Chapter 19

A/N: A mountain of gratitude for those who have stuck with this story, hiatus and all. As thanks, I would like to reach out to you and ask that you suggest any names for the Squib Weasley relative mentioned in the books, who happens to be an accountant? Feel free to send me your names and any suggestions on how this Weasley should look like; it will be a mini shout-out for one lucky reader! :) This character will be appearing briefly in Chapter 21.

This is another flashback chapter.

~ line break line break ~

Ron thought that if he ignored the fact that the snake currently napping on the shoe transfigured into a throw pillow on the floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom could one day grow to the size of a cottage and probably eat him in one snap of its venomous fangs, he could see it as cute. Adorable even, the way it twitched the tip of its tail in response to a dream.

"She's lovely, really," Hermione said, squirming in her place beside him, shooting him glances. "Erm…you said her name was Ren?"

"It's short for Renenutet, a name I picked up out of a book," Hari hummed. She had a tender look on her smiling face as she stroked the top of the basilisk's head with a finger. "Isn't she a darling?"

Ron stared at Hari like she grew another head and declared her undying love for You-Know-Who. "I didn't think a…a basilisk–" he lowered his voice and hissed out the last part–"could be called 'darling'. Blimey Hari, don't you think this'll end with us in Azkaban? Hatching Dark creatures that could eat people when they start to feel peckish? Ouch!"

Hermione was shooting daggers at him now, which probably meant he should shut up. Her retreating hand, which just seconds ago delivered a smack to his head, meant he should shut up and stop talking this instant or face imminent demise.

Indignation had him giving her a look. "What? It's the truth ain't it?" He really loved Hermione, but why was she mad now? He was just telling the truth!

Hermione's face twisted into a grimace of exasperation and rueful amusement. "Ronald, Hari just told us the reason she had to do it." She shook her head.

Ron shrugged. "But she's immune to death now, isn't she?"

Hari winced at his words, and Ron felt bad enough that he looked sheepish. Ah, right; Hari was sensitive about being the Mistress of Death. But wasn't immortality a cool power to have?

His thoughts must have shown on his face because Hermione snorted beside him. "Honestly. Are you trying to make yourself look like an idiot? Think about it. Moaning Myrtle mentioned that Hari was only halfway to becoming Mistress of Death."

"Yeah, so?"

"That means she isn't one yet!" Hermione looked ready to pull her hair. "We're not sure if Slytherin's condition for becoming his heir would actually kill her," she pointed out. "So Hari chose the best option, really. I mean, what if she actually died? And," she added loudly, when Ron started to open his mouth, "be a little bit more sensitive, Ron. Being immortal means Hari will outlive all of us, and do you really think she would like that?" She glared at him.

Which had Ron thinking, and…"Oh," he said after a while, crestfallen. "That's…yeah alright, I get it." He scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, mate. When 'Mione put it like that, being immortal really doesn't sound so awesome."

Hari smiled at him, equal parts sad and lonely, and for a moment Ron felt that he should give her a hug before remembering that Hari did not do well with hugs (but she was getting better; Luna hugged her from behind just last week, and nobody ended up being hexed by accident). So he gave her an apologetic smile and bumped his shoulders with hers instead. Hari's smile morphed into something less lonely, less sad, and Ron felt glad.

Hermione beamed at them both and clapped her hands excitedly. "So does this mean you are legally Slytherin's heir?"

Hari shrugged. "I guess so. A letter came for me not long after I hatched Ren. It was from Gringott's."

"What did it say?" Ron asked.

"They set a meeting for this Saturday. About my inheritance from Slytherin."

"Do you want us to go with you?" This was from Hermione.

Hari shook her head. "No need, I think they just want to make it official, so they asked me to go down to the bank and sign a few documents. Probably also to give me a list of the things that I now own." She shrugged again. "I'll probably just ask the Potter and Black solicitors to sort these things for me again."

Ron suddenly remembered something, and he grinned. "I have a cousin who happens to be an accountant - Squib of course, but Mum doesn't care about that - I can let them know if you need someone?"

"That's brilliant, thanks Ron," Hari smiled gratefully. "I'm still trying to get the hang of handling these sorts of things, so anyone who can lend me a help would be a lifesaver."

Hermione tilted her head. "I thought Gringott's offered extra services for their clients? My parents hired an account manager for me since they couldn't make heads or tails of Wizarding money."

Hari grimaced. "Well, that's true, 'cept I also managed to free their security dragon last year and…let's just say I'm lucky I can still withdraw money from my vaults." And get away with only a ban on their other services for three years, plus a fine of seven thousand galleons. And permanent ban on access to Godric Gryffindor's sword. According to Bill Weasley, Hari had gotten off lightly, probably thanks to the fact that she killed Voldemort and stabilized the Wizarding economy in the process.

"By the way Hari," Hermione cut through her thoughts. "About Winky…" she trailed off, her expression torn.

"Oh yeah, Winky! How is she?"

