Harry Potter and the Imaginary Friend: Chamber of Secrets.
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Prologue: Summer Vacation.
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Harry James Potter was currently having the time of his life, though it had taken a quite bit to get to this point in his summer hols.
He was currently over at Draco's house with Hermione and Ron where the two other boys were trying to coach the nervous girl on her flying. She would go no more then three feet from the ground as she was of the belief that her feet should never have left the ground in the first place. Surprisingly though, despite her fear of going any higher, more her fear of heights in general and her lack of trust in the broom, her control with the broom was actually quite good despite her fear.
Harry grinned as Sirius Black, his Godfather, called out gentle instructions for the girl to try spinning in place for a moment to help her learn to control the broom when experiencing more then just the normal forward/back and left/right movements from where he sat on a stone bench. Moony, or Remus Lupin, who was another friend of his departed parents, simply watched the scene with a serene smile despite looking tired and weary after his recent bout of illness. Harry had yet to get the nerve to ask what his illness was.
Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were sitting on a neighboring bench, also watching the children as they played. Lucius Malfoy though, was looking just as tired as Moony and soon stood to leave the group and wandered back into the house as he rubbed at his forehead. Narcissa watched him with what Harry could only refer to as a 'regally concerned' look before turning to converse softly with her cousin and his friend.
Harry turned back to his own friends just in time to see Hermione pin a glare on Ron (He'd been teasing her about her need to hover as close as possible to the ground without actually touching it) before she suddenly lashed out and grabbed the tail of his broom which caused the red-headed boy to yelp as he fell off his broom and landed on the grass. Everyone burst into laughter as Hermione sniffed mock-primly and spoke with a grin.
"Sorry about that," she said sweetly. "I thought the snitch was hiding in your brooms bristles."
"You Blatched me! I can't believe you did that!" Ron said as he sat up with an incredulous expression on his face. A moment later he stuck his tongue out at her which caused more laughter.
Harry glanced around though, reminded by her comment that there was indeed a low level snitch flying around for him and Draco to practice with somewhere. 'Low level' meant that the snitch was not as fast as either a school snitch or a official match snitch. As he looked around he caught sight of his Imaginary, Beth, as she lay in a tree. He flew over to her side and smiled at her as she looked at him from her perch.
"Hey Beth! Welcome back!" he called.
"Hello dear Harry," she responded with a lazy smile and raised up on her elbows. The branch she was resting on was just wide enough for her to maintain her balance on said branch despite having one leg dangling. "Tis good to be back. We are all set for the school year this time 'round. I'll not be leaving you unprotected. How are you this morn'?"
"Great!" Harry grinned.
"Good. I'm glad we were able to straighten things out. You have been sulky for too long," Beth leaned back against the branch once more and Harry let out a faint, if slightly strained, laugh at her comment.
What had needed to be 'straightened out' was a small problem that seemed to have been affecting the wizarding Post Owls. Harry had sent off many letters to his friends at the start of the summer break and while the communication lasted long enough for them to get their little project regarding Squibs and Muggle-borns posted into the Daily Prophet, shortly after that all letters from his friends stopped.
He'd been confused, worried and then upset when he stopped getting letters, thinking that maybe he'd done something to offend his new friends or that they had somehow, impossibly, all gotten hurt at the same time despite being in different locations in the country. Hence why he'd ended up sulky for a week on end.
It had taken an irate call from Hermione on the telephone to find out that the others thought that HE was ignoring THEM. When he assured the bushy-haired girl, who for several long moments wouldn't let him get more then the SOUND of the beginnings of a word out, that he HAD been sending them letters and had gotten no response from them, she had gone into full investigation mode to figure out what was going on.
They hadn't actually been able to figure out who the culprit was but the instances of disappearing mail stopped shortly after Hermione started looking for answers.
THAT problem solved, or at least halted for a time, the children had set up several times over the vacation to meet at each others houses. First Harry's place (His Aunt had had him and Dudley cleaning for hours to make sure everything was spic and span and the Wizarding born boys were fascinated by his cousins video game systems), then Hermione's (Ron and Draco had learned a lot about Muggle dentists at that point, even getting their first ever check ups, both getting clean bills of health due to their magical heritage. The Granger's in turn learned that Wizards and Witches had very little problems with tooth decay unless they took too many unsavory potions or had Hag or Giant ancestry), then Ron's (Honestly, Harry had to admit that he really liked it at the Burrow as it had such a homey feeling and his Aunt and Mrs. Weasley got on like a house on fire once they started talking cooking) and now they were at Draco's.
