Sold-Chapter 24-If You Give an Elf an Outfit

By Marmalade Fever

Two things were made apparent when Harry Potter discovered two immaculately dressed house-elves on Draco Malfoy's front stoop: 1) that something was definitely awry; and 2) that his suspicions were correct. Malfoy must have bought Hermione. Harry made very sure that there was no one watching before he took off his cloak, frightening the two. "Who did this to you?" he asked.

One of the elves gulped down a sob. "The boy, sir." For a moment, Harry thought they meant him. There was something familiar about this elf…

"Dobby?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"No, sir," the elf squeaked. "Dobby is Kobby's brother, sir."

Harry blinked at the sudden discovery. "Who is the boy?" he asked.

"Young Master Malfoy," Kobby supplied.

"Evander," the other elf hiccupped.

Harry had to pause to digest this information. "Is he… Draco Malfoy's son?"

"We think so, sir." They think so? What did that mean, exactly?

"And who's his mother?" Harry asked, rather interested to see which witch would actually stoop so low as to have a baby with the git of the century.

The two elves exchanged a look. "We believe," said Kobby, "he is the son of the frizzy-haired Mudblood." Harry stood, stalk still, fighting back a sudden dowse of nausea and faintness.

"Hermione Granger?" he barely whispered. The elves nodded. Harry felt dizzy. He'd seen hide nor hair of Hermione for fifteen years. Who knew? Maybe something had gone on between the two of them that he didn't know about. He did know that she had been captured, but that didn't mean that she couldn't have had a child before then. But why? What on Earth could have compelled her, or him, for that matter? Hermione would never… go to the dark side, would she? No, no, no. Certainly not.

The chain around his neck shifted and the locket reentered his thoughts. There were now two mysterious children. What did it all mean? His throat was tight as he asked the elves his next question. "Have you ever seen this girl?" he asked, opening the locket to show them the picture.

Kobby nodded his head vigorously. "She is helping the boy to free us, sir. She is the daughter of The Boy, sir."

"She is?" Harry asked, throat hoarse.

"According to her, sir," the elves replied.

"Please," Harry said, bending down so that he was eye-level with the elves, "tell me everything you know about these two children and Hermione Granger. But first, is your former master at home?" he asked.

"We is not seeing him since we is clothed, sir," said Kobby. "That was Thursday, sir." This meant very little to Harry. He could barely keep track of the day of the week anymore.

"And today is?" he asked, feeling foolish for doing so.

"Today is Saturday, sir."

"Has anyone left the house since you were put out?"

"No, sir." Kobby paused. "You is looking familiar, sir." Harry glanced down to see if his concealment charms were still working, but his skin was still olive-toned.

"Oh?" he asked.

"You is looking like a friend of the Master's, sir."

"Right," said Harry. "Now, please, what can you tell me about these children? How old are they?"

Kobby picked at a spot on his chin. "Young Master Evander is either ten or eleven, sir. Miss Lily is being maybe two years older. They is not being here for long, sir."

"How long have they been here?" Harry asked, his confusion only mounting.

"Master Evander is arriving a week and a half ago, sir, and Miss Lily is only coming on Wednesday." Well didn't that beat all? Malfoy and, supposedly, Hermione's son had only been introduced to the elves a week and a half ago? "Master is being very surprised to learn he had a son, sir," the elf chipped in.

"He was, was he?" Harry asked.

"Master is buying Miss Granger in order to figure out why he is having a son with her."

Harry's earlier fears were beginning to be put to rest. "So, they were never… a couple?" he asked, hoping the elves would be able to ease his pounding heart.

"Not that we is knowing, sir," the female elf replied. "Missy Granger is biting our poor master on the hand. He is not liking her very much. He is finding her offensive." Harry had to stifle a snort.

"How has she been treated?" he asked, sitting down on the porch.

"Master had a healer treat her, sir. Then we is bathing her and trimming her hair, sir. We is feeding her well enough. Master is being more pleased with her once she helped him solve the riddle, sir," Kobby said.

"They… solved the riddle?" Harry asked, intrigued.

"Master Evander is telling Kobby that he is from an alternate dimension, sir," said Kobby. Harry blinked.

"A what?" he asked.

"He is saying he is from a dimension where the Boy is winning the war, sir. He is saying that Master and Miss Granger is married there, sir." Harry felt a migraine setting in. Things were never straight-forward, now were they? "Master Evander and Miss Lily is receiving a letter from Dumbledore, sir. He is telling them how to get back, sir. We is thinking they might be home again, sir." Harry nodding, making up his mind that it was worth the risk to enter the house, if only to see if anyone was there. He rose and tried the door knob, eventually blasting it open with his wand.

…

Draco Malfoy strode towards Malfoy Manor, his counterpart at his side, grimacing. "I don't know why you want to see them so badly," shorthaired Draco said, groaning.

"They're our parents," Draco replied, getting very tired of his double very quickly.

"And they're horrid."

"Like Granger told you, back home Mother is ill."

"And you think that seeing her in good health will ease your guilt for abandoning her in your own world?" Draco glared at his counterpart, and continued walking with quick strides. "Or maybe you want to ask them a question."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Maybe, you want to know their opinion concerning the topic of daughters-in-law and grandchildren?"

"Shut up, will you?"

A.N.: I'm having a much easier time writing about Harry right now. I have a rough idea of what's going to happen in the story as a whole, but if anyone has any suggestions, let me know.