〃All right！〃 he shouted； and he dropped Bellatrix's wand onto the floor at his feet； Ron did the same with Wormtail's。 Both raised their hands to shoulder height。
〃Good！〃 she leered。 〃Draco； pick them up！ The Dark Lord is ing； Harry Potter！ Your death approaches！〃
Harry knew it； his scar was bursting with the pain of it； and he could feel Voldemort flying through the sky from far away； over a dark and stormy sea； and soon he would be close enough to Apparate to them； and Harry could see no way out。
〃Now；〃 said Bellatrix softly； as Draco hurried back to her with the wands。 〃Cissy； I think we ought to tie these little heroes up again； while Greyback takes care of Miss Mudblood。 I am sure the Dark Lord will not begrudge you the girl； Greyback； after what you have done tonight。〃
At the last word there was a peculiar grinding noise from above。 All of them looked upward in time to see the crystal chandelier tremble； then； with a creak and an ominous jingling； it began to fall。 Bellatrix was directly beneath it； dropping Hermione； she threw herself aside with a scream。 The chandelier crashed to the floor in an explosion of crystal and chains； falling on top of Hermione and the goblin； who still clutched the sword of Gryffindor。 Glittering shards of crystal flew in all directions； Draco doubled over； his hands covering his bloody face。
As Ron ran to pull Hermione out of the wreckage； Harry took the chance： He leapt over an armchair and wrested the three wands from Draco's grip； pointed all of them at Greyback； and yelled； 〃iStupefy！i〃 The werewolf was lifted off his feet by the triple spell； flew up to the ceiling and then smashed to the ground。
As Narcissa dragged Draco out of the way of further harm； Bellatrix sprang to her feet； her hair flying as she brandished the silver knife； but Narcissa had directed her wand at the doorway。
〃Dobby！〃 she screamed and even Bellatrix froze。 〃You！ You dropped the chandelier … ？〃
The tiny elf trotted into the room； his shaking finger pointing at his old mistress。
〃You must not hurt Harry Potter；〃 he squeaked。
〃Kill him； Cissy！〃 shrieked Bellatrix； but there was another loud icracki； and Narcissa's wand too flew into the air and landed on the other side of the room。
〃You dirty little monkey！〃 bawled Bellatrix。 〃How dare you take a witch's wand； how dare you defy your masters？〃
〃Dobby has no master！〃 squealed the elf。 〃Dobby is a free elf； and Dobby has e to save Harry Potter and his friends！〃
Harry's scar was blinding him with pain。 Dimly he knew that they had moments； seconds before Voldemort was with them。
〃Ron； catch … and GO！〃 he yelled； throwing one of the wands to him； then he bent down to tug Griphook out from under the chandelier。 Hoisting the groaning goblin； who still clung to the sword； over one shoulder； Harry seized Dobby's hand and spun on the spot to Disapparate。
As he turned into darkness he caught one last view of the drawing room of the pale； frozen figures of Narcissa and Draco； of the streak of red that was Ron's hair； and a blue of flying silver； as Bellatrix's knife flew across the room at the place where he was vanishing …
iBill and Fleur's 。 。 。 Shell Cottage 。 。 。 Bill and Fleur's 。 。 。i
He had disappeared into the unknown； all he could do was repeat the name of the destination and hope that it would suffice to take him there。 The pain in his forehead pierced him； and the weight of the goblin bore down upon him； he could feel the blade of Gryffindor's sword bumping against his back： Dobby's hand jerked in his； he wondered whether the elf was trying to take charge； to pull them in the right direction； and tried； by squeezing the fingers； to indicate that that was fine with them。 。 。 。
And then they hit solid earth and smelled salty air。 Harry fell to his knees； relinquished Dobby's hand； and attempted to lower Griphook gently to the ground。
〃Are you all right？〃 he said as the goblin stirred； but Griphook merely whimpered。
Harry squinted around through the darkness。 There seemed to be a cottage a short way away under the wide starry sky； and he thought he saw movement outside it。
〃Dobby； is this Shell Cottage？〃 he whispered； clutching the two wands he had brought from the Malfoys'； ready to fight if he needed to。 〃Have we e to the right place？ Dobby？〃
He looked around。 The little elf stood feet from him。
〃DOBBY！〃
The elf swayed slightly； stars reflected in his wide； shining eyes。 Together； he and Harry looked down at the silver hilt of the knife protruding from the elf's heaving chest。
〃Dobby … no … HELP！〃 Harry bellowed toward the cottage； toward the people moving there。 〃HELP！〃
He did not know or care whether they were wizards or Muggles； friends or foes； all he cared about was that a dark stain was spreading across Dobby's front； and that he had stretched out his own arms to Harry with a look of supplication。 Harry caught him and laid him sideways on the cool grass。
〃Dobby； no； don't die； don't die …〃
The elf's eyes found him； and his lips trembled with the effort to form words。
〃Harry 。 。 。 Potter 。 。 。〃
And then with a little shudder the elf became quite still； and his eyes were nothing more than great glassy orbs； sprinkled with light from the stars they could not see。〃
pC0=〃Chapter Twenty…Four： The Wandmaker〃
bChapter Twenty…Four
iThe Wandmakerib
It was like sinking into an old nightmare； for an instant Harry knelt again beside Dumbledore's body at the foot of the tallest tower at Hogwarts； but in reality he was staring at a tiny body curled upon the grass； pierced by Bellatrix's silver knife。 Harry's voice was still saying； 〃Dobbya133iDobbyia133〃 even though he knew that the elf had gone where he could not call him back。
After a minute or so he realized that they had； after all； e to the right place； for here were Bill and Fleur； Dean and Luna； gathering around him as he knelt over the elf。 〃Hermione；〃 he said suddenly。 〃Where is she？〃
〃Ron's taken her inside；〃 said Bill。 〃She'll be all right。〃 Harry looked back down at Dobby。 He stretched out a hand and pulled the sharp blade from the elf's body； then dragged off his own jacket and covered Dobby in it like a blanket。
The sea was rushing against the rock somewhere nearby； Harry listened to it while the others talked； discussing matters in which he could take no interest； making decisions； Dean carried the injured Griphook into the house； Fleur hurrying with them； now Bill was really knowing what he was saying。 As he did so； he gazed down at the tiny body； and his scar prickled and burned； and in one part of his mind； viewed as if from the wrong end of a long telescope； he saw Voldemort punishing those they had left behind at the Malfoy Manor。 His rage was dreadful and yet Harry's grief for Dobby seemed to diminish it； so that it became a distant storm that reached Harry from across a vast； silent ocean。
〃I want to do it properly；〃 were the first words of which Harry was fully conscious of speaking。 〃Not by magic。 Have you got a spade？〃 And shortly afterward he had set to work； alone； digging the grave in the place that Bill had shown him at the end of the garden； between bushes。 He dug with a kind of fury； relishing the manual work； glorying in the non…magic of it； f