CHAPTER TWO
pillowcase he was wearing. “Harry Potter is valiant and bold! He
has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to pro-
tect Harry Potter, to warn him, even if he does have to shut his ears
in the oven door later. . . . Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts.”
There was a silence broken only by the chink of knives and forks
from downstairs and the distant rumble of Uncle Vernon’s voice.
“W-what?” Harry stammered. “But I’ve got to go back — term
starts on September first. It’s all that’s keeping me going. You don’t
know what it’s like here. I don’t belong here. I belong in your
world — at Hogwarts.”
“No, no, no,” squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears
flapped. “Harry Potter must stay where he is safe. He is too great,
too good, to lose. If Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts, he will be
in mortal danger.”
“Why?” said Harry in surprise.
“There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible
things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this
year,” whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. “Dobby has
known it for months, sir. Harry Potter must not put himself in
peril. He is too important, sir!”
“What terrible things?” said Harry at once. “Who’s plotting
them?”
Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head
frantically against the wall.
“All right!” cried Harry, grabbing the elf ’s arm to stop him. “You
can’t tell me. I understand. But why are you warning me?” A sud-
den, unpleasant thought struck him. “Hang on — this hasn’t got
anything to do with Vol — sorry — with You-Know-Who, has it?
16