The visit to the Malfoy's home had actually started off a bit roughly. The group, (Hermione, Ron, Harry and their respective parental figures) had been met at the Malfoy gates by Tippy, one of many of the Malfoy family house elves. Small little things with wide eyes and big floppy ears.
Seeing Tippy in what amounted to 'an expensive pillowcase' the Granger's as a whole and Aunt Petunia had immediately gotten their hackles up. They hadn't said anything at first, but when Mrs. Granger had polite inquired about Tippy's state of dress (they always dressed that way) and if they got paid (they didn't)... well... Harry learned where Hermione got her temper from right quick.
Things might have gone very badly at that point, Mr. Malfoy had been rubbing at his forehead constantly through the argument, obviously suffering from a bad migraine as the adults began to argue and he tried to stop the fight. The women in the group, Hermione included, had almost hit the point of screaming at each other about House Elves being blatant slavery or not.
Hermione was especially upset with Sirius as he hadn't told her that the 'Kreacher' he often ranted about was a house-elf.
No one other the Remus had been allowed over to Sirius's house yet as they were STILL cleaning the place and getting rid of, or storing, various items. The most Hermione knew of Kreacher was that he was 'a foul tempered git' and she had just thought he was a paid family butler that ended up with a bad nickname. Sirius got lit into right quick about 'keeping a slave' and she looked about ready to kick him for it and only refrained from doing so because he wasn't trying to argue and just held up his hands defensively. Harry wondered if he'd been in such a argument before and had learned that keeping his mouth shut would lead to the best chances of 'surviving the storm'. Maybe Harry's mother had snapped at him in a similar manner when SHE found out about house-elves?
Harry was at a loss as to what to do as, at that time, he did not have Beth with him (she was very knowledgeable about sentient magical creatures). She was gone at that point, making her report for the upcoming school year early. While she may have just made her report near the end of this last school year but she did not want to hit a point where she would not be at his side during the next year and was seeing if she could change when her report was due to be with him throughout the whole of the school year as she worried something else might happen at the school during his second year and was trying to insure that she would not have to leave his side.
Really, having a Prophecy about him didn't help that particular worry and despite the school being warded and the assurance that Dumbledore would en-devour to avoid a future 'friends close, enemies closer' bit of logic as he had suspected something was wrong with Professor Qurriell early in last years school term (Aunt 'Tunia REALLY lit in on the older man when she'd found that bit of information out upon arrival of the message via post owl. She'd actually demanded for Dumbledore to one; pick her up and bring her to the school for a sound scolding, thankfully After the end of year feast and two; had him transport them directly back home afterwards at which point Harry was grounded for putting himself in danger so recklessly) did not do much to put his Imaginary at ease. She'd been almost painfully on edge by the time she went to try to rearrange things with her superiors. Neville's Trevor had apparently joining her in the attempt.
Harry had finally lit up on an idea however after he got his thoughts back on track and despite his Imaginary being gone at the time.
"Aunt 'Tunia? Mr. and Mrs. Granger? If I may?" Harry said, trying to keep his tone firm and not let it shake with nerves... he didn't much succeed as his voice squeaked on the last word.
This however caught the attention of the others and the women all seemed to get looks that could be referred to as 'annoyed amusement' as they turned to look at him. He cleared his throat nervously and tried to give a small smile.
"Beth always tells me that you can't assume that a magical creature will think the same way that humans do. Even she, knowledgeable about humans the way she must be in order to do her job, sometimes just doesn't understand why we do things," Harry was picking up speed now as he talked. "Why not, instead of fighting over the situation, ask the House Elves WHY they serve the way they do, without pay and without real clothes?"
THAT idea stopped any further argument, each Granger understanding that they might well not be understanding the House Elf culture, and Narcissa led everyone inside to one of the sitting rooms before summoning the eldest of the family house elves, Pippy, to answer everyone's questions about House Elf well-being.
"How can Pippy help Mistress?" The elderly looking House Elf asked when she 'Popped' into the room.
"Our guests are not from the Wizarding world Pippy and do not understand House Elves. They perceive your service as Slavery," Narcissa said, not unkindly. "Mrs. Granger in particular has questions for you. Please answer them and help us to clear the air of this misunderstanding?"
"Of course Mistress, I would be honored," Pippy bowed her head low before turning to Mrs. Granger. "I am being Pippy, House Elf Matron of Malfoy Manor. Your questions Missus Granger?"
Mrs. Granger cleared her throat at that and then nodded her head once to herself. "I understand that all you wear is... is rags or pillow cases with holes? Isn't that... demeaning?"
