Chapter 4: A Grim Old Place
Number 12, Grimmauld Place was a grim old place. Don't blame me for the terrible pun, blame JK Rowling. But still, it was better than Privet Drive.
"If only my poor old mistress knew what her blood traitor son was doing, bringing halfbloods and werewolves into the house of her fathers..."
Right, Kreacher. But I'm not supposed to know about house-elves, am I?
"Wow, who is that?"
"That's Kreacher, Harry, the family house elf. Don't listen to what he's saying, he's just parroting my mother's bigoted beliefs."
"Can I talk to him a bit? I've never met an elf before."
"Sure, why not?"
"In private?"
"Okay. Kreacher, could you take Harry upstairs and talk to him while I work on these muggle adoption papers? And I order you not to insult him!"
One crack of apparition later, I and Kreacher were in an empty room upstairs.
"Okay Kreacher, I'd like you to never tell this to anyone, but: I know how to destroy Regulus's locket."
"How does young boy Harry know about the locket? Kreacher never told anyone but... did Master Regulus survive? Kreacher left him alone!"
"I'm so sorry to disappoint you, but I'm pretty sure Regulus didn't make it. I know through other means, and I really can't tell you. But I know what it is. Did Regulus ever tell you?"
"No, Master Regulus only ordered Kreacher to destroy it. Kreacher tried, but Kreacher couldn't. All the magic Kreacher tried bounced off! Kreacher thinks the way to destroy is from the inside, but Kreacher couldn't open it!"
"I think I could open it, but there's a nasty trap on the inside, and without a way to immediately destroy it we'd just get ourselves in danger. To destroy it we'd need something as potent as basilisk venom or fiendfyre, but we can't have anyone else know about this, alright? I promise that as soon as I find a way I'll destroy it, but until then you need to keep it safe and you can't tell anyone!"
"Kreacher will do so, Master Regulus ordered him not to tell, and he won't tell anyone about young Harry knowing either!"
"Good, now, can I ask for a little favour? I'd like it if you could maybe help cleaning the house a bit and making it more livable, okay? Nobody's lived here for three years and it's a bit too grim and dark for my taste. Oh, and be nice to my friends please. I'll tell you if I find out more about the locket."
"Kreacher will do so. Kreacher is so happy. Finally, a chance for Kreacher to fulfil Master Regulus's last command!"
-HP-HP-HP-
"I have no idea what you did, Harry, but I know you did something."
"What?"
"Kreacher and I have hated each other for as long as I can remember, but now he's completely different. When I asked him to redecorate this room a bit, he didn't complain about me defacing the house of my ancestors like I expected, instead he seemed to be more than happy to do it. He was even somewhat nice to me! I didn't think that was possible! What did you do?"
"I was just nice to him. Also, I gave him the third room on the second floor."
"Why did you give him a room?"
"I was a bit uncomfortable about anyone living in a cupboard."
"Ah, right."
-HP-HP-HP-
So, that's how I escaped from the Dursleys. Grimmauld Place was getting less grim every day, Kreacher and Sirius were making an effort being nice to each other, Remus visited almost daily to continue my lessons (now also including potions), and Ms. Figg visited from time to time to discuss what to tell Dumbledore. The Dursleys had been more than happy to sign the adoption papers and nobody in Little Whinging missed me. The second step of my plan seemed to work out as well. Time for step number three.
"Hey Sirius, I really like it here, it's much better than with the Dursleys, but it's a bit lonely without a friend of my age."
I'm actually much closer to his age than he thinks, but he doesn't know that of course.
"Harry, you know that I can't exactly let you go and meet kids from other wizarding families. If Dumbledore finds out, I don't know what he'll do."
"Maybe I could get muggle friends who don't know I'm famous? I could go to muggle school again."
"I thought you didn't like it there at all?"
"Only because Dudley convinced everyone to bully me. I'm sure if I went to a different school it'd be okay. I'd be safe if nobody knows who I really am and if you apparate me there not even someone who knows I live here could follow me."
"Alright. I don't know much about muggle schools though."
"I can go to the library with Remus tomorrow and look up which schools are available around here."
-HP-HP-HP-
"Are you sure you want to go to that specific school? It's not exactly the nearest one."
"I've got a good feeling about it. I think I'll find friends there."