Elves' Child
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
Completely AU, partly OOC.
"I'm going to use the money for a scholarship, which will be awarded to two elves each year, so that they can attend Hogwarts as students," Harry announced, causing Skeeter's green quill to do a flip flop over her parchment. Totally annoyed with the performance of her quill, he decided to not reveal anything further of his plan. Instead, he swiftly finished his dinner and looked at Severus in expectation.
The Potions Master, who had remained fairly quiet the whole evening, finally spoke up. "Minister, thank you for the invitation; as pleasant as it is, I have to fulfil my head of house duties and need to return to Hogwarts now."
With that Severus and Harry left the room, letting out a simultaneous sigh of relief when they arrived back in their quarters.
HP
Too soon for Harry's liking, the school year came to the end, and the end of year tests began. However, the elves had once again taught him well, and, in spite of Harry's concerns, he received best grades in all of his tests, except for History of Magic, where he got into a fight with Professor Binns over the battle against the elves that had taken place in 1182.
"Stupid ghost," he muttered, when Severus informed him about his grades a week into the holidays, causing Severus to look at him with amusement.
"History of Magic has not been one of my favourite subjects either," the Potions Master admitted, smirking.
"Dumbledore should better ask Twinkle to teach History of Magic," Harry said in an upset voice. "He can teach much better and is not as narrow minded as the ghost."
"It's Professor Dumbledore, Harry," Severus corrected him lightly, before he said thoughtfully, "Maybe you should suggest that to the headmaster. If we're going to have elves attending Hogwarts as students, maybe we should also have a teacher, who is an elf."
"Even if Twinkle is bonded to him?" Harry asked, doubtfully.
"Well, it does not necessarily have to be Twinkle," Severus responded. "Maybe one of the elder elves, for example, is willing to teach, at least until one of the soon to be first years finishes Hogwarts."
"Oh right," Harry said pensively. "I wonder if I'll be able to travel to the Isle of Elves again this summer. I really liked it there."
"I can ask Cicero to take you there for a few days, and I'll ask my colleagues if their elves may join you," Severus offered kindly, before he glanced at his wrist watch, pointing out that it was time to attend dinner in the Great Hall.
HP
Dumbledore promised to speak with Twinkle about the History of Magic classes, and a few days later, he informed his colleagues and Harry that Twinkle was too busy to teach students, since he was already teaching the elves' children in addition to being the personal elf of the headmaster. However, Twinkle had introduced Dumbledore to Simon, who was a few years older than Harry, Nina and Tony, but very small for his age. Ever since Simon had learned about Harry originally being human, he had been very interested in human history and was predestined to teach History of Magic at the human students' part of the school. "Now I only have to inform Professor Binns that his services are not needed anymore," Dumbledore finished his explanation.
"Thank you very much, Professor Dumbledore," Harry said gratefully, casting Severus an appreciative look.
HP
To Harry's surprise, Nina, Tony and he were allowed to spend a whole month on the Isle of Elves. During the first week, Misty accompanied them, and when she left, knowing that the three children were in good hands with her mother, she promised that Cicero would come a few days before they had to return to Hogwarts at the end of July.
Harry couldn't help feeling sad when Misty left. 'I am really stupid. Nina and Tony are here with me, and Grandmother Anastasia is really nice,' he scolded himself. Nevertheless, he couldn't help the feeling that Anastasia was watching him like a hawk, just as she had done the year before. It was only a day after Misty returned to Hogwarts that he felt the achy spots spread in his mouth again. Harry decided to stay out of Anastasia's way as much as possible in order to hide his problem and convinced his friends to spend the whole day on the beach. Fortunately, by the time they returned home in the evening, Harry felt much better, and the green spots were nearly gone, so that Anastasia did not notice that something was not completely as it should be. 'Thank Merlin,' Harry thought. 'I wouldn't want to be looked after by Anastasia. She is much stricter than Mum.'
One day, one of the boys living nearby asked, "Haves you ever beens to the Execution Moor?"
"The Execution Moor?" Nina was the first to speak up. "We haven't been there, but I've heard about it. It must be a horrible place."
"It is." The boy nodded and explained to Harry, "Murderers ares being takens there, or, for example, if a boat with humans comes by, they'll be takens there as well. They won'ts be ables to moves away, and, even if they's wizards, their magic won'ts work. So you mays only take a look."
"Harry is an elf and has all the elves' knowledge," Nina threw in firmly. "Even the elder elves have accepted him as an elf, and he has the usual elves' rights."
"Ah all right; then he shoulds be okay," the boy replied. "I just thoughts you should knows beforehand."
"Thank you for the warning," Harry said softly, somehow not feeling all too well when they approached the Execution Moor, especially as he eyed the leftovers of the bones that were scattered over the place.
"There has beens an execution last winter," the boy explained, "and everyone threws jellyfish, rats, and spiders at the convict, before the elder elves killeds him with their usual spell."
Harry quickly looked away, finding that it was very cold at the spot, even if they were standing on the grass that surrounded the Execution Moor, which consisted of black mud. However, when they returned home, he felt burning hot and realised in shock that he was getting his spots, which were quickly spreading over his mouth.
