Chapter 2: Wishes
"If desire fuels the life of man, then their wishes are the Djinn's daily bread."
The Mythical Demons of Mesopotamia, pg 35
Harry turned his hateful look to the form of the pitiful old elf. Everything about him was crooked. The way he speaks drew a chill down his spine, and the sight of the elf made him want to turn away. Next to Voldemort, Kreacher is truly the most despicable and wretched creature that Harry had ever seen. His eyes showed nothing but hatred, and the knowledge that he had betrayed his masters made Harry hate the creature even more.
The house-elf looked up from his deep bow, and his apathetic stare morphed into shock. "Harry Potter?" He asked, confounded by the situation.
"Its Master to you now." Harry said icily. "Apparently I am the new Black heir and you are now my servant."
Kreacher was quiet for a moment, but then he burst out laughing, falling over backwards, his yellowing teeth gleaming in the light. "The Potter boy? My master?" he strained through his uncontrollable laughter. "You're not even pure blooded! Of course the blood traitor would give the inheritance to someone who is outside the family." He cackled some more. "Now, what wretched thing will you cloak me as? A goblin? A sprite? Trust me, the Last Black had the right idea. I rather be in a useless form when I am serving a useless master." He said angrily, turning and waddling towards the table to bring Harry the glowing book. "Go and do your worst, Master."
When he raised the book towards Harry, an angry hand swept it to the side, making it clatter against the floor. He looked up, an insult ready at the tip of his tongue, but he stopped when he saw Harry Potter struggling to keep his tears in check. They were not tears of sadness, but one of anger. "Don't you dare insult Sirius you shape shifting freak! Sirius Black is twice the man that you could ever be."
Kreacher's large wrinkled eyes winded and glowed gold like the book did. The book levitated itself back onto the table, runes flying around it on ribbons. "It is done." An ominous voice said out of nowhere. Kreacher's chest began to be enveloped by a sheen of liquid gold. It covered his entire being as it began to stretch and morph, silent screams of agony could be seen in his ever-changing features.
The enveloping gold began to recede from Kreacher's new features. Light skin, Dark long hair that flowed straight down his cheeks, and a strong nose that's unmistakably a Black family trait. The man that stood before him reminded Harry so much of his godfather. Long strong legs bent down to kneel before him, and glowing golden eyes said hauntingly. "I, Freak, bound myself to your service Master."
Harry's heart dropped. He rushed towards the book, and in his handwriting was written;
Harry Potter: I bound Freak, the man, to my service.
In his room at the Sturdy Bucket, Harry and the new stranger sat face to face, staring at each other in silence. The Genie was torn between gratitude and suspicion. It was the first time since the first millennia that he was allowed to be human again. 'Who is this new kind Master? Why did reward me with this after I lied to his godfather?' He stared at Harry's face, searching for answers in those sad green eyes.
Harry's mind, however, is far from anger or suspicion. In fact, the boy is overwhelmed with panic and guilt. Guilt for naming his future servant a name that he loathe, and panic for having a half naked man draped with a dirty pillowcase sitting on his bed. Just hours after seeing his best friends snog the living hell out of each other, he is not ready to process all of this new information.
"I would like to-"
"This was a-"
The genie stopped and chuckled at Harry's red face. He could see that his new master isn't used to taking charge of a situation. Harry raised his hand and sighed in expiration. "First of all," he took a deep calming breath. "I would like to say that it wasn't my intention to name you.. ah" he coughed, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "Freak."
The man crocked his head to the side. "Well of course it wasn't intentional, you were trying to insult me when Ashwald's book recorded it as a naming ritual. Even an idiot could see that." The man said. He wanted to be playful and friendly but his tone is just too arrogant and sharp to do so.
Harry's eyes shot up in disbelief. And here he was trying to make peace with the ungrateful bastard. "No, I wasn't insulting you. I was defending Sirius's memory after you insulted him for no reason." Harry said in a low voice, his voice dangerously quiet. "And you should do well to never insult him in my presence ever again."
The genie eyes fell, his body became rigid, and his jaw clenched painfully. The boy didn't know. In his eyes, Sirius Black could do no wrong. He never knew about the mean pranks Sirius pulled on him during his boyhood, or about the sullen apathetic teenage Black who slammed the door on his face every time he knocked on it. Nor did the boy know about the adult Sirius Black, and how cruel he could be with his words. Sirius Black may be a kind man to the boy, but to the House Elf Kreacher, he was nothing more than an overbearing master.
The Genie bears no love for his late master, and he wished his new master could see it from his point of view. But in the end, he obeyed and said the same word that he said since the dawn of man. "Yes Master." It is not a servant's job to speak up and complain. He only needs to obey like he always does and hope that this time, the fates would be kinder to him.
Harry noticed how the Genie receded back into his shell. He felt guilt in his heart. "Listen," Harry sighed, messaging his forehead with his fingers. "I know that you and Sirius never got along. I get that, but he is my godfather. He's the very last person who loved me like a family. And I-" Harry stood up, turning away from the elf to hide his welling tears. "Just stop bad mouthing him."
The Genie was at loss for words. He expected a lashing, or at the very least a scolding, but he never expected the great Harry Potter breaking down in front of him. 'This boy must have never owned a servant before.' He thought to himself, amused at the whole situation. In the end, sympathy overwhelmed him and he moved closer to comfort his master. "I understand Master, please forgive me. It wasn't my intention to upset you." He said, taking a napkin and passing it along to the boy.
