Harry Potter and the Jacobite Elves
Rating: M
Summary: Harry takes possession of the Black family's castle in the Highlands of Scotland. Up to and amidst the celebration of Hogmanay (New Year's), he discovers that there is some very old business to attend to.
Disclaimer:
I have not claim to characters or scenes from the Harry Potter series, which belongs to JK Rowling and associates. I get nothing from this except the enjoyment of imagining and writing the story. I am making no money from this (rats).
Taking Possession
Harry Potter stood in front of a craggy mountain in the Scottish Highlands, and prepared to make a declaration. He had practised the Gaelic battle cry of the Blacks, and if he didn't get the declaration correct, he would lose this part of his inheritance.
He had received letters from Gringott's bank informing him regarding his inheritances, both from his own family as well as from Sirius Black (his godfather). On his adulthood, he received his inherited wealth from both family line (as sole heir of both Sirius, and from his natural family) ending up with (as Ginny Weasley summarized it) 'More money than God'. This included an incredible amount of wealth, in cash, business investments, property (both land and buildings, and associated house elves), and incidentally he became the titular head of two 'Ancient and Noble Houses'. As such, he held authority over a number of fiefdoms around the world, as well as ex officio positions on several official organizations such as the Wizengamot and the Ministry of International Wizarding Sports (the authority over quidditch and other magical activities).
He spent a good deal of the summer following the battle, travelling to his various properties. He took Hermione, Ron and Ginny Weasley along on these trips. Ron and Hermione were at loose ends as well, and Ginny was invited both as a friend and possible future companion. In this way, if Harry and Ron wanted to go off and do something, Hermione was not left entirely on her own, and if Ron and Hermione wanted some time together, Harry was not left to mope on his own either. Ginny was good company, having a good sense of humour, and a shared interest in quidditch so that Ron had someone to talk to if Harry and Hermione wanted to do something together (like having a more intellectual conversation, or just sit and read books together). As part of the property titles, Harry had the apparition coordinates, so that the three older folks could apparate to each, and one could do a side-along with Ginny (as she had not yet got her apparition license). Often one would go ahead to a property which had been unoccupied for some time, and activate its floo system, and then the others could arrive and leave at will.
This travelling also gave Harry and Ginny time to see whether they could make up for lost time. Her parents were a bit reticent on the travelling arrangements, even though Ginny was now an adult in the wizarding world, but as they had been dreaming of this match for a long time, and if nothing else, Ron and Hermione could be counted on as chaperones (to a degree) and Harry was the most honourable 'kid' they knew.
Before they left on their travels, Molly did take Ginny aside, and remind her of the old Yiddish saying that Jewish (and all other) mothers teach their daughters, which translates roughly as 'No Wedding, No Bedding' (actually, more crudely). As Ginny knew for a fact that Molly had taken Arthur into her bed by the time they were both sixteen (a year younger than Ginny herself), Ginny thought this advice a little hypocritical, and as all daughters before her, Ginny planned to ignore it. Of course, this is exactly what Molly expected (as she had long hoped and planned that Ginny and Harry would get together), because the most effective way to get a teenager to do something is to tell them not to.
Harry's financial adviser at Gringott's had (for an appropriate fee) made arrangements with the staff at Castle Black, had arranged tutors to teach Harry the proper Gaelic pronunciation, and identified the exact location where Harry was to stand when delivering his speech.
Harry raised his arms pointing his hands towards two peaks of the mountain, which vaguely resembled the horns of the dragon he had out-flown in the Tri-Wizard tournament in fourth year at Hogwarts. Given his purpose at the moment, he suspected that this resemblance was not accidental.
The young man called out in a clear voice, "I am Harry James Potter, Lord Potter, Lord Black, and the Chief of Clan Dubh. I claim my rights and take possession of this castle. I swear allegiance to Clan Dubh, and as Chief, I swear to serve as Great Steward of the lands of Clan Dubh and to serve my clansfolk with the honour due to them all. Éirich Dubh!
Hermione explained to Ron (who was puzzled by this declaration) that 'Dubh' means Black in Gaelic, and the battle cry meant "Arise, Black".
Harry must have got it right, because the disillusion charm faded and a massive castle appeared out of the mountain mists, nestled in the curve of the hill. Two high towers appeared instead of the two "dragon horn" peaks. The Castle's walls were smooth and in good repair. A stately manor house stood within the great stone walls.
An elderly house elf, a middle-aged man and a woman approached Harry from the castle. More elves, mostly younger ones, some humans and a very tall woman stood in the entranceway to the castle, observing the proceedings. A couple of older elves stood at the sides of the entrance, holding swords vertically, as if standing 'on guard'.
Hermione stiffened at this concentration of elves, but was amazed by the fact that they were all wearing formal tartan livery, and not baggy pillowcases. The humans and the tall woman were also in livery.
The most senior of the house elves and two humans, a man and a woman, stood in front of Harry. The man had a grizzled beard and hair and was wearing a kilt and a tweed jacket, while the woman wore a long tartan skirt in the same tartan as the rest of the group. The elderly elf bowed. He said, in a very formal tone, "Welcome, my Chief, to your home and seat." The rest of the group bowed to Harry as well.
Hermione was dumbstruck, as it was obvious that this elf was the one in charge, not the humans!
Harry formally answered, "I thank you for your welcome. I serve the Clan. Who else serves Clan Dubh?"
The elderly elf bowed again, "I serve that Clan and you. The Clan serves you and yours. In return, you are the Great Steward of the Clan."
