Mourning Dawn (A Prelude to The Wand of Elder)

Kreacher was as good as Harry thought he would be. In fact, a sandwich was already waiting for Harry on his bedside table as Kreacher helped Harry get into his pajamas, and exclaimed pityingly over the bumps and bruises on Harry's body. The elf was as respectful and subservient as he had ever been since his transformation back in August. As Kreacher continued in his comical obsequiousness, it would be difficult for any person to suspect that the elf was being named, along with so many others, as one of the heroes of the Battle of Hogwarts.

After the requisite exclamations of concern for his master, the elf began to bow himself out of Harry's dormitory, still empty of its other occupants, and wishing Harry a frog-voiced goodnight.

As Harry leaned back in his bed, he looked at the house elf fussily tidying a few things near the doorway before making an exit. The change in Kreacher was apparent just from the look of him. He looked younger, cleaner and more put together than Harry had ever seen him, with his tufty white ear hair shining in the sliver of light from the cracked dormitory door, and a smart Hogwarts elf uniform hanging on his elderly elf body.

A sudden inspiration struck Harry and he sat up. "Kreacher?"

"Yes, Master Harry? Is there something else Kreacher can do before bed?" Then under his breath, Kreacher added, "My poor master. The whole world on Master's shoulders, but Master won't sleep. Sometimes Master is such a headstrong boy."

Harry was amused by the fact that Kreacher still managed to make his disapproval known, though at least it was now never mixed with prejudiced commentary.

"Kreacher, I want to ask you a question and I hope that you will answer it honestly, if you please?"

"Of course, Master," croaked Kreacher. Then Kreacher whispered, "The young master keeps himself awake with questions for a house elf, but perhaps he will fall over and then the questions can wait until my poor master is more rested."

Harry paused for a moment and considered how to ask his next question. He didn't want to upset Kreacher, but Harry felt that his conscience required him to give the house elf some kind of a choice.

"Kreacher, you understand that before last night I could not let you out of my service don't you? You knew too much about the Order of the Phoenix and the war against Voldemort."

"Yes, Master," said Kreacher, his shaking ears conveying an emotion that Harry could not decipher.

"And Kreacher, you understand that Dobby was my friend, don't you? He was a true and loyal friend and I never wanted to do anything to upset him or hurt him."

"Yes," said the elf, his face stony.

"I...I'm not sure how to ask this Kreacher, without upsetting you. But I think of you as my friend now, too. Do you understand that?" asked Harry.

Kreacher studied Harry for a moment. The elf seemed to be mulling over his words carefully, as well.

"May Kreacher ask something, Master?" said Kreacher finally. Then under his breath, "There was never a kinder master, but not very observant."

"Of course," said Harry hopefully. "Ask away."

"Master understands that Dobby was a very...unusual elf?" croaked Kreacher.

"Yes I do."

"Dobby was so unusual, Master, that if Kreacher was offered that ... thing... that Dobby prized so much, Kreacher would think..." Kreacher could not finish and could barely keep the disgust out of his voice. Then Kreacher continued in a whisper, "Horrible! Criminal! Kreacher would have to punish himself painfully for days."

Harry sighed. Well, that answered that question. "I understand, Kreacher. You may go."

"Thank you, Master," said Kreacher. The relief in his voice was palpable. The elf went back to fussing with the things by the door. Harry watched Kreacher for a few moments, his eyelids getting heavy.

"Master, may Kreacher ask another question?" said the elf.

"Go ahead," said Harry, his eyes popping open again.

"Should Kreacher prepare the house for you, Master Harry? Will you be returning soon?" Harry could hear the anticipation in Kreacher's voice.

Harry had not thought of this. He had not really thought of anything beyond Voldemort. Now, however, Harry realized he had to figure out where he was going to live. He was not thrilled with the idea of returning to the Blacks' ancestral home at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, what with the screaming portrait of Sirius' mother, and the elf heads upon the walls. Unfortunately, Harry had nowhere else to go. He was sure the Weasleys would take him in, or he could rent a flat, he supposed, with his money in Gringotts. With a smile, he thought of the murmurings that would issue from Kreacher if he suggested either of these ideas to the elf.

With the mention of number twelve, Grimmauld Place, it suddenly dawned on Harry that he had not yet even asked Kreacher about the elf's tribulations after the Death Eaters became aware of the house's location.

"Kreacher? How is the house? Were the Death Eaters terrible or...?" asked Harry in a guilty voice.

"The Death Eaters desecrated the sacred and ancient House of Black with their evil presence, Master Harry, but the scum did no permanent damage," said Kreacher angrily. Then he mumbled, "Filthy criminals and their talk of Mudbloods. As if Master Harry's young Muggleborn friend was not the essence of nobility. But Kreacher got them. Oh yes, Kreacher did!" Harry fought down the urge to smile at Kreacher's changed perspective over the past year.

"Got them, Kreacher? How did you get them?" asked Harry, curiosity swelling within them.

"Kreacher tore down the curtain covering the portrait of my mistress, Master. The scum did not stay long when mistress told them what scum they were." Then he muttered some things that Harry could not quite make out. Harry formed a mental picture of many Death Eaters entering the house and being greeted by a screaming and outraged portrait that could not be silenced. "And of course, Kreacher activated the house defenses, Master."

Harry's eyebrows shot up. "House defenses? What house defenses?"

"Protective charms and jinxes, Master Harry. Master has seen them, I think. There are jinxed clocks, tripping furniture, trick steps, sleep charms, and fear charms. The scum did not like those things much, so the scum searched quickly for my poor young master and left when he was not to be found."

"I hadn't realized..." said Harry, intrigued. He would have to get more details of these features of the house. "What did they do to you, Kreacher?"

