“Dobby has no master! Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!”
-- Dobby, just before the end (DH23)
The elf dies from a knife wound he suffers while rescuing Harry and his friends from Malfoy Mansion. Bellatrix had kept the short, silver knife underneath her robes before she threw it toward where Harry and his friends are vanishing (DH22). It hits Dobby in the chest. His last words were “Harry… Potter…” (DH23).
He is buried on the bluff near Shell Cottage (DH23).
Timeline Notes
The real world calendar for 1998 gives us a date of April 12 for Easter. Narcissa states that Draco is at Malfoy Manor for the Easter holidays, so these events happened during a two week period including April 12. The books also state that the Trio listens to Potterwatch in March:
But not until March did luck favor Ron at last. Harry was sitting in the tent entrance, on guard duty, staring idly at a clump of grape hyacinths that had forced their way through the chilly ground, when Ron shouted excitedly from inside the tent. “I’ve got it, I’ve got it! Password was ’Albus’! Get in here, Harry.” (DH22)
The only way that the capture by Snatchers in March can happen during two week period including April 12 is if those two weeks begin on March 29. Therefore the capture by Snatchers happened on the evening of March 29, 30, or 31. For this timeline, we'll assign the approximate date of March 30.
Commentary
Notes
It is unclear whether Bellatrix's knife is magical or not, or why she cut Hermione's bindings with it rather than using a Severing Charm. It serves to establish that Bellatrix is carrying a knife that doesn't depend on her being able to Conjure a weapon with her wand, though, so that we know she has access to it whether or not she has her wand.
Dobby's final words are "Harry... Potter..." (DH23). This not only suggests Harry's importance to Dobby, it echoes the first words Dobby ever speaks to Harry: "Harry Potter!" (CS2). -BB
While still in the Malfoys' service, Dobby told Harry that "Dobby is used to death threats" and that he "gets them five times a day" at Malfoy Manor (CS10). He is actually killed by a member of the Malfoy household when he returns there as a free elf. -BB
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Tags: Bellatrix Remembrall deaths killing/killings murders violence