Chapter Twelve

Black Castle

"Whew! Glad that's over!" Tonks sighed in relief. "It doesn't look much, doesn't it?" She had just stepped in front of a massive wooden door of an old castle that had seen better days. Two large towers at the brink of collapse dominated the entire structure and cast shadows on the crumbling walls of the main building below. Everything looked dark, dirty, moist and creeping with moss.

Except for the dark part, Harry thought Tonks looked like the castle walls. She was dripping wet with bits of water plants sticking up her hair and robes after she fell several times off the slippery rocks and into the grimy moat that surrounded the castle. Not that the castle needed a moat for protection. It was already hard to find as it is.

The Black Castle in Cornwall had been their first stop to look for elves to rebuild Potter Manor. Harry thought they would just walk into an ancient house like Grimmauld Place, order some elves to Godric's Hollow and be back in time for a Quidditch game at the Burrow before lunch. He didn't expect that the trip itself would take the entire morning and would resemble something like the third task of the Tri-wizard Tournament.

The castle, to Harry's dismay, was unplottable, therefore Un-apparationable. As no one, not even Tonks, had been to it before, they decided to walk to the castle. The only entrance to the castle as far as the documents from Gringotts stated was through a cave near the ruins of the muggle Cornwall Castle by the sea. The cave was partly hidden by rocks and was constantly flooded knee deep with seawater. It led into a large tunnel that opened to a dozen holes that could lead one to either a dead end or a nest of Cornish Pixies. They had three failed attempts before they got the right hole leading to the other side. But even with the right hole, getting out alive was difficult. Doxies and Malaclaws prowled the length of the tunnel while devil's snare and other vicious plants were growing on the walls. If one was not careful, the magical creatures could lead a person to the death grip of the plants.

After about two hours of wandering and fighting their way through the long dark tunnel, they managed to find themselves at the foot of a medieval building with a rather small moat. Harry figured much of it had dried up in the last few years and the rocks can be used to cross it by foot. It was slippery though, and all of them managed to slip at least once. Tonks, who had the worst balance, slipped more than thrice.

"We should have gotten brooms," Ron complained, when they finally came beside Tonks by the door. "There has got to be an easier way to get here."

"I suppose there's an easier way," Tonks said after she muttered a drying and cleaning charm on herself. "Hopefully, we'll go through that one on the way back. I don't fancy another round with those Pixies or those Malaclaws. I suppose we could ask the house elves, that is, if we survive long enough to meet them."

"And if we do get out, let's also hope this castle has enough elves for the construction," said Harry. "I don't want to go around knocking at the other Black properties if it's this hard to get to just one."

Everybody but Hermione murmured an agreement. Hermione looked like she was about to protest but decided not to. She looked disappointed though. She was looking forward to going through all the Black properties and checking on all their house-elves. She even suggested going to France where most of the properties were found. But after this first attempt, even she had to admit Harry had a point.

"I suppose I could just knock," Tonks said as she grasped an ugly looking knocker with the image of an unidentifiable beast.

"Wands out, just in case," Lupin warned.

Tonks knocked softly on the door, but the sound seemed to pierce the quiet morning with the grating sound of metal that hadn't been touched in years. They waited for a few moments, and when nothing happened, Tonks stepped back.

"I suppose Alohomora is in—"

Tonks stopped for the door slowly creaked open. They all looked down and saw a very old house-elf. He was wearing a kitchen towel, but unlike Kreacher, he looked tidy despite his age. He cringed when he saw Tonks and bowed nervously at her.

"Greetings Miss..."

"Tonks," she replied. "My mother was Andromeda Black. I'm one of the last two Black heirs alive."

Terror lit the old elf's eyes. "My mistress," he managed to say in a shaky voice. "Please enter. Balder and the elves of this house are at your service."

Harry and Ron followed Tonks in and they were amazed at what they saw. Although the castle looked old and worn from the outside, here it was well-kept. The room they entered in was huge, almost as big as the Hogwarts entrance hall. A large glittering chandelier lit the room and there was a polished grand staircase leading to what appeared to be several rooms on the upper floor. The floor's carpet was clean and the pictures on the walls, though featured ugly portraits of members of the Black family, were well cared for.