Harry bowed to the elf, and declared "I am the Great Steward, and I gladly take on the responsibilities of that office". Harry then smiled and relaxed. "Thank you. I'm glad that that is over with. I am Harry Potter. Please call me Harry. May I ask your name, sir?"
The elf was a bit startled by being addressed as 'Sir', and by being requested to address his Lord by his given name. He said, "Aye, my laird, ah.., Harry. My name is Hamish, the same as your sire. I remember him well when he visited with young Mr. Black. A good lad."
Harry looked puzzled "My dad's name was James, not Hamish".
The elf smiled, with a twinkle in his eye, "That's the sassonach version of the old name. We prefer the proper form."
Harry laughed. He extended his hand, and shook the hand of the elf. "I am very pleased to meet you, Hamish. I gather you are the chief elf of the castle."
Hamish nodded. "Aye, that I am, and more. I have been the principal servant this last half century, having succeeded my sire in the honoured post."
Hermione, who had spent the last several years fuming about elves (like Dobby) showing deference to the point of being obsequious, with Hamish referring to himself as a servant, asked "Are you elves all bound to the castle?" She hated the essential enslavement of some house elves she had seen, and was committed to freeing them from their bondage.
Hamish looked very shocked! "Nay, lassie! We are bound, not to the castle, or to the young Laird here, but by our oaths of fealty to the Clan. Human, elf, and others, we are free peoples of Clan Dubh! I myself gave my oath the year the Bonnie Prince went awa'". He paused, and thought for a second. He turned to Harry and asked formally, "My Lai..., excuse me. Harry. May I ask you to introduce me to your Lady and your companions?"
Hermione blushed, prettily, at this description.
Harry smiled, "Certainly, Hamish. May I introduce my good friend and sister-in-arms, Miss Hermione Granger."
Hamish bowed low. "I am most honoured to make your acquaintance, Miss Granger, or may I say more properly, Lady Hermione. I hear that you are acquainted with the conditions of some of my folk to the south. I have heard of your efforts on their behalf, and your knitting of the wee tams for them. I assure you, here, we follow old Highland law. We have always been a free folk, bound only by our oaths of loyalty, freely taken. Service is the way of my folk, and proud we are of it! I ken that many of my folk in the south serve by their own choice, but that some are legally bound to their families and their houses, and are treated no better than slaves. Although some of your efforts are unwelcome, I ken that you have a good heart and are doing this from kindness and respect for their honour."
Hermione was stunned. This elf had talked back to Harry, his supposed master. She was being simultaneously praised and rebuked by this old elf. She had never heard an elf speak ill of a human. These were a different kind of elf than she had ever met before. She asked, "May I ask why you addressed me as 'Lady Hermione'?"
Hamish bowed, "By your exploits and as a holder of the Order of Merlin, my Lady, you bear the equivalent of a high knighthood among the non-magical. I assume the lad by your side is Sir Ronald Weasley, and lassie wi' him is his sister, the Lady Ginevra Weasley."
Harry bowed again to the elf, "Hamish, you are correct, and I present them to you." Ginny and Ron bowed to the elf, both blushing at the honour and high esteem he demonstrated.
Harry asked "Hamish, would you please introduce me to your companions?"
Hamish bowed again, "Certainly, my Laird, aa... Harry. This young lassie is Lady Morag Stuart, your head gillie, or you would say game-keeper. This lad is Dr. Jock McGregor, the steward of the estate." As Lady Morag and Jock both looked to be in their later thirties to mid-forties (given Jock's grey beard and the numerous strands of silver in Morag's auburn shoulder-length hair), Hamish's description brought a smile to their faces. Harry guessed that, given the long life span of the elves, anyone with less than a century under their belt was a spring chicken to them.
As Hamish introduced Lady Morag, it was obvious to Harry that both she and Hamish were watching Harry's reactions very carefully. When Harry did not seem to react in any particular fashion, both visibly relaxed a bit. Having been under threat for most of his life, Harry noticed the suspicious looks, and the relaxation. He decided that this was something he needed to know more about.
Harry bowed to them and said, "I am pleased and honoured to make your acquaintance. I presume that we will speak further as you help me become familiar with the castle and its ways."
Hamish shivered with the breeze, and said, "There's nae reason to stand out here in the cold. We can finish the formalities inside with a warm fire, and a dram in your hands. Come, come." He led the group inside the castle.
The group stopped at the gateway into the manor house, which was the central building of the castle. Hamish turned to Harry and his friends, and spoke, "It is the custom in the Highlands not tae enter a hoose carrying concealed armament, but also to retain your personal protection. Jock, would you please show these young people what I mean?" McGregor came over and extended his right leg a bit. Visible in the top of his right knee sock was the traditional sgian dubh (the black dagger) as well as a wizard's wand. Jock withdrew another wand from his belt, and laid it on a rack on the table at the doorway.
Hamish said, "Harry, as Laird, you can chose the rules as you wish. However, I should let you know that this castle has been charmed such that you can perform any spell wandlessly, so that you dinnae need tae carry your wand indoors. The castle is protected by strong wards so that you should nae need your wand while inside its protection."
Harry thanked Hamish for this information, and placed his wand on the rack as well. Ron and Hermione drew their wands from their arm holsters and laid them on the rack as well. Ginny lifted her skirt as she drew her wand from her thigh holster and laid it on the table, then with a sideways glance at Harry with a saucy twinkle in her eye, she lifted her skirt high enough to flash her lacy slip and forest-green underpants, then smoothed her skirt down again.
Hamish turned to Harry, winked and said "Harry, I ken ye've got a saucy one there". They all laughed as Hamish led them into the great hall to finish up the paperwork.