Year 2 – The First Crack: After Harry frees Dobby, Draco returns home for summer and sees his beloved house-elf genuinely happy for the first time. The image lingers. When term starts again, Elara — always smiling, always chatting excitedly about spells — is the only one who doesn’t flinch when she talks to him. She even compliments his charmwork in class. He still snaps at her once, but the word “Mudblood” dies in his throat.