"Not bad, Harry. This may be worth something after all."

"It certainly seems promising," Harry considered. "But don't you think it's a bit too much... I don't know... lavish."

"Well it's a rich house, not to mention a good fortress if ever you need to hide out. It could be a good vacation house if you get tired of Potter Manor. We just need to get rid of the portraits."

"I don't know Ron; it looks a bit creepy to me. But I suppose we could look around for a bit."

The elf led them toward a wide hallway and they passed several pieces of old style furniture that Harry could tell was very expensive. They finally came to a drawing room that had large cushioned divans, thick carpets and more paintings. A fire was crackling on the elaborately carved fireplace and above it was the Black family tree similar to the one in Grimmauld Place. Everything looked grand and beautiful yet cold and impersonal. It reminded Harry of the Slytherin common room. Of course, the fact that there were also heads of house-elves mounted on one wall and an assortment of deadly-looking weapons at every corner gave it an air of morbidity.

"What is my Mistress' will?" the old elf asked humbly.

"A bit of food for me and my friends should be nice," Tonks said, a bit uncomfortably. "We're quite famished from the trip."

"Are there particular dishes that Mistress wishes to have?" he continued in the same prostrate manner.

"Whatever you got is good, and something to drink too," Tonks replied.

The elf bowed out and disappeared but reappeared a few minutes later.

"Food is served at the dinning room, Mistress. If you could follow Balder."

They walked to the next room which appeared as large as the previous one. There was a long table laden with food and set for four. They all sat down to dine and discovered rich food: fish and meat in thick sauces, creamy soups, fresh fruit, cheese, bread and pudding. Wine was served in delicate goblets, while there were half a dozen pieces of cutlery next to each plate. Harry found the experience a bit stifling.

"So this is how the Blacks dine," Ron said. "They're a stuffy lot, aren't they?"

Harry agreed but they were hungry that despite the uncomfortable feeling, he and Ron got the usual three helpings of everything. Nobody said anything until desert.

Tonks attacked a piece of pudding with a large fork, not caring if she was using the right one, before she finally broke the silence. "My mother said this used to be the Black winter house. They used to have dinner parties here and they'd go for a bit of game afterwards. I'm not sure what kinds of games they do. But from what I could sense it wasn't good."

"I think I have an idea," Lupin said. Harry noticed he was the only one who didn't seem to eat as much as they did. He hardly touched his food and looked uncomfortable since they entered the house. "I didn't want to say anything before we ate, but Sirius once wrote me when he had to come home here for Christmas vacation our second year. On Christmas Eve, his father used the drawing room to show his guests how to use his 'toys.' I take it those were the weapons hanging on the walls. He said something about trying it out on one of the house elves. I guess one of them is probably hanging on the wall now."

"That's horrible!" cried Hermione. "Those poor elves!"

"This is one of the most horrible places I've ever heard of, according to Sirius," Lupin continued. "If Grimmauld was bad, this castle was worse. It may look grand but Sirius told me this is where the real tortures happen. He said there was even a hidden torture chamber in the cellar that was used by his ancestors to kill muggles or their captured enemies."

Harry, who was relishing his fourth serving of the pudding, dropped the fork. Even Ron's appetite HBe He HeHe wasn't enough for the sinking feeling he was getting.

"Uh, Ron... I'm not sure it's a good idea."

"Say no more Harry. I am not living in this place. It could rot for all I care. It's too damn gloomy anyway, not to mention a nightmare to get into."

The elf appeared again with his head bowed low. "Do mistress and her friends wish to stay?" he asked. Harry noticed his voice was hoarser than before, as if he was hiding some sort of pain.

"What's that on your face, Balder?" Hermione asked with concern. Harry saw that the elf had a large bruise on his cheek that wasn't there before.

