Thursday, June 4, 2009

DobbySocks and the HP Alliance

The Harry Potter Alliance, a group dedicated to the spirit and messages of the Potter books, and to spreading those into the real world, is having a "What Would Dumbledore Do" event, encouraging members to write blog posts about Dumbledore's philosophy and what we learned from it. I, of course, wrote a play:




DOBBYSOCKS

A very short play
By Dean O’Carroll


Lights up on what appears to be a clothing store devoted entirely to socks.

DOBBY THE HOUSE ELF enters, mesmerized.

DOBBY
Where is Dobby? One moment ago, Dobby was saving Harry Potter from the nasty Mrs. Bellatrix Lestrange and then Dobby felt something sharp and now Dobby is … Dobby is very confused!

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE is there.

DUMBLEDORE
Ah, hello, Dobby. We have been expecting you.

DOBBY
Oh, Mr. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore! Dobby is so very pleased to see you! Dobby was so sad when you were killed! Dobby is not worthy to be in the same place with your greatness!

DUMBLEDORE
Please, Dobby, there is no need for that. We are all equals here.

DOBBY
But … where is … here?

DUMBLEDORE
What does it look like to you?

DOBBY
It looks like … a store … full of socks! Socks! Nothing but socks! Socks are Dobby’s favorite, sir! Is this heaven, Mr. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, sir?

DUMBLEDORE
That I could not say, but, surely, if you love socks, shouldn’t you be enjoying all of these?

DOBBY
Well, I … I … Oh! Dobby is free!

DOBBY spends several minutes romping wildly through the socks. Suddenly, he stops.

DOBBY
But, Mr. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, why are you here with Dobby?

DUMBLEDORE
Oh, surely you know, Dobby, that I, too, am a lover of socks. When young Harry Potter asked me what I see when I look into the Mirror of Erised, I told him I see my heart’s desire – a good pair of socks.

DOBBY
And was that true, Mr. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore?

DUMBLEDORE
Well, Dobby, I lived a very long life and during that time I made many choices I regret and lost many people that I cherished. So most often when I glimpsed that mirror, I saw myself reunited with those lost people, and opportunities. But on other days – good days -- days when I had no ongoing feud with the Ministry of Magic or the Hogwarts Board, when my battles with Lucius Malfoy had temporarily abated, and when no dark forces threatened my students’ lives, I did indeed see myself with socks.

DOBBY
But surely a great, great man, such as Mr. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, must have more important desires! Surely something so simple as socks, which make Dobby so happy, cannot mean so much to you!

DUMBLEDORE
But don’t you see, Dobby, how truly powerful tiny things can be? Was it not a simple sock that set you free? And now, years later, has not that freedom allowed you to save Harry Potter’s life? Think of the tiny things and little pleasures that have played so great a role in this tale of which we have been a part – a locket, a stone, a diary … a treacle tart.

DOBBY
Kreacher told Dobbby that the Great Harry Potter loves treacle tarts!

DUMBLEDORE
You see? Imagine a boy of his age with the burdens he bears. How could he ever be expected to take pleasure in anything? Yet, for those few, fleeting moments between lips and stomach, a treacle tart brings him joy and the strength to continue. Little pleasures, Dobby, the smallest things are what keep us going, and allow us to carry on. I’m certain I would never have discovered the twelve uses for Dragon’s Blood if I hadn’t fortified my pockets with sherbet lemons and acid pops. And I know I never would have defeated Gellert Grindelwald if I weren’t wearing a truly stupendous pair of socks that day.

DOBBY
… Socks.

DUMBLEDORE
… Socks.

DOBBY
Would Mr. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore like to try on socks with Dobby?

DUMBLEDORE
Nothing would give me greater, simpler pleasure. Come! I saw a magnificent selection of argyles over here.

DOBBY and DUMBLEDORE exit together.




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1 comment:

  1. That was great! Very touching yet funny at the same time.

    ReplyDelete