CH 18 Kreacher

Again, much thanks to FriendofMolly. This was a hard chapter for her to read, and she was much help in a couple of key areas.

Before they knew it fall of 2013 came around. Harry and Ginny again put Teddy on the train. Teddy had a group of friends his own age, boys and girls. Victoire had her own group as well. Victoire was spending time with a group of boys and girls her own age. Teddy had friends a class ahead as well as two classes behind. Both were excellent students and leaders. They saw a lot less of each other the end of the 2012-2013 school year, and it looked like that would continue. They still went to dances with each other, because as Teddy would say, "Otherwise I would have to choose a girl to go with, and that would break too many hearts." Teddy could say that partly in jest, and get away with it. Lots of girls did view Teddy as an excellent catch.

Victoire tried not to be a flirt, that was just her manner, but there were several boys that she did spend time with, never kissing but at least talking to them one on one.

This year Lucy Weasley was going for the first time, as well as Bob Hudson. Lucy was not near as shy as young Molly, although she did sit with Bob Hudson on the train ride, because he was a familiar face.

Harry's biggest problem was the attack at the ICWW. They still had no idea who wanted Albus dead, although the Lord of the Dementors was a good guess. Dementors were less of a problem in Great Britain and much of Western Europe because of the reforms Harry had advocated, but there were parts of the world where they were a huge problem.

The fall of two thousand and thirteen it became clear that the reforms in the farming that Solon and Sojourner had made were going to make the farms very profitable. There was enough money in what they were doing to employ a couple more families, and more house elves, and Harry purchased one of the Muggle farms across the road and another one a little further away. There were a couple of displaced families still struggling over fifteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts, but by moving them onto the farms, with lots of support and help, he was able to get them employed and at least closer to being healed.

Solon was a business elf, but Sojourner was the real farmer. Sojourner was pregnant in fall, with a baby due in February, but being pregnant didn't seem to slow her down much She and Neville became the key people determining what to plant and how to organize the farms. Young Frank and Roxanne tried to learn all they could from Neville and Sojourner all summer, and at school they would talk to Neville from time to time, getting one on one teaching about how to raise magical crops.

Meanwhile Solon was spending time at the Potter Estate Offices with Kreacher, and was spending quite a bit of time in the evening once or twice a week telling Harry what was going on with the Potter Estates, DPW, and the farms. Solon and Sojourner were also head elves at the whole Potter compound, taking charge of all the things between elves that the Magi never saw, and being the host and hostess elf for any parties in Potter's New Burrow or on the property, and since fall had also been the head elf family at Grimmauld Place when needed.

The first week in September Solon came to Harry and said, "We have a problem with Kreacher. He needs to retire, but there is no word for retire in Elfish."

"Can they invent a word, or just use the English word?" Harry asked.

"Maybe your son Albus can help us," Solon said. "He understands the subtleties of the Elfish language as well as any Magi."

So Harry, Albus and Solon went upstairs to the apartment where Kreacher, Azalea and Kevin lived.

Albus said, "Tell Kreacher he deserves an honorable retirement. Honor is not quite the right work, but it is as close as I know how to translate it. Dad, I still have a LOT to learn. Elfish is not easy."

Harry sat on the floor, and Albus and Solon stood next to him. Kreacher was in his little wheelchair. Harry said, "Kreacher, it is time for you to have a well-deserved and honorable retirement."

"Is no honor in not serving your master," Kreacher said. "Is not possible to think this way."

Albus and Kreacher talked, and Solon joined in. Finally Solon said, "You and Kreacher had many long talks when you were working with Mr. Bill Weasley to get Tom Riddle's money. He feels he really knows you, and knows what you want. It is just hard, it is so different than the ways Elves, and especially old house elves, think."

Harry said, "I do not want you to feel bad, Kreacher. I would never banish you, throw you away. You will always be a most loved house elf."

Kreacher said, "Is here because of Kevin, and Azalea, need me. Azalea's mind not so good. Kreacher knows you want Kevin to live, and he needs Azalea, and she needs me. Is all I can do. Is no way to stop being your head house elf, but I must."

Harry said, "Then I order you to stop being my head house elf. Turn over all your duties, responsibilities, all that you have to leave to someone, to Solon. Your job is to take care of Azalea, and Kevin, and to love them as I love them."

Kreacher said, "I die to my job as your head elf, and accept my new job."

Albus said to his father, "Tell Kreacher what you are doing you are because you love him, and you are still his honored house elf. Tell him he will never be thrown away."

Harry said, "Kreacher, you know I love you."

Kreacher was crying, "To love a house elf is so subversive, so changing. Is so humbled and small to be able to accept such love. Thank you, Harry Potter, most noble friend of house elves and Goblins."

Harry said, "You may not be my head house elf, but you are still my most honored house elf, holder of the Order of Merlin first class, hero of the Battle of Hogwarts."

Kreacher nodded his head.

Harry said, "Please stay here, under my roof, in my house, always welcome and never thrown away or sent away, until the day you go to be with your ancestors."

"Thank you, Harry Potter," Kreacher said. "I tired. I need to sleep now."

As the three left Kreacher's room, Harry heard "Kreacher loves Harry, Thank you for being my not Master but friend family"

Harry, Albus and Solon went down the little staircase into the main part of Grimmauld Place.

