Draco Malfoy has been having a rough time lately.
Actually, the signs started showing last semester—
Ever since he led a group to ambush Ravenclaw's Vid Gray, but nearly burst into tears from a bunch of bugs, some people have been reluctant to side with him.
This semester, Malfoy feels like he hasn't done much, but his friends have been leaving him one after the other, even those two fools Crabbe and Goyle have started openly opposing him.
The Quidditch team was originally okay because his father donated a batch of brooms, so everyone was trying to please him.
But as the Seeker, he lost the match against Gryffindor. Especially since... the Golden Snitch was right next to him, and he did nothing, letting Harry Potter seize the opportunity to catch it.
Malfoy feels wronged.
Because Potter cleverly pretended to ram him off his broom, distracting him, which made him lose track of the Golden Snitch.
But his teammates didn't accept his explanation. Flint sarcastically said, "The Golden Snitch nearly shoved itself under your nose, what more does it need to do for you to notice it?"
Montague and Blaiqi laughed along with him.
Derek said, "A good Seeker needs more than just a good broom, they need good eyesight too, right, Draco?"
Malfoy used to think that Harry Potter was the most annoying person in the world, because he was disdainful of his attempts to be friendly, even mocking him.
But when he truly faced others' malice, he realized that those conflicts were nothing at all.
Malfoy slammed the book shut heavily, the pages made a sound like a scream, and the words "Ultimate Poison Magic" on the cover slowly turned red, even oozing blood.
He routinely wiped the blood off his fingertips, not screaming in disgust like the first time.
"So, you got the wrong target."
He said to the person beside him, "I used to really dislike Potter, but now, compared to Potter, I'd rather teach Crabbe and Goyle a lesson."
Behind him was the house-elf Dobby.
This house-elf was wearing a dirty, torn pillowcase, its big ears looked freshly scalded, and there were scars on its forehead and thin arms.
Dobby bowed and said in a sharp voice, "Dobby didn't know Young Master Malfoy was unhappy with Dobby attacking Harry Potter, the master sent Dobby to assist Young Master Malfoy."
"Hmph." Malfoy said discontentedly, "If Dad really wanted to help me, he should take back the sponsored brooms from the team!"
Dobby blinked his tennis-ball-sized eyes and pitifully said, "Master thinks it's not possible, Master feels it would damage the Malfoy Clan's image."
"Forget it, I'm getting my own revenge anyway!"
Malfoy smugly patted the "Ultimate Poison Magic" book, loudly saying, "See? I've just learned a couple of spells, and I've fooled those guys completely! They still don't understand what's going on!"
He pushed the photos of the other few people in the dorm off the desk, stomped on them a few times, adjusted his collar, and disdainfully glanced at the house-elf hanging its head.
"I should visit my injured roommates! You tidy up here, don't let yourself be discovered by others, and don't let me see you!"
Malfoy put away his magic wand, hid the magic book, and then slammed the door shut as he left.
Upon reaching the common room, Malfoy's expression sank at the sight of others.
He walked silently through the doorway toward the hospital wing.
Today all his roommates were sent there. Crabbe and Goyle attacked others, but not knowing the Shield Charm, they ended up with heads bloodied from being countered by spells.
Thinking about their miserable condition, Malfoy's mood, having been excluded for a while, finally felt a bit better.
...
In the dormitory, Dobby watched Malfoy's departing figure, almost eagerly walked to the door, and reached for the handle.
Then, his palm began to tremble.
[Don't run out!]
Malfoy's casually spoken words were a command he couldn't defy.
Dobby quickly drew back his hand, and immediately started banging his head against the wall!
"Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby! Wanting to defy the master's order! Bad Dobby!"
After a few hits, it seemed to feel better, and with a buzzing head, it shakily turned around and began tidying up.
Several photos were restored to their original state and placed back in their previous positions, followed by the ruined curtains, sheets, pillows, wardrobe...
Today there was no one else in the dormitory; Malfoy had vented his pent-up anger, leaving the place in a wreck.
Fortunately, he didn't use dark magic in such a place, cleaning up wasn't too difficult for Dobby.
Dobby didn't take much effort to finish his task. He clutched his growling stomach, glanced at the snacks on the table, but ultimately dared not steal them.
Malfoy hadn't intentionally left him hungry.
It's just that the young master never considered needing to provide food for his slave; he never had to think about these trivial matters at home.
Previously, Dobby stole Catha Edulis from the Malfoy Family's warehouse, didn't clean up his traces well, exposed that it was him who attacked Harry Potter in the maze.
Of course, no one would think that Dobby did it to protect the victim who nearly died.