Harry took the cloth as a token of peace, burying his face in the soft folds to hide his embarrassment. "Good, because if you keep being a little prick, then I'm going to turn you back into a house elf." Harry said quietly. He looked up and expected to see an unhappy look. Lo and behold, the man's face was statuesque, with his lips pursed into a thin line.
"I'm just joking." Harry laughed nervously, patting the man's arm. He waved his hand nonchalantly and sat down on a plush armchair. "Sorry." Harry said quietly. Suddenly, the Genie burst out into laughter at the sight of the nervous boy. "I'm glad I am not the only one trying to lighten up the mood." He chuckled, trying to contain his mirth.
"Well it seemed that we are both horrible at it." Harry smirked in amusement.
"Then its best if we refrain from doing so in the future my lord."
"Deal."
For a moment, they both sat in silence before exploding in laughter at their absurd situation. There they sat, genie and his master, agreeing to never be humorous again because they are far too serious to do so. How very British of them.
Harry coughed and began to take a more severe tone. "But in all seriousness, I would like to have you as an ally. I'm new to this whole heir thing, and I would love it if you could guide me through this properly." Harry turned to the man and looked him in the eyes. "I really need your help. I don't have anyone else. So please." He said, putting his pride aside and said those words with the outmost sincerity.
The man tilted his head, surprised at the honesty found in his master's voice. This boy is a curious creature indeed. "Is that your wish?" The genie asked, his blue eyes piercing into his soul.
Harry looked at him quietly, trying to gauge if the genie is tricking him. "Yes, that is my wish."
Suddenly, the air turned light, gravity seemed to cease to exist. Harry could feel his hair and clothes flowing around him. When he looked up, the genie's eyes are filled with that strange golden liquid. "Then it is done." The genie said with finality in his voice. Gravity came back into existence; the golden liquid disappeared and was replaced with a determined look in his eyes.
"Whoa," Harry loosened his grip on the armchair. "What was that?"
The genie smiled. It's been a while since anyone was in awe of him. "I am a magical being whose sole existence is powered by your desires. With a new master, my life is renewed. By wishing, you're giving me the power so I can complete those whishes."
"Ah!" Harry exclaimed. "Is that why when Sirius's mother and brother died, Kreacher seemed to waste away?"
The genie gave him a cryptic smile. What a sharp young man. "Amongst other things." He answered, recalling the memory Regulus Black, one of the kinder masters he served over the years. "Alas, let us forget about that sordid life. I am now Freak, your Butler and loyal servant."
Harry shifted around on his seat, clearly uncomfortable with the name. "I rather call you with another name." he muttered. "As angry as I was, I rather not call you with the same name that my uncle called me. It's much too cruel." The butler gave him an alarmed look.
"Your uncle..?" He said slowly, imagining the worst scenarios in his head. Before Harry could rectify the misunderstanding, a knock interrupted their exchange. "Mr. Potter! There are visitors waiting for you!"
Harry stood up abruptly, a jolt of panic striking him in his heart. There are only a handful of people who are looking for him this close to the start of the school year, and Harry isn't keen on seeing any of them. "Tell them I am not accepting visitors tonight!" He shouted, panic evident in his voice. He pushed his butler onto his bed and threw a blanket over him. "Hide." Harry mouthed to him. The genie rolled his eyes and threw off the offending stretch of fabric. It seemed that his master is still unfamiliar the concept of wishes.
"Well sir, they are rather insistent." The polite voice said, clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation. The voice of the reluctant innkeeper was suddenly replaced by insistent pounding on the door.
"Harry mate, open the door! Its me, Ron." The genie grimaced at the racket, trying to hide his disbelief that the oaf pounding at the door is his master's friend.
"Harry?" A soft voice of a girl flowed through the door. "We saw you at the Alley today. Why didn't you say hello?" Harry's ear tingled when he heard Ginny's voice. His heart skipped a beat, his breath hitched, and his stomach flutters. He really does fancy her.
"I..I-I don't know…"He stammered, his words jumbled up between anger and false friendliness. The genie looked up at his hopeless master, noticing his blush and his flustered movement. With a sigh, he rose from the bed and put a firm grip on his shoulders.
"Calm down Master." He said, his voice kind and firm at the same time. "I can hide so you wont have to explain about m-"
"No! Don't!" Harry interrupted him, the through of facing the two of the alone seemed impossible for him. "I really don't want to see them right now." He admitted weakly. It embarrassing to say, but with all of his anger and indignation, he simply couldn't muster up the courage to face his friends.
Harry's sighed in relief when his new helper nodded without commenting on his cowardice. "Wish it then, and I'll take you away from this ridiculous situation."
The boy nodded. His heart is set. "I wish I could be somewhere else but here." He said." With those words, he closed his eyes and waited for the familiar feeling of weightlessness to overcome his body.
"As you wish Master."
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the Property of JK Rowling, I am not gaining any profit from writing this fanfiction.
AN: I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter. I hoped I did alright with Kreacher's new persona. Let me know if you like, hate, or simply don't care for him! All Reviews welcomed, be it positive, negative, or flames.
Next chapter, Escape to Black Manor! See you all there!