"The scum did nothing to Kreacher, Master. They ignored Kreacher until they were about to leave. Then the scum asked Kreacher what Kreacher knew, Master, and threatened to hurt Kreacher. Kreacher told them that Kreacher knew his master was a good master, and that Kreacher knew the scum were not fit to lick the young master's boots."

Harry's eyes widened in shock and appreciation for the elf's bravery. "What did they say to that?" asked Harry with a grin.

"Kreacher does not know, Master, because Kreacher disapparated upstairs and hid in the room of Master Regulus until they left. The scum thought that Kreacher could have gone anywhere, so the scum did not search the house for Kreacher again." Then Kreacher muttered in scandalized tones, "The scum ate the steak and kidney pie, the thieves and villains."

"How did you come to be here at Hogwarts, Kreacher?" asked Harry.

Kreacher shrugged. "When the young master and his friends did not return, Kreacher thought they might come here, so Kreacher came here sometimes to check for his brave master." The elf touched the Hogwarts uniform hanging loosely on his little frame. "Dobby gave Kreacher this so that Kreacher could come and go without notice. Dobby was very worried about the young master."

"I am glad you did," said Harry, nodding slowly. He felt tightness in his chest at the mention of Dobby.

Harry was thoughtful for a few moments and then he asked, "Are the defenses you mentioned...are they still activated?"

"Yes, Master," said Kreacher.

"Can you deactivate them? Can you put the house back the way it was?" asked Harry.

"If Master wishes," replied Kreacher.

Harry sat for a moment. The simple truth was that Harry had to live somewhere this summer. Number twelve, Grimmauld Place was as good as anyplace, and nicer than most, if it could be fixed up a bit. In truth, the elf's defense of the house on Harry's behalf made the place seem more like...like it belonged to Harry.

"Does that mean that Master will be returning home?" prompted Kreacher.

"I think it...does," said Harry thoughtfully. "I reckon you should go and get it ready then Kreacher, once you have gotten a bit of rest and something to eat."

"As Master commands," said Kreacher with a bow.

"One more thing, though," said Harry as Kreacher straightened up attentively. "Kreacher, you understand that since the house is now mine, I want to make some changes?"

Kreacher said nothing but looked uncomfortable.

"I will want to, um, redecorate," continued Harry. "Are you willing to help with that, Kreacher?"

Kreacher studied Harry for a long moment, and then exhaled heavily. "You are Kreacher's master now, Master Harry. Kreacher is glad about that. It is Master's home now, to do with as he will." There was not resignation or disdain in Kreacher's voice. He just sounded like a person in mourning, who has long delayed the acknowledgment of a deep loss, but is relieved by the act of acceptance. Harry felt sympathy for the elf.

"It is your home, too," said Harry consolingly. "So long as it is my home, it will be your home too, and you will have a place there."

"Thank you, Master," said Kreacher, looking down at his feet, his orb-like eyes shining in the light from the doorway.

"It will probably be several days or longer before I can make it back, Kreacher. I will trust you to get the house ready until then. I think you know that my tastes are a bit, um, different from that of Sirius' mother...uh...your mistress in the portrait. I trust that you will clean the house in a manner that I will find acceptable and enjoyable. I will give you only a few specific directions," said Harry.

Kreacher gazed at Harry attentively.

"I want you to take the portrait of your mistress down from the wall, if you can...and those mounted elf heads," said Harry.

Kreacher looked very apprehensive for an instant, but then his look of acceptance returned.

"Yes, Master," said the elf in a small but steady voice.

"I also want you to make the house ready to receive guests this summer, just in case we have any. So prepare the bedrooms." Harry paused here and thought for a moment. He was pretty sure Ron and Hermione would want to visit the place now that Harry could claim it as his own. Maybe some others?

"Maybe Ginny?" thought Harry wistfully.

"But don't touch the room that Sirius used, Kreacher," Harry continued. "I want to be there before we do anything with that."

"Yes, Master," croaked Kreacher.

"We also need to think about your room, Kreacher," said Harry pointedly.

"Master?" asked Kreacher, surprised.

"If you like, you can move out of the little cupboard. Except for Sirius' room, you can pick any bedroom in the house as your own. And uh, while you're cleaning the house, if there are any Black family heirlooms or decorations that you would like especially to keep an eye on, you may store them in your room with you so long as they are not dangerous and do not contain dark magic. I would like you to set aside any dark or dangerous items in a safe place for me to take a look at when I get there."

As Harry spoke, Kreacher slowly gave an awed and uncertain smile. The expression would have seemed horrible to any person who did not know the elf, but it gladdened Harry's heart to see that look on Kreacher's gnarled and weathered face.

"And you can even take the room of Regulus Black if you like, Kreacher. How does that sound?" finished Harry.

Kreacher stood stock-still for several minutes, his eyes wide in rapturous disbelief. Harry just smiled at his elf in a kindly fashion and waited for Kreacher to digest his master's largesse.

"Thank...you...Master," whispered Kreacher. Harry saw tears glint on the elf's sandpapery cheeks. "May...Kreacher go now?"

"Sure. Goodnight, Kreacher," answered Harry.

"Thank you, Master," said the elf, and he quickly opened the door to leave.

"Kreacher, you are a very good elf, and the very best servant I could ever want," said Harry softly as the elf began closing the door.

Harry could see a shiver of overwhelmed pleasure pass through the silhouette of his elf in the lit doorway.

"It is very easy, when it is Harry Potter that Kreacher serves," said his elf, the bullfrog voice sounding so much more choked than normal. "Sleep well, Young Master."

Then Harry was alone, and sleep quickly took him.