Ron frowned. "Wasn't that Crouch's house elf?"

"Yes, but she's here at Hogwarts now," Hermione answered, then looked to Hari. "Oh Hari, I'm afraid I have bad news."

Alarm had Hari sitting upright. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Did she get drunk again?" Ron asked.

"It's nothing too bad, but I mean–well," Hermione wrung her fingers into the hem of her skirt and bit her lip. "I mean, you're not a bad person and I know you probably didn't mean to do it–"

"Hermione, just take a breath." Hari patted her hand. "What happened to Winky?"

Hermione shook her head. "There's nothing wrong with her. But…well, Hari, she's bonded to you now."

"Come again?"

"You accepted her," Hermione explained. "This morning during breakfast."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did," Hermione insisted. "Remember what happened?"

Hari tried to recall. She frowned. "I didn't say I accepted her as my house elf," she said, slowly. "But I told her…I wasn't rejecting her either." She looked alarmed.

Hermione nodded with a sigh. "Apparently for house elves, that meant acceptance."

Ron was watching his girlfriend. "You don't look angry."

"Trust me, I was at first," Hermione admitted. "But Winky explained things to me in better detail. Well, as best as she could, anyway. The bond activated just right after you left. You can try calling for her. If she is your house elf now, she'll be able to appear wherever you are."

Hari looked unconvinced, but did as Hermione said.

"Winky?"

Crack!

Hari bit back a yelp when there was a sharp cracking sound, and then Winky appeared between the three of them, right beside the pillow where Ren was sleeping. Her large ears flapped as she went straight into a bow in front of Hari. "You is calling Winky, mistress?"

Hari's eyes looked like they could pop out of their sockets. It took Hermione's loud, pointed coughing and meaningful looks for Hari to stir out of her shocked silence and speak. "Er…how are you Winky?"

The house-elf beamed, watery eyes looking at Hari. "Winky thanks mistress Hari for her kindness, and for accepting Winky as her house elf! Winky is sure to be a good house elf for house Potter, and Black, and Slytherin!"

Ron snorted, smirking at Hari. "That answers a few questions." He looked at her. "This is great, eh Hari? At least Kreacher won't be alone in that big old house."

Hermione sighed. "You will give her proper compensation, won't you Hari? And Kreacher? You'll give them vacation leaves and insurance, or whatever counts as insurance in the Wizarding world?"

Hari swallowed. "I don't think there's such a thing, Hermione."

Hermione looked affronted, her mouth opening and closing, before standing up and declaring that she needed to look into a book in the library, then left.

Winky's ears dropped an inch. "Did…did Winky do something that made Miss Herminees leaves?" She looked absolutely horrified.

Hari was quick to give her a comforting smile. "Oh, don't mind 'Mione, Winky. She's–"

"Planning to revolt against the government at this rate," Ron cut in cheerfully. "But don't worry, we'll talk her out of it before she could send a Howler to Kingsley."

Hari shot him a look. Ron's only answer was to shrug.

Winky scuffed a bare foot on the bathroom floor. "So…so is okay for Winky to be mistress Hari's house elf?"

In for a penny…Hari smiled at her. "Absolutely. I would love it if you can become my house elf, Winky."

Winky was so happy she looked about ready to cry, her mouth was already wobbling. Alarmed, Hari asked that she keep calm and quiet so Ren could sleep. Ron looked on in interest as Winky initially panicked at the sight of the baby basilisk, then even more alarmed when she realized the basilisk was Hari's.

But instead of shying away from the snake, Winky's face took on a determined expression. She pressed her lips into a thin line and nodded, almost to herself. "Winky is a good house elf! She is to be caring for mistress Hari's basikiss!" She thumped a tiny fist against her chest and turned to Hari. "Winky is going to find someone to teach Winky to look after a basikiss."

Hari smiled gratefully. "You can ask the Bloody Baron, I hear he has extensive experience."

"How did you know that?" Ron asked, curious.

"I'll tell you later."

Winky nodded enthusiastically, declared she would be looking for the ex-Slytherin ghost, and left with a softer crack than she initially appeared in. Hari sighed, suddenly very tired.

Hari groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Why do these things keep happening to me?"

Ron rolled his eyes.

"This thing with you and your strange luck is really something, Hari."

"Shut up, Ron."#

More notes: Some may call this a filler chapter, but I thought it was important to see how the bond between Ren and Hari developed over time, to explain why the basilisk (Basikiss! Winky corrects me) has such a close connection with our erstwhile Mistress of Death. I could have opted for the easy route and explain it as a "bond" familiars share with their chosen witch or wizard, but given that there were instances in the book that showed Fawkes was sentient enough that he could act outside of Dumbledore's orders, I have this headcanon where magical familiars are both intelligent and have a certain degree of independence from their masters. Basilisks (Basikiss!) in particular, are gravely misunderstood. Because of their predatory nature, many people consider them living icons of Evil, but are actually highly intelligent and would only attack when provoked.