The elf's went wide with fear for a moment that Harry thought he imagined it. "It's nothing Miss. Balder hit himself on the way to the kitchens.

Hermione eyed him doubtfully but Tonks interrupted and asked the elf how many of them were still around.

"There are t-twelve of us, mistress. Balder and Balder's wife has six children. One of Balder's daughters, Frigga is married to a fine elf, Odin. Balder has... two grandchildren now."

Tonks was delighted. She said twelve elves were more than enough for the construction. She ordered Balder to get his family ready to go to Potter Manor.

"And shall Balder and Balder's family return here after the construction?" the elf asked

"I reckon you would. Don't really have any use for a house-elf myself," Tonks replied. "I've got my own flat. I can take care on my own. Something I learned from my dad. I won't need your services after the construction."

There was a noticeable relief on the elf's face. Harry thought Lupin had a point. The elves probably liked living here alone without any cruel masters and mistresses. They were better off as they are taking care of the house. He resolved never to sell the castle.

"But one more thing," Tonks continued. "Is there another way to get out without going through the main way?"

"Mistress can use floo powder," Balder replied.

"You mean the castle's still connected to the floo network?" Hermione asked in a puzzled voice.

"Yes, miss."

"It's been connected all this time?" Hermione continued.

Balder looked flustered for a moment but nodded shyly.

"Well then, we have no problem getting back out then," Tonks said. "But let's settle down for a bit. We can go later. I'm beat and I need a lie in."

"Balder shall prepare rooms, mistress," he said hurriedly and he disappeared before Tonks could say anything.

For a long time they were left there to wait. Finally, a female, younger-looking elf appeared to say their rooms were prepared upstairs so they could take naps until they were set to leave this afternoon. She led them up the grand staircase into the west wing of the castle. There, they found a suite of rooms, fully furnished and lit with fires.

Ron and Harry gaped at the last room that was opened for them. It was as big as the Gryffindor Common Room and was elaborately decorated with the same old-style furniture as the rest of the house. A large canopy bed dominated the room and the cushions and blankets covering it looked inviting.

"Wow!" Ron said as he approached the fireplace to warm their hands. "The Blacks may be horrid but they certainly have style, I give them that."

"It is beautiful. I suppose we could sit down for a bit. No harm in it."

Harry and Ron moved to the bed and sat down. They were immediately lost in the relaxing soft cushions and blankets.

"We could get a bit of sleep, Harry. I'm knackered and we could use—"

There was a knock at their door and Hermione entered.

"Come on, let's go explore the castle," she said.

"Now?" Ron said, feeling extremely disappointed. "Can't it wait 'til later?"

"No. We won't have another chance." She looked around doubtfully at the portraits on the walls and lowered her voice. "I have a bad feeling about all this. Don't you think it's strange that no one's been living in this house for all these years and it still looks as if it's ready for guests?"

"So the house elves kept it that way," Ron said irritably. "What's strange about that?"

"Well I would expect the house to be a bit dusty or worn down like Grimmauld Place."

"Hermione, don't get all worked up," Ron said. "Kreacher was a bad elf. It doesn't mean all the other Black elves don't know to maintain a household. Besides there are twelve of them living here. They're bound to do a bit of cleaning."

"But what about the floo network then? Normally, if a certain place hasn't been used for flooing for so long, the Ministry cuts it off from the network. So how come this place is still connected?"

Ron gave her an exasperated look. "So the Ministry forgot? Honestly, Hermione give it a break. The Blacks are dead. Besides, Harry and I own the castle and Tonks owns the elves. What can they possibly do to us?"

Hermione gave a defeated sigh. "Guess I'm still a bit paranoid. But let's have a look around."

Harry and Ron groaned.

"Oh come on. You own the place. Don't you want to know what you own at least? And you Harry, don't you want to see the house that Sirius lived in during the winter?"

That got Harry convinced. He got up from the bed. "Sorry mate, but she has a point."

