Authors Note. There have been a few mutterings from some of you about Harry's super powers and him not being the underdog. Firstly without super powers Voldemort creates angst for our heroes and I do not create angst for H & H. Secondly if I write this story to my currently perceived conclusion then H & H will need their Power for what they have to achieve.
By the way, I do not plan any of my stories other than a general idea in my head I think of a starting point and an ending then they have to find their own way. I do sometimes keep notes of things I want to include and in my Excel I have calendars that run from 1990 to 1998 to keep me on track. But the stories have to write themselves and that is why I need a lot of encouragement.
Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.Chapter 8. Saturday Afternoon.
Lunch was one of the nicest meals any of them could remember eating, Suria was a very good cook and when they were eating their deserts they all started talking.
Hermione called all of the elves to them and they sat with everyone around the table then she started telling the others about the enslavement of the house elves. "About five hundred years ago the elves decided that they were getting restless because they did not have enough to do, their whole way of life was becoming stagnant, so the elf leaders went to the leaders of the magic world and offered their services as part time helpers.
Everything went well for about three hundred and fifty years when a powerful dark wizard by the name of Cresco Malfoy decided that he wanted his servants to be more like slaves and to work full time not part time. Malfoy disappeared for about thirty years and reappeared looking exactly the same as he had when he vanished but very much more powerful and calling himself Mephisto Malfoy."
Her mother interrupted Hermione, "Mephisto is another name for the devil, isn't it?"
"Suits the bloody Malfoys!" Ginny said blushing.
Hermione continued, "You might well be right mum it certainly would fit. Anyway to cut a long story short, Malfoy cast an enchantment that changed all of the elves into house elves and effectively enslaved them to him. It is why only the rich can have house elves a stipend has to be paid annually to the Malfoys, that is where the majority of their money and power comes from."
Tonks asked, "So what can you do about it?"
It was Harry who replied, "We have been given some spells, one of them will remove the enchantments from individual house elves," all of the house elves started fidgeting, "and return them to their original state. We have been asked by Jemma's friend for her to decide whom we should free first and I am asking her if she would like to decide now?"
All of the house elves started chattering and it did not stop for about five minutes then Jemma said, "Obviously we would all like to be free of this curse but the world is not the same place as it was when we were enslaved, so I have had to explain to them that even when they are freed they will have to remain living here where they are safe. Previously we were free to roam all of the Great Forests and moor's also Malfoy Manor didn't exist and the land it is on, also all of the land surrounding belonged to the elves but now it will take time to restore the balance.
The elves have no love for the Malfoy's and we believe that there is only one left, the mother is innocent, we ask that when you have finished with him you do not kill him we would like you to give him too us for punishment.
So we have decided that Mimi and Memo who were partners before the curse should be the first two to be returned to normal and have the curse lifted."
Harry asked Mimi to come forward, she came and stood before him so he pointed his wand at her and said, "Rhyddhau hwn ellyll wrth caethiwed."
A golden light came from Harry's wand and covered Mimi.
Elfin had told them that the effect would be extremely noticeable and that was almost an understatement, Mimi had been about two and a half foot tall and her height almost doubled and she was beautiful.
She was an elf.
Green almond shaped eyes, long blond hair to her waist, very slender and the only thing to distinguish her from a human were slight points on the top of her normal sized ears, although her hair could easily cover these.
The emotion of the moment made her start crying so Ginny and Hermione started to comfort her then Mimi said to Hermione in a voice that sounded like tinkling bells, "Your hair is a disgrace after lunch I will sort it out."
The three of them started laughing and Ginny said, "Friends?"
So the three of them clasped hands and repeated, "Friends."
Harry was looking at the three of them with happy tears in his eyes, Mimi saw his tears and brought the other two over to him they cuddled him and they all said together, "Friends."
Mimi said to Harry, "No promises because I never ever managed to tame your father's hair, but I will try."
Harry beckoned Memo over and then he cast the same spell on him as he had on Mimi, when his height doubled and his features altered he could not be described as handsome, he would also have to be described as beautiful.
