Proving Me Wrong

PROVING ME WRONG

LAST CHAPTER:-

Back in the corner, Remus asked, "Did you just say 'creature?'"

"No," growled Sirius in a dangerous voice, his brow furrowed, "I said 'Kreacher,' with a K."

CHAPTER 14

"Click"

"Thinking a house elf could've... so stupid..." she muttered angrily under her breath, glancing down the deserted corridor.

Lily gripped her wand tightly as she walked rather lopsidedly past the snoozing portraits.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't block out the images that had been flashing through mind, assaulting her senses, for the past hour. Lily knew they were figments of her imagination, nothing more.

And yet, that memory had seemed so real, so vivid that for a split second, everything had clicked.

"Er- hello, I'm Lily."

The house elf recoiled in disgust.

Keeping its large bloodshot eyes fixed on the girl, it got to its feet, muttering under its breath.

Thinking that the poor thing (whatever it was) must be scared out of its wits, Lily pocketed her wand and spoke gently," Are you all right? I didn't hurt you did I? I'm sorry for sitting on you, it's just-" a look of realisation crossed her face, "Are you a house elf?"

Her green eyes were alight with interest, momentarily forgetting the day's troubles.

She took a step towards the elf, explaining her delight, "I've read all about them, but I've never actually seen one bef-"

"Disgusting mudblood," spat the elf in a hoarse voice, his snout-like nose wrinkled in revulsion at Lily's proximity. "Talking to Kreacher as though she is my friend, besmirching Kreacher's uniform with her filthy skin."

Lily was stunned. She inspected her hands quickly, and finding them clean she looked up at the elf who continued to mutter, a frown creasing her brow.

Did he just call me a...?

Feeling more disconcerted than actually offended, Lily took in the elf's 'uniform'; nothing but filthy rag knotted around its wasted form like a loincloth.

"Sorry?" she asked with more than a trace of uncertainty.

It didn't respond, but instead eyed her malevolently while muttering, "Stupid mudblood, just like Kreacher's mistress told him."

Lily didn't know if it was Black's earlier behaviour, or even Bellatrix's threats a few weeks ago that was making her uneasy, but this house elf worried her. Perhaps it was because she'd read so much about house elves being passive and obliging, that to meet one which was rude and vicious and...prejudiced- it was unsettling.

The elf surveyed the grounds sneeringly, obviously unaccustomed to the landscape.

"Um...are you lost?" she asked, making another brave stab at conversation.

He looked towards the castle with a miserable expression on his face, ignoring Lily for the moment.

"Kreacher has not been here before, but he is not lost. He knows of Hogwarts, crawling with mudbloods and blood traitors and all the worst filth of wizards, ruining the most noble and ancient families, turning sons against their parents, breaking mothers' hearts!" he screeched, swelling up like a bullfrog.

He whipped around to stare at Lily, his pale eyes wide and menacing.

"It's mudbloods that do it, mudblood scum like you!"

Lily backed away fearfully. She balanced precariously on the edge of the top step and was terribly aware of the drop. Without removing her gaze from the elf, Lily reached out with her left hand, getting hold of the rail.

Kreacher's eyes alighted on her shaking hand, and beneath the layers of baggy skin he smiled.

"If you're not lost," said Lily in quickening breaths, "then why are you here?"

Grimly, the elf shuffled doggedly forward flexing its fingers.

He replied sourly, speaking to her directly for the first time.

"Kreacher was sent here, Mudblood."

He raised a hand into the air...

"He was sent here for you."

Kreacher clicked his twig-like fingers, sending pain scorching down through Lily's left arm to her fingertips.

She screamed for him to stop.

She screamed for help.

She even screamed for Black, but he was long gone by now.

Lily couldn't hold on anymore.

She watched helplessly as her grip slackened and she tumbled backwards.

By the time her head smashed off the first step, the elf had already vanished.

Lily winced as she touched her head. She traced the scar from ear to ear and shuddered.

Pulling her hand away and tutting angrily with self-reproach, Lily shook herself.

"It's not real. I imagined it. I'm blaming a house-elf for Merlin's sake."

Biting back frustrated tears, Lily proceeded to make her rounds of the castle.