They started at their own corridor. It had a half a dozen bedrooms, all fully furnished and well-kept like their own rooms. The next floor on their same wing yielded the same thing with the addition of a couple of sitting rooms, a nursery, a school room and a passage to one of the towers. The tower was bare and cold and looked properly worn. It had windows that looked out into the open sea, glistening in the early afternoon sun. Harry and Ron took their time enjoying the view when Hermione called their attention to one of the walls.

"Look at this," she said. Harry and Ron leaned in for a closer look. Carved on the stone were the words: LORD REGULUS BLACK, NOBLE HEIR OF THE ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK. The words "OF BLACK" were crossed out with a line and another set of words were added in a different set of handwriting: "PUREBLOOD STIFF IDIOTS."

Harry laughed. "This must have been Sirius. Only he would call his family stiff idiots."

"Who's Regulus Black?" Ron asked.

"Sirius' younger brother," Harry replied. "He was a former Death Eater but he was killed on Voldemort's orders when he tried to back out. He was the favorite son after Sirius left when he was sixteen."

"Nothing more to see here. Let's check the east wing," Hermione said. They left the tower and went down until they found the floor where that connected to the opposite section of the castle. They found themselves in a corridor similar to their own wing, but the rooms there were locked and wouldn't open even with a spell.

"This must be the master's wing. I presume we are staying in the guest wing," Hermione said. "They must have a library here somewhere."

"Trust Hermione to look for the library," said Ron. "When she finds it, I bet she's going to stay there all afternoon."

Harry agreed but they followed her to the end of the corridor where a staircase going to the next floor was located. Suddenly, Hermione went running up the stairs.

"What the bloody hell is she doing?" Ron asked.

"Maybe she's found the library. Come on, let's follow her."

They climbed the stairs, two steps at a time and found themselves in a dark corridor lit only by Hermione's wand.

"What did you run like that for?" Ron asked.

"Shhh!" she whispered. "I thought I saw someone. I heard a door creak. It must have gone to the tower."

Harry and Ron lit their own wands and walked quietly up the corridor. Finally, they came to the door that led to the eastern tower. She pointed her wand to the handle of the door to open it when something popped in front of her.

"Miss should not be here!"

It was Balder. He was quivering slightly with fright.

"Who's up here Balder?" Hermione asked.

"No one, miss. But mistress' friends should not be here. Very dirty and old. Not fit for young wizard and witch."

"But I thought I saw someone run up here."

"It is Balder, miss. Balder likes to close up old rooms before leaving. But rooms is very dirty, not good for seeing. Come down to tea miss. Mistress Tonks is there at drawing room now." He tugged at Hermione's robe.

"Come on, Hermione. Let's go down. This place is dark anyway," Harry said.

"But I don't think—"

"It's just the elf," Ron said. "Come on, let's just go. The stuff here is probably the same as the other side. Just rooms and an old tower. Besides, it's freezing in here."

Hermione reluctantly walked back with them. They found Lupin and Tonks having tea in the drawing room. There were several elves assembled near the fire place waiting for orders. Hermione was immediately drawn to them.

"You're here," Lupin said. "Tonks had the elves ready. We'll be leaving after tea. Sit down and have a cup."

Harry and Ron eagerly took their tea but Hermione hardly touched hers. She was busy talking to the young elves that didn't reply but nodded or shook their heads at her questions.

When they were all set to go, Balder held out a large pot full of floo powder. Lupin went first followed by Hermione and the younger house-elves. Balder offered to go last after Harry and Ron. He looked sadly at the room as if he was missing it already.

"You will be alright after this Balder," Tonks reassured him as she entered the fireplace. "After the construction, you and your family can come back here and live. I'm sure Harry and Ron won't be selling the house and you do have a good life here without a master, right?"

Balder's eyes went wide but he hurriedly nodded.

"See you in Godric's Hollow then." Tonks took the floo powder and was gone. Harry and Ron got in after her.

"Godric's Hollow!" Harry shouted as he dropped the powder. He felt the familiar spinning, but before his vision of the Castle left he saw a strange sight: Balder was hitting himself with the pot of floo powder.