He was very much a male but the only real difference in his features and Mimi's was that his hair didn't quite reach his collar, however it was quite long enough to cover his pointy ears.
Mimi and Memo embraced for a long time and then he called the other three into a communal hug and he also said friends.
All of the house elves wanted to have a party to celebrate, so Harry said, "Only a small one with us here, although you can invite as many house elves as you think will come, we don't want to go public with this until some time after we have spoken with Minister Bones."
Having finished lunch the humans moved into the reading room and the two elves came with them.
"I believe that you two are a couple," Harry said to Memo and Mimi, "I do not know your customs but you may move to one of the larger rooms if you wish."
"For us the rooms we already have are very comfortable Harry, we do not normally cohabit unless we want to make baby elves," Memo said, "and your family never moved us into smaller accommodation when the Malfoy did his evil deed. Your family never ever paid the stipend and because they were so powerful nobody could force them to, the only other family to contest the issue were eventually impoverished by the Malfoys. However the other impoverished humans will have to receive their retribution in Malfoy Galleons the elves will have theirs in Malfoy blood."
Remus believed that he already knew the answer but he asked the question anyway, "Who were the other family Memo?"
Memo stood and went over to where Ginny was sitting, he knelt in front of her taking both of her hands in his and then looking into her eyes he said, "The Weasleys."
Ginny fainted.
When Ginny woke up a minute later she opened her eyes and said, "Why did I just faint?"
Everybody gasped and Harry said, "You are even more beautiful Ginny, look in the mirror."
Her eyes had become emerald green and with her red hair she looked fantastic, then obviously quite stunned she sat back down.
Mimi said, "Memo has declared you an elf friend Ginny Weasley, everyone with emerald green eyes is an elf friend and there is one other here who should also be declared an elf friend, even if it is only to get her hair tidy."
Everybody giggled but Hermione was crying tears of happiness as Mimi knelt in front of her and taking her hands she looked into Hermione's eyes. She only blinked for a second, her eyes became emeralds and her wayward hair changed to soft ringlets and there seemed to be slightly more gold in with the reddish brown. Mimi led her to the mirror and even Hermione herself who normally didn't care thought that she looked good.
Harry was astounded and said, "Beauty personified."
Hermione's smile was amazing and she asked, "How come Harry has emerald eyes already?"
Memo answered, "Harry's mother was declared an elf friend by Elfin at a very young age because of a prophecy from a centaur and Harry inherited that from her, but he should have had it from his father as well. However neither his father, his grandfather nor his great grandfather were initiated in accordance with the family tradition, so the elf friend eyes lapsed from that side of his family."
At this point Jemma came in and said, "Harry you have an owl."
He took the letter she handed him and after reading it he smiled and said to her, "What did you do Jemma?"
Jemma was trying to look anywhere except at Harry, "Well you said that we couldn't have a party until after you had spoken with Minister Bones and so I wrote to her and asked her if I could invite her two house elves to our party. Does she say that they can come?"
Smiling Harry said, "Jemma you're a scallywag."
She smiled and asked hopefully, "Is that good?"
Tonks grinned and said, "Yes it is and it's a lot better than what he usually calls me when I try to be clever."
"I want to talk to you outside a minute please Jemma." Harry said kindly and then he left the room with Jemma.
A couple of minutes later he came back in still smiling and he stuffed Amelia's letter into his pocket then said, "For your last comment Senior Auror Tonks I want you to Apparate us just outside of Amelia's office in the Ministry."
"You can't…" started Remus.
Tonks interrupted him, "Don't bother telling these two, I tried that yesterday and you read this mornings papers."
Hermione joined Harry and Tonks and they asked Ginny to come as well then as soon as they linked up they disappeared without a sound.
"I heard Harry say that what they do isn't exactly Apparating," Jane said trying to be helpful and then she went back to reading her books about the wizard world.
x-x
The four of them arrived in the corridor outside of Amelia's M.L.E. office, the door was open but the office was empty.
Ginny said, "She could be in the Ministers office."
