the_debt_of_time

"I do?" Harry blinked in confusion, cringing when he asked, "You mean Kreacher?"
"Tilly not say that. Kreacher is a bad elf! Crazy elf. Kreacher been knocked in the
head too many times. Tilly meant Dobby."
"What?" Harry's eyes flew wide open. "Dobby?"
"Tilly, Dobby isn't Harry's house-elf," Mia said softly, suddenly worried that
perhaps she had been left alone for far too long. "Harry freed Dobby from Lucius Malfoy
years ago."
"Tilly knows this." She waved Mia off impatiently.
Mia could not help but feel like her intelligence was being called into question.
"How?"
"Dobby is Tilly's brother," the elf said to the shock of everyone in the room.
"Dobby visits. Tells Tilly all about brave Harry Potter, who fights Dark wizards. Dobby
protects Harry Potter. Tilly says so."
Harry's jaw fell open. "You told Dobby to protect me?" he asked, kneeling down in
front of Tilly in gratitude.
"Dobby do it anyway." Tilly shrugged and smiled at him. "He loves his Master
Harry."
"I don't understand. I'm not his Master," Harry insisted. "I don't—I wouldn't own a
house-elf."
"Young Master is cute," Tilly said, leaning forward to pinch his cheek. "Thinks he
has choice. Dobby does as Dobby does. He bond with Harry Potter right away, sock still
in hand. You wizards, you not know what free means. Clothes not make us free."
Obviously shocked by the new information in regards to something that happened
over six years ago, Harry stood up and called out, "Dobby!"
The small elf appeared with a loud crack, looking immediately to Harry with a bright
smile. He wore a purple scarf around his neck, three sets of mismatched socks on each
foot, and a crooked hat that only covered one of his bat-like ears. At the sight of Harry,
Dobby removed his hat respectfully.
"The great Harry Potter calls for Dobby? Dobby loves―" Tilly stepped in front of
him. His ears flattened against his head and his eyes widened. "Uh, oh."
She folded her arms and looked at him sternly. "Dobby?"
"Tilly," Dobby responded anxiously.