Dobby's Warning

While the Dursleys entertain their guests downstairs, a strange creature appears in Harry's bedroom. The creature introduces himself as Dobby, a house-elf, and reveals that he has been intercepting Harry's letters from his friends all summer to prevent him from returning to Hogwarts. Dobby warns Harry that a terrible plot is underway at the school and that he will be in mortal danger if he goes back. Despite Harry's attempts to get more information, Dobby punishes himself whenever he comes close to revealing the plot. The encounter ends disastrously when Dobby uses magic to drop a pudding on the floor, framing Harry for the mess. The Dursleys, furious, lock Harry in his room with bars on the window, and Harry receives an official warning from the Ministry of Magic for underage magic, which he did not actually perform.