Tonks nodded and they were stood outside of the Ministers office, this door was also open but besides the Minister, Arthur and Kingsley were in the office with her.
Mme Bones said, "Hello you four, Harry what was that letter about?"
Before Harry could answer Arthur said, "Ginny what's happened to your eyes? And yours Hermione?"
In a hushed whisper Amelia asked, "Elf friends? How?"
Harry answered, "The answer to the first of those two questions Amelia is yes and for the answer to the second you had better come to whatever Jemma is arranging for this evening, what time is it supposed to be?"
"The Party with Food is at seven and May I bring Susan and Daphne?" asked Amelia.
"Of course you can," Hermione answered, "and you had better come as well Mr Weasley with Mrs Weasley."
"May I have a piece of parchment please Minister and do you have a wife Kingsley?" Harry asked.
Kingsley told him that he didn't have a wife and Amelia gave him a piece of parchment then after he had thanked her for it he proceeded to tear into three laying the pieces on the table and then he said, "These are not regular Portkeys, if you and anyone coming with you hold them at about seven this evening then you think 'the Potters Place' they will bring you to the 'Party with Food'. You and Hermione's parents oh Remus Lupin as well will be the only non elfish folk there, warn the others that as much as anything it will be informal and also partly educational. Is there anything else we can do for you?"
Arthur had been talking with Ginny and Tonks but he was listening with half an ear so he asked, "Can you drop by the Burrow and warn Molly that we will be eating out this evening please."
After being told that there was nothing else they were required for and then agreeing to Arthur's request they silently disappeared.
x-x
Ginny Hermione and Harry were once more in the reading room talking to the two elves and Hermione's parents when Tonks came back down from her room, she asked, "What's with all of the new clothes in my wardrobe, Harry."
Harry did his best to look innocent and he said, "What are you accusing me of? I have been with you all morning how can I have done anything?"
Hermione had been watching his expression and she said, "Jemma would you mind coming here for a minute please."
Jemma arrived and before Hermione could say anything Harry said, "Jemma, please tell everyone what I asked you to do before we went out."
She stood up straight and said, "Harry said that he didn't think that any of you had anything here suitable for any kind of function, then he asked me if it would be possible for me to get some things for you all. I told him of course we could and so we did."
Mimi was blushing and she added, "I chose most of the clothes, so if you don't like them you must blame me, so you all had better go and have a look at what Harry has bought you."
Everybody started heading for the door but Harry held Tonks back and asked quietly, "How much is there? And more important can I afford it, at the moment I only have my Hogwarts account?"
Tonks smiled at him, "Don't worry. My wardrobe is almost half full and so will everybody else's be, but the elves here can use the Potter Trust money and that won't run out anytime soon."
A look of profound relief flooded Harry's face along with a huge smile and he said, "Thank goodness, I don't begrudge anybody anything but the t…"
Harry couldn't continue because Tonks was kissing him, properly, when she stopped she said, "That was for the clothes, it was for you getting rid of all of the Death Eaters from the Ministry and for being one of the nicest people I have ever met. If I were fifteen years younger I would be in there chasing with all the rest of the HPFC. Come on we had better get upstairs to all of the others, there will probably be pandemonium."
As they were going upstairs Harry asked, "What's the HPFC?"
"The Harry Potter Fan Club." She said with a cheeky smile.
At the top of the stairs they were all waiting in ambush, Ginny was the first, "What's with all of the clothes?"
By now Harry was half ready for this, "I haven't seen the clothes so I can't comment. Mimi, how much did you spend today in total approximately?"
Mimi smiled and answered, "Just under five thousand Galleons Harry."
Then he said, "Thank you Mimi. Tonks, how much did the trust earn today, approximately?"
She answered, "Roughly fifty five thousand Galleons Harry."
Smiling he said, "In the unlikely event you don't like the clothes you should be talking to Mimi. I refuse to discuss anything that cost me, in total less than ten percent of my daily income, those two things aside is there anything else I can do for you?"
Apart from Ginny and Hermione the others sheepishly thanked him and went away but Mimi stayed with them, however Hermione said, "Do you really think that you will get away with it that easily?"
