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In the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets book, Dobby enchanted a Bludger to knock Harry in Quidditch match. Well, he didn't want to kill him. He actually wanted to save him by injuring him.

Dobby mopped his bulging eyes and said suddenly, 'Harry Potter must go home! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make -'

'Your Bludger?' said Harry, anger rising once more. 'What d'you mean, your Bludger? You made that Bludger try and kill me?'

'Not kill you, sir, never kill you!' said Dobby, shocked. 'Dobby wants to save Harry Potter's life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here, sir! Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home!'

Chamber of Secrets, chapter 10: "The Rogue Bludger"

What made Dobby think that Hogwarts would send grievously injured Harry home in a muggle world which could only provide inferior muggle treatments? From what I can tell, if someone isn't dead, they can heal him to perfect health (they literally grew Harry's bones). If they can't, surely muggle world couldn't either.

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  • Injuries too severe to be handled by Madam Pomfrey would never result in being sent home to a muggle doctor, you go to Mungo's Hospital. I cannot imagine what Dobby thought here, perhaps he just didn't know any better.
    – Firebat
    Commented Apr 12, 2015 at 19:00
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    Remember that Dobby grew up with the Malfoys, which will inevitable warp his view of the world (even if he knows that they’re evil). Then think about how much fuss Lucius makes whenever something happens to Draco, threatening to withdraw him from school. Perhaps Dobby thought that Harry and/or his aunt/uncle would pull him out if he was sufficiently harmed.
    – alexwlchan
    Commented Apr 12, 2015 at 19:21
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    Dobby also thought that not receiving his mail would make Harry abandon all hope and quit Hogwarts. Dobby also though that closing the gateway to 9 3/4 would completely prevent them from getting to Hogwarts. Dobby thought... well, truthfully, Dobby did not "think" very well.
    – PcMan
    Commented Jul 11, 2021 at 15:14

2 Answers 2

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He wouldn’t be leaving for medical reasons, he’d be leaving (semi-)voluntarily.

Remember that Dobby has a very warped view of the world. He’s grown up as a slave to the Malfoys, and that will inevitably influence his ideas about how wizards behave. There are many things the Malfoys do which seem normal do Dobby, because they pale in comparison to their actual acts of evil.

Among others, remember that Lucius is always threatening to send Draco to Durmstrang, and probably over incidents far more trivial than a Quidditch injury. Dobby could interpret this as good or caring parenting, not a thinly veiled distaste for Dumbledore.

Most parents would (reasonably, I think) consider withdrawing their child from a school in which the child was grievously injured on the sports field. If the Dursleys treated Harry as Lucius treats Draco, then it’s easy to believe they might pull Harry out if he was seriously hurt playing Quidditch. (Or indeed, Harry might just elect to leave.)

Dobby underestimates just how much mutual hatred there is between Harry and the Dursleys.

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  • If that is so, why didn't Dobby wait for few days before telling Harry everything in Hospital? I mean, Harry needed to be healed first and home needed to be informed, too.
    – Doctor Doom
    Commented Apr 13, 2015 at 1:54
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True, he didn't want to kill Harry, but he hoped he could hurt him enough that he or the Dursleys would want him to go back home. His intention in the first place was to convince him to not go Hogwarts, but as Harry and Ron found a way to get to school when Dobby sealed the entrance to Station 9 3/4, he realized he couldn't just hope Harry would listen to him.

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