Willow Song

XVIII. Summer Eighteen Trading Spaces

The next morning Serena and Charlie port-keyed from Dumbledore's office to 12 Grimmauld Place. Molly had cleaned it well, but it was still dark and foreboding and dominated by the loud, rude, nasty portrait of Mrs. Black. Remus Lupin was waiting for them. The house elves Winky and Dobby apparated there minutes later, bearing a cart full of paint, brushes, rollers, fabric, thread, needles, and tarps.

Charlie put his arm around Serena's waist. "I need to get back to Romania, but is there anything I can help with before I go?"

"Yes," replied Serena impishly, "I need that wall removed. It'll open things up and let in more light." She pointed to the wall with Mrs. Black's portrait on it. Charlie and Remus grinned, wishing they had thought of that before. They blasted the wall with their wands, making a clean arch-shaped cut, then removed the wall and deposited it in the basement. When the other portraits saw what had happened to Mrs. Black's portrait, they either released their sticking charms and joined her in the basement, or gained some new manners and sullen politeness.

"Serena, I'm sorry. I didn't ever think I'd pressure anyone to marry me, especially you, but when I saw those Death Eaters and realized that they had hit you with an Unforgiveable, all I wanted to do was protect you."

Serena hugged him. "I understand, Charlie. I love you."

Charlie gave Serena a hurried kiss goodbye and left.

"He's taking this rather hard, isn't he?" asked Lupin.

"He's trying to be a good sport, but he'd rather I just eloped with him and let him hide me. It's just that I know what I need to do in this next year or so, and I can't do it while in hiding in Romania, or some other distant place. I need to do this here."

"He'll be all right. But you know, if you did marry now, you wouldn't be setting a precedent. Lily and James Potter were as young as you when they married, and they were both in the Order and doing Order business too. There are so few of us magic folk that we're expected to assume adult responsibilities at a younger age."

"I know, Remus. I just have some other things to do first."

"If we're going to be housemates, we'd better get to know each other. Have you been told about my affliction?"

Serena nodded.

"I'll make sure I'm no threat to you. I'm quite tame under the potion, and I keep my room locked when I transform. I hope you'll trust me, and we can become friends."

"I'd like that."

"So let's see the plans you have for this place beyond removing a wall."

Serena showed her five colors in paint and fabric: sage green, coral sand, saffron, cream, and dusky soft blue--desert colors. "Each room will have a different dominant color with the other colors used as accents. All the old carpets go. The floors will be sanded and polished. All the furniture gets recovered in these fabrics, and the remnants will be braided into throw rugs for the wood floors. I want this to be a soothing, healing place.

"And Remus, I need you to take care of the House Elf heads. Bury them. But if you can't get them off the walls, build a cornice over them to hide them. I think it would be too disturbing for Winky and Dobby to deal with."

Remus went to work on the elf heads while Serena went to work with Dobby and Winky. Remus was gone much of the time on Order business, but in the course of a month, the place had changed to one that was light, airy, and inviting.

When Molly, Arthur, Percy, Fred, and George showed up for an Order meeting, they scarcely recognized the place. Serena acted as secretary for the meeting, and gave her insight as to what the Death Eaters might do next. After the meeting, Molly hugged her goodbye. "You did a lovely job of making this place livable again. I know you'll make a good home for Charlie. Are these the colors you're thinking of for the wedding too?"

"I haven't gotten that far, but thank you for your confidence, Mrs. Weasley."

"Why are you still calling me Mrs. Weasley? You'd better get used to calling me Mum."

"Thank you, Mum." Serena hugged her, silently thinking about the four women in her life who had each filled a different piece of the role of mother to her.

Now that 12 Grimmauld Place no longer felt old and grim, Serena dove back into her psychology studies in earnest. The only problem was that after an hour or so her eyes would hurt and the letters start dancing on the page. By the beginning of autumn, it was happening after as little as thirty minutes of reading. Remus walked in to find Serena crying angry tears of frustration.

"Why don't you tell me what's wrong with your eyes?"

Serena dried her eyes and started to try to convince him that nothing was wrong, she was just tired, but gave up at Remus's raised eyebrows. "All right. You win. I just didn't want anyone to know this soon. I wanted to avoid pity as long as possible, but I just can't study well anymore. I didn't think it would get this bad this soon. It's supposed to take longer."