He gave them 'the smile' and said, "I rather hoped that I might, how bad is it? Lets look in my wardrobe."
It did not take them long to get to Harry's wardrobe, which he found to be about half full and indicating sections Mimi said, "These are for formal functions, these are for daily wear, these are for evening wear and these are for parties; those are Muggle clothes and you know more than I do about when to wear those."
The girls and Harry were looking through the clothes and both of the girls were saying how much they liked some of them, Mimi said, "We should go to Ginny's room next."
So they all set off for Ginny's room and were all soon in her wardrobe that was also half full, Mimi's description was much the same except Ginny had different robes for mornings and afternoons.
Again they had all been looking through them saying how much they liked them and Harry said with a wink at Hermione and Mimi, "You can take all of these home with you if you want to Ginny."
She looked at him with a sickly sweet smile and said, "If first you can persuade the twins to move in with Ron and then convince my mum that I should have Percy's old room as well, then I could use them both as wardrobes but it might still be a bit of a squeeze." However she now had a big grin on her face and continued, "I will just have to rent this room off of you, what will you charge me?"
Harry smiled at her and said, "Your friendship will do fine and thank you Ginny."
The three of them were intended to see the big wink that Ginny gave Hermione as she answered dramatically, "Oh! Woe is me. I wanted to give you my body but all you will take is my friendship, however will I survive the honour." She gave Harry a light kiss on the lips and said very sincerely, "Thank you Harry."
Only Mimi noticed the look of undying love that came into Ginny's eyes when she had kissed Harry.
Hermione's wardrobe was three-quarter full and she gave Mimi a look, but quite undaunted Mimi said, "You are to become the wife of one of the most important wizards in the world therefore certain standards have to be met and maintained. Luckily wizard world fashions do not really change a great deal, so you need clothes for lunches, dinners and everything else you might be invited to. I will keep records and you will never wear the same clothes to formally meet the same people twice, if you want to impress important old families you must do it by their rules and still win."
When they had gone through too Hermione's wardrobe they had left her bedroom door open and they heard her mother call so Hermione called back, "We are through here mum come in."
Jane walked into Hermione's wardrobe and stopped, she was looking astounded, Hermione said, "Don't mention it mum, I have just had it explained to me why I need a dozen dresses for every conceivable occasion and I am not up to discussing it at the moment."
Harry said quietly, "We volunteered for the jobs we have promised to do and if the worst thing you ever have to complain about is having too many clothes then we will be very lucky, so cheer up, you are going to free all of the house elves very soon."
She put her arms around Harry and received a cuddle then she said, "I'm sorry darling, I am getting upset over nothing. So how are you and dad coping mum?"
Jane pulled herself together a bit and said, "We are actually coping quite well and it was Harry I was looking for to thank him properly for the lovely clothes he has given us."
Before anybody could say anything in reply she had kissed Harry on the cheek and gone off out of the door still looking slightly incredulous.
Mimi said, "Harry is quite correct, now let me open your eyes and show you this."
She waved her right hand in front of their faces and a suit of the kind being warn by Mimi appeared on the rack, it was a tunic top with tight trousers and shoes to match, like Mimi's they appeared to be all colours and none at the same time and she said, "Now that your eyes have been opened there are many new things you will be able to see, you will find one suit each in your wardrobes. They are very comfortable and highly magical, especially when you need to move quietly or when you don't wish to be seen."
The material of the suit felt like Harry's invisibility cloak that was very soft however the elven suit was much, much softer.
Ginny was the first to notice the glow and she said, "Mimi I can see a glow from you three and the suit, what is it?"
Mimi smiled and said, "You can see the elven magic because your eyes have been opened a little."
Hermione and Harry agreed that they could see it as well and then he said, "Do you mind if I leave you for a little while as I should go and reset some of the wards for the house?"
"And I want to go and try on some of my new clothes," Ginny said with a big smile, "I have never had to decide what I was going to wear before. Thank you Harry for making me so happy." She gave him a quick hug and almost skipped out of the door and off towards her room.
