Archive of Our Own

Friday 26 December 1997

Kreacher woke, bloodshot eyes blinking in the flickering light from the hearth fire, re-orienting himself to the Hogwarts kitchen. Not Grimmauld Place, he thought.

The dream replayed, Kreacher swinging the heaviest cleaver with magic-aided strength, only to be thrown across the kitchen into the wall. The wordless voice in his head: Again, failure. You are worthless, incapable of following your Master’s orders. Crying out in anguish.

‘Who is Kreacher calling?’

Kreacher blinked once more, forcing his eyes to focus on a young House Elf with a stack of six knit caps on his head, and a maroon sweater. Green tennis-ball size eyes focused on him over a pencil nose. Kreacher sighed. The manners of this rude youngster...

‘Kreacher dreamt of young Master Regulus. Though that is hardly Dobby’s business.’

Dobby shook his head. ‘It did not sound like Kreacher said Regulus. It sounded like Kreacher said “Master Harry”.’

Kreacher gasped at those words, understanding why he felt different from the weight of failure this dream always left him under. He took a deep easy breath, like the year Master Polaris summoned a young elf to serve in Cambridge. His hand grasped to the locket at the end of the chain on his bare chest, whispering, ‘Master Harry fulfilled his promise!’

Dobby’s already huge eyes widened. ‘What did Harry Potter promise Kreacher?’

Kreacher snorted, eyes focusing on the younger elf again. ‘Did not Jeavsey, as Head Hogwarts House Elf, instruct all of you not to be inquisitive into Kreacher’s doings?’

‘Yes.’ Dobby looked away briefly, then boldly turned his attention back to Kreacher. ‘But Kreacher knows how devoted Dobby is to the great Harry Potter.’

Kreacher sighed. Yes, he knew that too well. He thought a bit, that while Dobby strangely insisted on being employed by Hogwarts rather than accepting the Bonding, that difference did allow some leeway in his actions. Jeavsey made his proclamation back in September, when Kreacher appeared in the Hogwarts kitchen and explained to the Head House Elf that Potter had ordered him to Hogwarts with specific instructions. ‘Kreacher is here to assist us, but he is not precisely one of us. Therefor, if Headmaster or any of the Professors or staff inquire, we all will answer “Only Hogwarts House Elves work here.”’

‘What does Dobby answer if Headmaster or the Carrows ask about Harry Potter?’ Kreacher’s eyes probed into those huge green eyes. Dobby blinked.

‘Only that Dobby knows of Harry Potter. Dobby is a free elf, and does not need to respond precisely.’

Kreacher nodded, slowly. ‘Before Kreacher became Master Potter’s Head House Elf, long before Kreacher realized how worthy he is to be Kreacher’s Master, there was young Master Regulus.’ He closed his eyes, blinking tears away, pushing down the persistent grief any thought of Regulus brought him. ‘Master Regulus gave Kreacher orders when he obtained a dreadfully Dark Locket which belonged to the Evil Lord. Kreacher was to destroy that Locket, but it proved to be impervious to all Kreacher’s magic. That Locket cost Master Regulus his life.’

Dobby gasped. ‘Final Orders! Such an onus!’

‘Yes. Kreacher’s greatest shame is not completing those orders.’ His hand clutched the locket on his chest. ‘Master Regulus left this locket as a message to the Evil Lord. Master Harry recovered it when discovering where the Evil One hid the other. He gave it to Kreacher when Kreacher confessed failure.’

Dobby nodded, realizing such a failure would shame a House Elf terribly, change his entire life. He regarded the locket Kreacher held reverantly. ‘Harry Potter did not give you Clothes to deepen your shame. Instead he presented you a powerful token.’

Kreacher nodded, tears beginning to flow again. ‘Yes. This night, Master Harry destroyed the evil locket. Kreacher’s last orders from Master Regulus are complete. He is indeed a great and noble wizard.’

‘Where is he? We must go to him.’ Dobby bounced with anticipation.

‘Master Harry is within enchantments to conceal his location. He did not summon Kreacher,’ He straightened his old hunched back, shifting vertebrae crackling like ice shattering. ‘Master Harry ordered Kreacher to be safe at Hogwarts. Kreacher will honor those orders.’ He laid back on his pallet by the hearth fire. ‘Dobby should go back to his sleeping place as well.’

Dobby sat, watching the elder elf sleep. He felt no doubt the curmudgeon would scold Dobby for not sleeping when he woke. But he could not. Being in the presence of one so changed by Harry Potter brought its own peace.