Remus interrupted, understanding dawning on his face, "You're losing your sight. You're going blind?" Remus sat next to her and the table and took both hands in his and the human touch let the tears fall again.

Serena cried. "I'm really okay with it. I've accepted it. My second sight just gets stronger and stronger as my eyes worsen. I don't know why I'm acting like a bit of an idiot." Serena stood and tried to leave.

"You're lying to yourself. You haven't fully accepted this. You've just delayed feeling and dealt with this intellectually. I know; I did the same thing with my lycanthropy." Remus stood and put his arms around her paternally.

"Okay," her sobs became harder, "I'm angry. I hate this. I don't want to be chosen! It's not fair. Why does it have to be me? I'm tired of being different! I just want to be ordinary!" She pounded his chest with her fists, screaming, "Is that what you wanted to hear? I hate this!" She sobbed harder, her grasp sliding down Remus until she sat helplessly on the floor clutching his knees.

Remus bent down and held her tightly, saying soothingly, "Let it come. Let it out. I'm here."

Many minutes later, Remus pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to her. After she'd wiped her eyes, he said, "Get out your wand. I have a charm to teach you." Serena got her wand out, looking at Remus quizzically. "Now, tap the open page you wish to read like this." He demonstrated with his wand. "And say, 'Recitis Lexographis.' The page will read itself aloud to you."

Serena performed the charm as instructed and by the second try had succeeded. She burst into a big smile. "Thank you, Remus."

"So who knows, besides me, about your eyes?"

"The ocular healer, Professors Snape, McGonagall, and Dumbledore, the Samuelsons, Charlie, and Fred."

"Fred?"

"He took me to St. Mungo's."

"And Winky knows," said Winky, apparating into the kitchen.

"Winky!" Serena smiled. "What are you doing back here?"

"Winky is come to help her new mistress Serena. Winky is knowing Serena not be seeing good and needs Winky. Winky asked Professor Dumbledore if Winky can help Serena all the time. Winky can help Serena see and make potions and keep house."

"Winky, thank you so much. I'd hate to ask for help, but I think I do need you. Won't you miss Dobby?"

"Dobby is joining the Order of the Phoenix. He will go where Dumbledore and Harry Potter needs him. He will be here sometimes too and will see his Winky. So Winky will not be missing him too much."

"Winky, there's a little bedroom off of mine. I think it used to be a nursery. Would you like that one, or something bigger?"

"Winky is getting her own bedroom? Mistress is too kind. Mistress will never need to give Winky clothes. Winky will be a good elf for Mistress Serena."

"Clothes? Winky, I can't have you be my slave. You can work for me as a free elf--with benefits and wages and whatever you think your service is worth."

"No, no, no! Do not disgrace Winky. Winky wants Serena to be her mistress. Winky is not happy being a free disgraced elf. Serena will make Winky respectable again. Winky is being slave for Serena. Winky must enter the covenant of servitude with Serena. Winky will be bound to Serena."

Serena looked up at Remus, hoping he would rescue her, but he only smiled and shrugged his shoulders. Finally he addressed Winky. "How was life for you at Hogwarts?"

"Winky was not happy. Winky hated having clothes. Winky drank too much butterbeer every day. Winky was miserable."

"So you hated freedom?" Winky nodded. "What if we change the covenant just a little? We still bind you to Serena, but if you or any of your descendents are unhappy with Serena or her descendents, you have the right to quit. Serena can give you clothes to free you or you can give her, erm, kumquats if you wish to leave."

"Winky is not liking this. Winky will only do this if it is the only way to get Mistress Serena bound to her. Is there no other way?"

"I assure you this is the only way she might agree to it."

"Then Winky will do it. And Winky will never give kumquats to her mistress. Winky will go tidy up now." Winky left.

"Kumquats? Where'd you get kumquats from? That was random." Serena laughed.

"I needed something that a house elf wouldn't normally give a master, and that's what came to mind." Remus shrugged sheepishly.

That night Winky knelt down before a very uncomfortable Serena while Remus read the words of the binding ceremony from a very ancient book, adding the kumquats escape clause. As the last words were repeated by Serena and Winky, a blue violet light enveloped them both.

"Mistress Serena, you has made Winky very happy. Winky will never drink butterbeer again. Winky is a good house elf."

Serena smiled, wishing she could feel as happy about owning a slave as Winky did being one.