"Oh no Missus Granger, this is not being demeaning to wear rags," Pippy pulled at the corner of one bit of cloth. "Is demeaning for us elves to wear clothing. Rags or pillowcases or sheets are a compromise to cover our bits and protect the sensibilities of our families. We's normally going about without clothing if we's not around humans or ifs we are cookings and cleanings."
"Eh?!" Hermione squeaked with a blush as she realized what the elf meant. "You.. you go around naked?"
"Whens on our own we's do not wear clothing," Pippy said firmly. "House Elves not needs clothings like humans, in fact, clothings is abrasive to our skin. Baggy bits of cloth like pillows or rags can be worn to cover while not hurting our skin too much."
"So you mean," Mrs. Granger said with a tilt of her head, "that if you wear clothing like we do for too long that it will cause... something like a rash or worse?"
"Yes, Missus Granger," Pippy said with a firm nod of her head. "Very few elves can wear clothings for long periods without pain. We's normally only wear clothings with our family calls on us, then we's takes it off when we's not needed. Greatest insult, greatest failure, is when family gives House Elf clothing. Means that House Elf failed family and must leave."
"Alright. I can understand that part of things," Mrs. Granger said with a nod.
Harry had leaned forward at some point in the conversation, along with Hermione, Ron and even Draco. They were all somewhat fascinated with the new information they were learning about yet another Magical Species. Though Draco managed to keep up a slightly bored expression despite his own interest, even he hadn't known most of the 'whys' behind House Elf ways.
"But what about payment? Don't you want money for your labors?" Aunt Petunia asked next.
Pippy's face took a pinched, insulted expression for a moment before she took a slow breath and let it out in a soft huff.
"Excuse me Missus, but that is ALSO insulting to suggest. More so then a 'gift' of clothings," Pippy seemed to shake herself.
"But... why? If you are doing the work then you should be paid for it," Aunt Petunia said with a frown.
"We IS being paid for it. But not in monies!" Pippy all but snapped and then went still and took another deep breath before bowing her head to Narcissa. "Pippy is sorry for loss of temper Mistress."
"This is a sensitive matter for you Pippy, all is forgiven," Narcissa gave an indulgent smile to the elderly House Elf.
"Thank you Mistress," Pippy turned back and remained silent for a few moments before continuing her explanation. "Wizards pay us with excess energy."
"Eh?" Came the echoing question.
"Wizards and witches have lots of magic in their Cores. House Elves not be having as much magic, though we's utilizing what we's having differently then wizards and witches. Families pay us with the excess they don't use and this in turn helps keep our families magics healthy. We's absorbing that excess magic like you's drinking water. We's needing that link to a being with a strong Core as we's needing it to survive... in most cases," Pippy frowned a bit and tilted her head as she thought of how to explain further.
Hermione startled the others when she clapped her hands together and shouted, "Oh! Oh! Like the remora!"
"The re-what now?" Ron asked with a blink as Harry laughed behind his hand at Hermione's enthusiasm. Draco, too, looked confused by the outburst.
"The remora," Hermione said eagerly. "It's a sucker fish that attaches itself to sharks and eats any of the bacteria that would be unhealthy for the shark. The remora gets protection, as sharks are at the top of the food chain in the ocean, and the shark is kept healthy thanks to the remora in return for said protection. It's called a Symbiotic Relationship because both parties get something good from the arrangement! I read up about it after watching the Discovery Channel Shark Week special last month," at the sudden amused looks she was getting she suddenly sat back and blushed. "What? It was interesting!"
"Is alright little miss," Pippy said with a gentle smile. "Is exactly like that. We's do much the same. Very rare the House Elf that can live without that link. If the link is broken, which is symbolized by givings House Elves clothings, and the House Elf isn't able to finds another family to serve, then we's eventually dying or, if nots dying, then going mad."
The group was quiet for a long moment. Pippy suddenly tilted her head and nodded to herself.
"Another thing to helps the missus understand differences 'tween ours and yours?"
"Yes?" Hermione asked eagerly, leaning forward.
"Ifs I's said that elves breed infrequently and onlys with Mistresses or Masters permission how woulds you react?" Pippy held up a hand to stop Hermione from immediately answered. "Thinks first, then answers."
"I..." Hermione frowned before she nodded to herself. "I would automatically assume that they were denying you the right to love and have a family."
"Yous would be wrong then," Pippy said firmly. "House elves breed infrequently because breeding almost always guarantees baby elf. It also guarantees that the male house elf dies if baby elf made."
"WHAT?!" came the surprised yelps of the Granger's, Harry, Ron, Harry's aunt and Sirius. Remus, Draco and his parents were all nodding sadly at the elder house-elf's words. This was one of the few things Draco had known about.