"Oh no, I think I'm getting sick," he admitted to Nina.
"I think so, too," she said worriedly and led him straight to Anastasia, who
made him drink a potion and put him to bed.
Harry couldn't care less. He felt too miserable to even think. Only when he drifted off to sleep, he began to have fevered nightmares about the Execution Moor, about jellyfish and spiders being thrown at him, and about thestrals that tried to bury him in the black moor. Whenever Anastasia woke him up from one of his nightmares, he sobbed and asked for his mother. Realising that Harry's condition worsened on a daily basis, Anastasia asked Nina to keep an eye on Harry, while she popped herself to Hogwarts.
When Harry woke up after a fight with a polar bear that tried to cover him with snow, Misty was sitting on the edge of his bed. "Mum," Harry sobbed, feeling extremely relieved at the sight of his mother. "Can you take me back to Hogwarts?" Unaware that Anastasia was listening as well, he told Misty about his visit to the Execution Moor and his fears that the elves were going to drag him there to kill him.
"No Harry," Misty said in her usual soft voice. "I believe that it's only due to your fever that you're being so childish, but you know that since we adopted you, you became part elf as well, and you have all the elven rights as well as the elven magic. No one would be able to make you go there or even keep you there. You could just pop away. Don't worry, sweetie. Try to relax and rest. Mistress Poppy allowed me to stay here with you for a week."
By the time Misty had to return to Hogwarts, Harry was already completely back to health. 'Oh my, I really was stupid last week,' he mused, unaware of the fact that this was not the last time he had heard about the Execution Moor.
By the time Harry and Nina had to return to Hogwarts, Harry had become used to the older healer and happily agreed when she invited him to come back the next summer, even in case the other elves were not able to accompany him.
"I'd love to," Harry said, smiling. "Thank you so much for everything, Grandmother. Can we just pop ourselves back to Hogwarts?"
"No," Anastasia said in a no-nonsense voice. "You're still children, and children are not strong enough to pop in and out of the Isle of Elves, especially as you're still weak from your illness. I'm going to take you to Hogwarts."
As much as Harry liked the Isle of Elves, he was also glad to be back home. After greeting Misty and the other elves, he popped himself into Severus' quarters and looked for the Potions Master, noticing in surprise that a small smile stole itself on his guardian's face at his sight.
"Welcome back home, Harry," Severus said in a soft voice. "Misty told me that you have been ill. Are you feeling all right now?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, I've been fine now for about two weeks, but Anastasia wouldn't let me go. She's very overprotective. Oh well, what did I miss?"
The professor let out a long sigh, before he explained that someone called Black had escaped from Azkaban, and that the headmaster feared that Black was after him to avenge the Dark Lord. Harry frowned. "After me?" he asked in disbelief. "Why is that?" He listened to Severus' explanation about his parents' Secret Keeper and the Dark Lord, before he asked calmly, "Should I remain invisible all the time?"
Severus cast him a surprised look. "You want to attend classes invisibly?" he queried, quirking an eyebrow in amusement. "No," he said pensively, "I believe that you'll be safe within the castle. However, if you go out onto the grounds or especially to Hogsmeade, you should remain invisible at all times."
"I'll do that," Harry promised, smiling at the professor's concerned expression. "You know, I'm used to being invisible, sir," he said reassuringly.
"I know that," Severus replied thoughtfully, remembering how the small boy had managed to fool him and his colleagues for years. "Harry, have you ever heard of Dementors?" he then asked, giving his ward a sharp look. Seeing that Harry shook his head, he explained about Dementors and that a few of them were guarding the grounds in order to catch Sirius Black and kiss him, ending his monologue with the advice, "Just see that you're careful around them."
It was later the same day, when Harry attended dinner in the Great Hall together with the complete Hogwarts staff, that Professor Quirrell addressed him. "Mr. Potter, for safety reasons, I am going to ride on the Hogwarts Express tomorrow. Would you like to accompany me? Professor McGonagall told me that you've never boarded the Hogwarts Express so far."
Harry cast Severus an unsure glance, but seeing the Potions Master unobtrusively nod, he replied, "Thank you so much for offering, Professor. I'd love to come with you, sir." While he had been very apprehensive towards the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor after his return from St. Mungo's a year ago, by now he had become used to the professor, knowing that the man was very kind and had no intentions whatsoever to harm him.
HP
Knowing that Professor Quirrell was unaware of Harry's connection with the elves and therefore did not know that he could easily pop them, Harry obediently followed the professor to the Apparition border and held on to the wizard's arm, so that Quirrell could apparate them to King's Cross. "You may go look for your friends, but I expect you to join me in my compartment," the professor told him, giving him a stern look.
"Yes sir," Harry promised, wondering in annoyance if it was because of the matter with Black. He searched the platform for Hermione, Millicent, Neville, and Blaise, before he pulled his friends into the compartment, where the professor was engrossed in an old tome.
"Here?" Blaise whispered in disbelief, causing Harry to roll his eyes and nod, so that his friends smiled in understanding and took their seats.
