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Dobby stood for a moment； quivering all over； horror…struck by his own daring … then he rushed over to the nearest table and began banging his head on it very hard； squealing； 〃Bad Dobby！ Bad Dobby！〃
Harry seized Dobby by the back of his tie and pulled him away from the table。
〃Thank you。 Harry Potter； thank you；〃 said Dobby breathlessly； rubbing his head。
〃You just need a bit of practice；〃 Harry said。
〃Practice！〃 squealed Winky furiously。 〃You is ought to be ashamed of yourself； Dobby； talking that way about your masters！〃
〃They isn't my masters anymore； Winky！〃 said Dobby defiantly。 〃Dobby doesn't care what they think anymore！〃
〃Oh you is a bad elf； Dobby！〃 moaned Winky； tears leaking down her face once more。 〃My poor Mr。 Crouch； what is he doing without Winky？ He is needing me； he is needing my help！ I is looking after the Crouches all my life； and my mother is doing it before me； and my grandmother is doing it before her 。。。 oh what is they saying if they knew Winky was freed？ Oh the shame； the shame！〃 She buried her face in her skirt again and bawled。
〃Winky；〃 said Hermione firmly； 〃I'm quite sure Mr。 Crouch is getting along perfectly well without you。 We've seen him； you know …〃
〃You is seeing my master？〃 said Winky breathlessly； raising her tearstained face out of her skirt once more and goggling at Hermione。 〃You is seeing him here at Hogwarts？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Hermione； 〃he and Mr。 Bagman are judges in the Triwizard Tournament。〃
〃Mr。 Bagman es too？〃 squeaked Winky； and to Harry 's great surprise （and Ron's and Hermione's too； by the looks on their faces）； she looked angry again。 〃Mr。 Bagman is a bad wizard！ A very bad wizard！ My master isn't liking him； oh no； not at all！〃
〃Bagman … bad？〃 said Harry。
〃Oh yes；〃 Winky said； nodding her head furiously； 〃My master is telling Winky some things！ But Winky is not saying。。 。 Winky … Winky keeps her master's secrets。 。。。〃
She dissolved yet again in tears； they could hear her sobbing into her skirt； 〃Poor
master； poor master； no Winky to help him no more！〃
They couldn't get another sensible word out of Winky。 They left her to her crying and finished their tea； while Dobby chatted happily about his life as a free elf and his plans for his wages。
〃Dobby is going to buy a sweater next； Harry Potter！〃 he said happily； pointing at his bare chest； 〃Tell you what； Dobby；〃 said Ron； who seemed to have taken a great liking to the elf； 〃I'll give you the one my mum knits me this Christmas； I always get one from her。 You don't mind maroon； do you？〃
Dobby was delighted。
〃We might have to shrink it a bit to fit you；〃 Ron told him； 〃but it'll go well with your tea cozy。〃
As they prepared to take their leave； many of the surrounding elves pressed in upon them； offering snacks to take back upstairs。 Hermione refused； with a pained look at the way the elves kept bowing and curtsying； but Harry and Ron loaded their pockets with cream cakes and pies。
〃Thanks a lot！〃 Harry said to the elves； who had all clustered around the door to say good night。 〃See you； Dobby！〃
〃Harry Potter 。 。 。 can Dobby e and see you sometimes； sir？〃 Dobby asked tentatively。
〃 'Course you can；〃 said Harry； and Dobby beamed。
〃You know what？〃 said Ron； once he； Hermione； and Harry had left the kitchens behind and were climbing the steps into the entrance hall again。 〃All these years I've been really impressed with Fred and George； nicking food from the kitchens … well； it's not exactly difficult； is it？ They can't wait to give it away！〃
〃I think this is the best thing that could have happened to those elves； you know；〃 said Hermione； leading the way back up the marble staircase。 〃Dobby ing to work here； I mean。 The other elves will see how happy he is； being free； and slowly it'll dawn on them that they want that too！〃
〃Let's hope they don't look too closely at Winky；〃 said Harry。
〃Oh she'll cheer up；〃 said Hermione； though she sounded a bit doubtful。 〃Once the shock's worn off； and she's got used to Hogwarts； she'll see how much better off she is without that Crouch man。〃
〃She seems to love him；〃 said Ron thickly （he had just started on a cream cake）。
〃Doesn't think much of Bagman； though； does she？〃 said Harry。 〃Wonder what Crouch says at home about him？〃
〃Probably says he's not a very good Head of Department；〃 said Hermione； 〃and let's face it。。。 he's got a point； hasn't he？〃
〃I'd still rather work for him than old Crouch；〃 said Ron。 〃At least Bagman's got a sense of humor。〃
〃Don't let Percy hear you saying that；〃 Hermione said； smiling slightly。
〃Yeah； well； Percy wouldn't want to work for anyone with a sense of humor； would he？〃
said Ron； now starting on a chocolate eclair。 〃Percy wouldn't recognize a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing Dobby's tea cozy。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY…TWO … THE UNEXPECTED TASK
Potter！ Weasley！ Will you pay attention？〃
Professor McGonagall's irritated voice cracked like a whip through the Transfiguration class on Thursday； and Harry and Ron both jumped and looked up。
It was the end of the lesson； they had finished their work； the guinea fowl they had been changing into guinea pigs had been shut away in a large cage on Professor McGonagall's desk （Neville's still had feathers）； they had copied down their homework from the blackboard （〃Describe； with examples； the ways in which Transforming Spells must be adapted when performing Cross…Species Switches〃｝。 The bell was due to ring at any moment； and Harry and Ron； who had been having a sword fight with a couple of Fred and George's fake wands at the back of the class； looked up； Ron holding a tin parrot and Harry； a rubber haddock。
〃Now that Potter and Weasley have been kind enough to act their age；〃 said Professor McGonagall； with an angry look at the pair of them as the head of Harry's haddock drooped and fell silently to the floor … Ron's parrot's beak had severed it moments before … 〃I have something to say to you all。
〃The Yule Ball is approaching … a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests。 Now； the ball will be open only to fourth years and above … although you may invite a younger student if you wish …〃
Lavender Brown let out a shrill giggle。 Parvati Patil nudged her hard in the ribs； her face working furiously as she too fought not to giggle。 They both looked around at Harry； Professor McGonagall ignored them； which Harry thought was distinctly unfair； as she had just told off him and Ron。
〃Dress robes will be worn；〃 Professor McGonagall continued； 〃and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day； finishing at midnight in the Great Hall。 Now then …〃
Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the class。
〃The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to … er … let our hair down；〃 she said； in a disapproving voice。
Lavender giggled harder than ever； with her hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound。 Harry could see what was funny this time： Professor McGonagall； with her hair in a tight bun； looked as though she had never let her