"As Pippy said," Remus started, clearing his throat. "House elves had small cores normally which is why they need a family to 'attach' to. In most cases a small core isn't detrimental when having children, otherwise muggles would be in trouble, but for house elves the male elf literally gives up his core, his very life force, to help forge the new life within the female elf."
Eyes widened in response to Remus's words and Hermione and her mother both teared up.
"That's... so sad," Hermione said. "You can't have a family?"
"Not likes humans," Pippy said with a small shrug of her tiny shoulders. "We's find potential mate by spending years with each other but is greatest of honors and greatest of sacrifices for male elf to be chosen as a sire and not just as companion. Does you understand why I say this?"
"You want us to understand the differences between humans, muggle or magical, and elves," Mrs. Granger said.
"Yes," Pippy nodded once and then leaned forward. "Yous MUST understands we are not the only ones who is different. Trying to force human ways on creatures that not be humans could get you killed if yous insult other magical beings."
Confusion abounded for a few minutes before Hermione's eyes lit up.
"Like Centaurs!" she breathed. "The books say they are very prickly about human interference."
"Yes missus," Pippy nodded. "They's be nice to 'foals', kids, cause yous don't know better, but an adult that makes same mistake? Is dangerous to human adults health to try to force human ways on centaurs. Most gets killed for their attempt. Learn others ways first so's you don't insults them. Remembers; your way is not THE way."
The group was silent again for several long moments, digesting the information that was being shared with them. Mr. Granger leaned forward a moment later.
"Are there any other downsides for you?" Mr. Granger asked. "Being bonded to a particular family I mean?"
"Yes. If the Family uses lots of magics for evil purposes then the leftover magics can be unhealthy for a House Elf and makes them not right in the head," Pippy shook her head sadly. "Even magics made to do good things can be used for bad things. Some spells are inherently good, some be bad, but most just be... there. Depending on how the families USE the magic will depend on if the magics around a place be tinted 'bad'. Wes can also be affected by family choices in magic use evens if they nots be at home."
"Huh," Sirius said, interjecting himself into the conversation suddenly with a blink. "So Kreacher was driven nutso 'cause of my family? He wasn't born crazy in the head? I mean, from what I know he would have been surviving off of his bond to me even with me being in Azkaban for so long, but wouldn't being bound to me help him... not be so crazy?"
Pippy shook her head slowly. "House Elves come to reflect the magics of the family they serve over all. If the Family is bad, the elf goes bad unless they can attach to a specific family member who is not using their magics for bad things, though they can still be... twitchy, even then, because they have been around badly used magic for so long. The opposite is true as well. Elves in good families can be assigned to a bad member and be driven mad cause of that one bad magic user. Dobby's can be an example of that here since current Master took over as head of family."
"Wait, what?" Mrs. Granger looked a bit on the defensive again, despite her confusion, and Narcissa held up a hand to forestall the explosion.
"Hermione is a brilliant girl and reads a lot of history, has she mentioned the last Wizarding War?"
"Something about some 'Dark Lord' causing the fight over some nonsense about blood purity, right?" Mr. Granger asked with a raised brow.
"That sums it up," Narcissa said with a weak smile. "There are spells that we call 'Unforgivables'. Three spells that guarantee a lifetime in Azkaban."
"That's the Wizarding world's version of the Rock... um, Alcatraz," Hermione offered to her parents with a smile then clarified for the others. "Supposed to be an inescapable prison for Muggles."
"Quite," Narcissa said with a nod. "One of these spells is the Imperius Curse. It takes away your free will and makes you the casters puppet. Depending on your will you can fight off the spell but most cannot, especially if you are taken by surprise."
"I am sad to say that I was a victim of the curse," Lucius said with a pained look to his wife. "I was forced to allow the Dark Lord in question into my own house and become one of his followers. When I managed to fight free of the curse long enough to try to help my family to flee he'd felt the break and caught us. He cursed Cissy as a punishment and a warning as he... suffice to say Draco will always be an only child unless we adopt."
Everyone looked suitably horrified, even though Harry and the others had heard this from Draco himself it was still horrible to hear even a second time.
"To help our family, to keeps them safe," Pippy said softly. "We asks for a volunteer amongst us. The evil Wizard wanted a Elf of his own to serve him and him alone whiles he was staying here. Dobby's a rare elf. Dobby doesn't need to be bound. Dobby's core is strong enough that he can live withouts a family if at the end of serving the evil wizard and is wanting to be alone. Woulds be understandings ifs he made that choice. Dobby's... not right now, because of that service, but stays with family. Dobby will punish himself very badly over small things, now..."