'I'd love to tell them about the Isle of Elves,' Harry mused, 'but I can't do that if Quirrell is here.' He merely told his friends that he had been at home the whole time, thinking that his grandmother's house on the Isle of Elves was a bit his home now as well, and that he had been sick during the last few weeks, so that he was not overly prepared for the new school year. Neville and Blaise had spent the holidays at home, too; only the girls had travelled abroad with their parents, and Millicent and Hermione told them everything about their holidays.
Hermione was still talking about her vacation in France, when Harry noticed that it suddenly had begun to rain and was becoming dark and cold. 'It's freezing,' he thought in surprise. 'I just hope I won't get sick so soon again.' All of a sudden, a strange creature entered the room, and he heard him explain that humans like him were not tolerated on the Isle of Elves and would be killed at the Execution Moor, where they couldn't do magic at all.
"Harry!" Millicent's voice brought him back to reality.
The lights were on, the rain had stopped, and Harry noticed in shock that everyone was looking at him. "What happened?" he asked in confusion.
"Dementors," Quirrell explained, searching his robe pockets for a chocolate bar, which he held out to Harry. "Here, eat this; it'll make you feel better."
"Thank you," Harry mumbled, realising that he felt indeed better when he took a small bite. Nevertheless, the air in the compartment remained too cold and clammy for his liking, and by the time the train pulled into Hogsmeade, he could sense the small pox begin to spread in his mouth.
"Mr. Potter, please go and see Madam Pomfrey before attending the Welcoming Feast," the professor instructed him, and Harry knew better than to disobey and earn himself one or more toads.
He felt extremely relieved when his friends accompanied him and stayed with him in the hospital wing, until Pomfrey threw them out right before curfew, promising to release Harry in time for breakfast. During the following weeks, Harry felt very apprehensive, knowing that there were Dementors on the Hogwarts grounds. However, he did not get in contact with them, and when the Slytherin house team had Quidditch practice, which his housemates had coaxed him to attend, their Head of House always spent the evening observing the practice, so that Harry slowly forgot about the incident on the train. However, he could not easily shake the memory of the Execution Moor off, although he could not explain why it affected him so much.
HP
Harry's third Hogwarts year passed completely uneventfully, until one day in April, the house-elves captured Sirius Black, who had already entered the castle a few times, apparently searching for Harry in Gryffindor. Twinkle as the head house-elf questioned the man together with a few other elves, and they decided to capture Ron Weasley's rat in order to verify if Black was telling the truth or not.
"This is not a usual rat, but an Animagus," Misty confirmed after a simple diagnostic spell.
The elves locked the rat in a cage, and Twinkle popped Sirius Black and the rat to the headmaster, revealing the whole story to the old wizard. A few days later, Black was granted a trial at the Ministry, after which he was proclaimed free from all charges, while Peter Pettigrew was carried to Azkaban and received the Dementor's kiss.
Harry heard about the capture from Misty, who popped herself to him to tell him about the good news as soon as they had proof that the man was innocent. "So I don't have to make myself invisible anymore," he said, smiling at his mother.
"No sweetie; now you can really enjoy your Hogsmeade visits with your friends," Misty replied, smiling fondly at the boy.
It was only a few days later that Harry began to fully comprehend the importance of the matter with Sirius Black. On Saturday morning, Dumbledore addressed him at breakfast. "Mr. Potter, please come into my office right after breakfast," he said on his way out of the Great Hall.
Harry stumbled behind the professor, wondering what he wanted, because Dumbledore rarely called him into his office; normally, he would ask Severus to relent a message. When he entered the headmaster's office, he was surprised to see a stranger sitting in front of Dumbledore's desk. 'Is that Black?' Harry wondered, eyeing the strange man with interest.
The Headmaster offered a lemon drop, which Harry politely declined, before he introduced Sirius Black to Harry. "Harry, I don't know if anyone has told you about this, but your parents made Mr. Black your godfather."
Harry looked at the man in surprise, thinking, 'But Aunt Poppy and Professor McGonagall are my godmothers.'
"Harry, I'd like you to come and live with me," Sirius Black said, smiling broadly.
"No," Harry replied immediately. "Hogwarts is my home, and I live here."
"Professor Snape is Harry's guardian," Dumbledore explained to the man, who looked at the Headmaster in shock.
"I'll have a conversation with the Ministry of Magic on this matter," Sirius said in an upset voice. "How dare they. Harry, I'm going to get the guardianship over you. Dumbledore, you'll hear from me."
"Mr. Black," Dumbledore said firmly. "Please sit down and let's speak about the matter first." He cast an apologetic look in Harry's direction, before he explained that the elves had abducted Harry and had changed his guardians and godparents without his knowing. "Maybe Harry could stay with you for a week during the summer holidays, so that you can get to know each other and decide together how to further proceed," he finally suggested.
"Okay, Harry, let's do that," Black agreed, sighing. "I'm living together with Remus Lupin in my parents' home. He was a good friend of your parents just like myself, and we'd love to get to know you."
Harry grudgingly agreed, in spite of having a bad feeling about the matter from the instant the word "Alright" left his lips.
tbc...
Thank you very much for your kind reviews for the previous chapter.