The three of them were laughing at Ginny who had never had anything much before in her life, until a week ago the same could have been said about Harry, Mimi said, "You go on to your household chores Harry even Hermione needs time to decide what to wear."
After Harry had given Hermione a kiss and gone to reset the wards Mimi said that she needed to talk to her about Ginny, so they shut her bedroom door and put a silencing charm on it then they settled themselves in the armchairs.
Mimi said, "Ginny is in love with Harry," she put her hand up to stop Hermione interrupting, "she is denying it even to herself but when she gave Harry that little peck as a thank you for the clothes I could see it as plain as day. I know from watching the pair of you that you both think the world of her and you both want her around for a long time, for the greater projects you have to do for her we call Gaia and you call Elfin. She asked me to give you this and it will not open until tomorrow," she had passed Hermione a book, "read it and think about it you can always come to me to talk about it, I am about seven hundred and eighty years old. Not quite as young as I look, am I?
"Gaia thinks," Mimi continued, "that if you can find a suitable long term panacea to Ginny's emotional problems she could visit the library and help you for many years, she also said that if a solution is found she will, if you wish, talk to Ginny with us."
It was quiet for about five minutes and then Hermione asked, "What is the book called?"
With a impish smile Mimi answered, "It is called, 'Sex for Three' and it is advisable for you to read it just before going to bed with Harry, the way it will probably make you feel, well lets say that he will have a good time."
Hermione blushed and said, "I see." Then she grinned.
There was a knock on the door, Hermione opened it with a wave of her hand and Ginny came bounding in saying, "Have you looked in your drawers? I've got more underwear than I have ever seen outside a shop? And what's this thing?" She held up a G-string.
Mimi said smiling, "They are mini knickers."
"I tried that," said Ginny, "but I had all this hair sticking out the sides and it looked so awful that I thought I had put them on the wrong place, although I couldn't figure out anywhere else to put them."
The pair just laughed at Ginny's high spirits and Mimi said, "Then it must be trimmed off, I am sure that Hermione will help you to do it, now I should go and help the others with their hair. I will come back later to do both of yours."
After Mimi had left Ginny said, "Why don't I just charm the lot away?"
"Not all boys like girls to be bald down there," Hermione answered, "Harry doesn't mind it trimmed off, as he says, he can see the sense in why girls do that. But he thinks that girls who remove it all are probably not very nice and sleep around and he seems to think that most British boys think like that."
"You talked to Harry about this?" Ginny looked both shocked and impressed.
She smiled, "Of course I did, once you remove it magically it is gone forever and from what he said it was just as well that I did talk to him, I would just of taken the whole lot off."
"So how do we do this?" Ginny asked.
Hermione put an extra locking spell on the door and said, "When I did mine I had no clothes on, but first I combed the hair tidy, then I put the G-string on and trimmed off what was sticking out, it would have been much easier if I had had someone to help me."
Taking off her robe and her knickers Ginny revealed a wayward mess of bright red hair, Hermione could easily see that Ginny's body had nearly completed its transition from girl to woman. Then she borrowed a comb off Hermione and proceeded to comb the unruly hair straight down, when it was about as tidy as it was going to get she put the G-string on and Hermione made her lay on the bed with her legs slightly apart. Hermione knelt up on the bed beside her then using her finger as a wand she removed the offending hair.
Getting off the bed Ginny paraded herself in front of the mirror, then she took off her G-string and smiling had another good look at herself and then she said, "Do you always wear G-strings Hermione?"
Without thinking Hermione answered, "Yes, ever since Harry said that he liked me in them."
"I must hear all about this, since when did Harry see you in a G-string?" Ginny said with flashing eyes.
Hermione adopted a very prim expression, "We have to get ready for the party and they have swimsuits like that you know. Anyway we can talk about it some other time."
Ginny put her robe back on and Hermione unlocked the door, then the fiery red head skipped back to her room twirling her now redundant knickers on one finger over her head.
Authors Notes. If you like it then PLEASE REVIEW it.