"Sadly the only way we can keep him in line, to keep him from going completely out of his head.. is to... 'indulge' him in his need for punishments," Lucius sighed and rubbed at his head again.
"But that's cruel!" Aunt Petunia shouted in shock.
"Is needed," Pippy said firmly with a wag of her finger at Harry's Aunt forestalling any further explosion. "If Master or Mistress does not issue SOME kind of punishment themselves, even small punishment, he will hurt himself badly. Dobby's nearly killed himself when forgiven for a mess he had made without having punished himself. Yous need to try to avoids thankings him as well as Dobby's will fall into tears about missus or messers greatness. Is what the evil wizard did to him that made him this way and wes was not able to undo what evil wizard did to Dobby's mind. We is worried about letting him finds another family that does not understand him. We is worried they will not stop him in time if he goes to hurt himself ifs they say theys forgive him without issuing punishment first. Must stop him from doing worse harm by saying something along the lines of 'don't hurt yourself any more, what yous done is punishment enough' and he wont hurt himself worse then what he's first trying to do to himself. We's also worried if he goes out alone to lives by himself that he will hurt himself or gets into accident."
"Pavlov's dog and a Catch 22..." Mr. Granger shook his head. "That's... very sad."
"Pardon?" Lucius said with a blink, obviously not getting the references.
The adults then had fallen into a lengthy discussion concerning the origins of those terms, further information about house elves and their treatment, which, in all honesty, wasn't that great with a lot of the pure blood families that were known for using dark magics but was better for the 'grey' or 'light' families. The 'Dark' families tended to indeed treat the house elves like out-right slaves if not have a disgusting habit of 'elf hunting'. That last had been mentioned by Sirius with an expression of disgust that was mirrored by Hermione. Following that they started talking about how the legal system of the Wizarding world worked (Sirius was understandably bitter about That subject).
The kids promptly, and understandably, found themselves bored to tears. Even Hermione grew somewhat bored, as much as she loved to learn and read she already knew about the two terms her father mentioned and wasn't quite interested in legal-babble at the moment. As such, Draco led them outside to the broom shed and the group of children started flying about. The adults had only joined them outside around ten minutes ago.
Harry shook his head to clear his thoughts of the rather grim, yet informative, conversation from earlier and hovered his broom a little closer to Beth.
"Do you think things will be quiet this year?" He asked.
"Possibly. We know that Riddle-boy is still around and we know about the prophecy," Beth's expression went dark for a moment before she seemed to shake herself and settle back against the tree. "Dumbledore has warded the castle further, updating the old magics over the school break so that will help. In all honesty dear Harry, while I am hopeful for a quiet year, I am not expecting it."
"I see," Harry said with a frown. He nodded his head after a moment. "I'll do my best to stay out of trouble."
"Hrm, trouble seems to find you dear Harry," Beth flashed him a rueful grin. "We will see, hm? Now, no more worries for the time being. Tis your vacation, go! Frolic!"
"I'm not an elf!" Harry laughed as he flew out of range of her swiping hand. "I don't frolic!"
That earned him confused looks from the others and he laughed louder in response and flew up into the air to chase after the snitch with a whoop.
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*pushes soap-box into place and then steps on it and clears throat*
Welcome everyone to the second installment of HPIF, Harry Potter and the Imaginary Friend: Chamber of Secrets!
I will still be editing HPIF and family issues are still... issues, though things are calming down finally. Writing will still be slow so please bare with me.
Now, the big reason why I got this box out; I still needed Dobby to be Dobby but I couldn't have the Malfoy's being needlessly cruel since this AU has Lucius telling the truth that he was under the Imperius. I don't know for sure of course if JKR actually meant for the House elf situation to be true slavery or if there was a deeper reason behind it but in this AU I wanted to have logical reasons for WHY they might subjugate themselves to potential horrible treatment, hence the 'Remora/shark' symbiotic relationship example that Hermione uses and the 'details' shared by Pippy. House elves aren't humans. Centaurs aren't humans. As much as humans, magical and muggle, might try to understand these creatures there is one simple, fundamental truth; they are not human and thus human ways are not and possibly CANNOT be THEIR ways. This is the point I was trying to make, I am not trying to offend anyone.
Hermione will still make a version of 'S.P.E.W' with a better name (why did she choose spew? egh) that focuses on good treatment for house elves now that she has some more background and she will have a better time with this venture both because she understands better and because of the Black name backing her up. Sad but true that you can get somewhere politically a lot easier if your family name is well known. *shrug*
With that said, reviews are welcome and flames will be summarily ignored!
*jumps off box and kicks it away while holding up a plate of cookies* Please enjoy!