from the hall. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

"Master?" Felix spoke softly, contemplating, "Barty Crouch II? But he was locked in Azkaban and as far as I know, has been dead for years..."

"Winky!" He halted the self-punishing elf, encouraging her, "Listen, your master is in trouble, only you can help him," adding, "and your Master Barty, but I need to know the truth."

Winky stared blankly at Felix, incessantly muttering, "Master Barty is innocent, imprisoned in Azkaban, but he couldn't forgive himself, so he chose redemption..."

Her condition was alarming, like a soulless shell, repeating these words.

As she spoke, a glint of eerie light flashed in Winky's pupils.

"What's wrong with Winky?" Dobby fretted, "Mr. Hagrid, Dobby did hear a cold voice, but didn't see anyone..."

"She's under a spell... not quite like the Dementor's Kiss, I suspect it's Confundus," Felix said.

Dobby jumped, "Confundus? Winky's under a Confundus charm?"

Felix's wand touched Winky's chest, murmuring, "Counter-spell." He shifted his focus, in a greyish-white scene, threads of red light evaporated from the elf's body. He pocketed his wand, watching Winky, questioning Dobby, "Is the magic lifted? How's Winky?"

Felix breathed a sigh of relief, "Let's see."

Winky seemed like she just woke, blinking, then letting out a despairing cry.

"You naughty, Master Barty!"

Felix had to embrace Winky's shoulders as she shook her head, flailing her legs, simultaneously screaming in anguish. His eyes glowed silver, speaking in a low voice, "Winky, do you have something to say?"

Her eyes widened like huge bells, tears flowing like streams, but she refused to say anything.

Reluctantly, Felix released her.

He commanded, "Dobby, take Winky to rest. She's been through a lot tonight." He gestured towards Winky, whose expression softened quickly, falling asleep soon after, though her eyelids twitched uneasily.

Felix conjured complex magical symbols in the air, imprinting them onto Winky's body. "Mr. Hagrid?"

"She can't leave for now. I've sealed her ability to use magic. Dobby, take good care of her for a while. Fulfill her needs as much as possible."

"Understood, Mr. Hagrid." Dobby replied, carrying Winky, hesitating, "And you, sir? Would you like Dobby to inquire about Mr. Barty Crouch's secrets from Winky?"

"No need," Felix said, "I'll ask myself..." He spoke in a very intricate tone, "I've just witnessed a fascinating scene."

"What did you see?"

"A baby." Felix exclaimed in admiration.

There's another chapter undergoing revisions.

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