The end of October Lily was flying over the pond, having for once gotten all her homework done. She spotted two people at the pond, and flew down to look closer. As she got closer she noticed a small body face down in the pond, and someone on a chair right next to it

She flew to the pond and pulled the cold body of Kevin, the elf, to the shore. She held Kevin upside down and hit his back. A little water came out. She breathed into his mouth, but there was nothing. She shook Azalea, but got no reaction. She flew as quickly as she could to the New Burrow, ran in the door, and said, "Grandmother, anyone, something horrible has happened by the pond. I think Kevin P/W is dead. Help!"

Molly came running, saying, "elves," as she ran, and together they ran to the pond. Before they could get to the pond several house elves were there. Within a few more minutes Eliza Doolittle and Florence were there.

Florence examined both bodies, and then said, "It looks like Azalea has been having small strokes, and she just had a big stroke and it killed her. I guess that Kevin just drowned when he was not being watched."

"We need to call Harry," Molly said. "We need to get Kreacher here." Molly sent a Patronus to Harry, who immediately dropped what he was doing and apparated to the pond.

"They are both dead," Molly said.

Florence said, "Azalea died of a stroke, and Kevin drowned."

Harry said, "Solon. Sojourner." The two elves appeared.

"We get Kreacher," said Solon, and he and Sojourner disappeared with a crack.

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy," said Lily, bawling. "Daddy, this is just horrible. Both of them. Oh, Daddy, I flew over the pond, and saw Kevin, and I tried to make him alive, and I shook Azalea, and Ohhhhhh, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, I want my Mummy."

Lily had not cried for her mother like that since she had been a very little girl.

"You found them?" Harry said.

Lily nodded yes, but just hung on to Harry and kept on crying, occasionally looking in horror at Azalea and Kevin.

Ginny appeared shortly after, walking out of the house with Mitzi by her side, moving as fast as she could. Lily spotted her and ran towards her, yelling, "Mummy, Mummy, oh Mummy, I found them, but I couldn't do anything. They are DEAD."

"You found them?" Ginny asked Lily, who was holding on to her and crying. Lily nodded yes. Harry led Ginny and Lily over to a bench, and Ginny sat down, Lily next to her with Lily's head on her shoulder. Harry had a flash back to Ginny resting her head on Molly's shoulder after the Battle of Hogwarts, and it was like another stab at his heart on what was becoming a tragic enough day.

There was a crack, and Solon and Sojourner were back, with Kreacher in the wheelchair between them. Kreacher was mumbling something to Solon in Elfish. By this time Albus had arrived, and he listened for a few minutes, occasionally saying something.

Albus came over to his father, crying, and said, "Kreacher says his job is finished. No more Kevin and Azalea to take care of. He wants to die and be buried next to Azalea and Kevin. He says he is many years older than his oldest sire, and it is way past his time. But he does not know how to ask. He says you have such a tender heart, you are such a good man, and he does not know how to ask."

Harry said, "Tell Kreacher that at this terrible time I would grant him anything he wants, even this. My heart will break no matter when he dies, and it is better to die at the right time than to fight for length of life for no purpose. I do not fear death, for myself, or for him."

"Does this mean we are going to lose Kreacher too?" Albus asked.

"Is that what Kreacher wants?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Father," Albus said.

"How can we deny him this?" asked Harry.

"I will tell him, in Elfish, in love, with loving words beyond what English can say," said Albus. And Albus went over, and told Kreacher, and Kreacher cried, and cried, and Albus cried with him.

Solon told Harry, "Albus is such a good person, good beyond the ability of English language to tell. What he told Kreacher; he told with such love, makes all the Elves cry."

Albus came back to his father. "Go and hug Kreacher, Dad," Albus said.

Harry went over to Kreacher. "Best master in the world," Kreacher said. "You give us permission to cry. You order us to have fun. It is hard, but we is better for it. Thank you."

"It is your day, Kreacher," Harry said.

"I say good byes now," said Kreacher. "We all cry, because good master gives us permission."

Harry saw a long line of Elves, and at their head John and Mary Rivendell and several generations of their family. A number of house elves from Hogwarts followed, and finally many of the house elves of the Potter/Weasley family. The whole procession took almost three hours.

Lily held on to Ginny, crying, for most of the time. Harry sat next to James, who had tears near the surface. And Albus stayed next to Kreacher, listening to everything that was said, and shared in many tears as the house elves came by.

Rose went over to Albus for a time, but finally came over to Harry, and said, "I don't see how Albus can stand it! So much love, so much tragedy, so much joy and sorrow. My heart is not big enough for what I am hearing." Rose sat next to Harry and James, and cried and cried.

Finally Albus came over to Harry. "Kreacher has one more favor, Daddy. Pick up Kreacher from his wheelchair and lay him next to Kevin, so Kevin will have his parents by his side."

Harry went over to Kreacher and picked up the little elf, a much lighter elf that the one he had known. He lay Kreacher down beside Kevin, and Kreacher said, "Thank you, Harry Potter, I go now." The little elf closed his eyes and stopped breathing.

Florence went over, touched her wand to Kreacher's chest, and said, "He is gone."

Solon went over to Harry and said, "Elves plan for Kreacher's death. Never we think it will be so tragic. We bury him tomorrow. Today, private. Tomorrow, public. Get all the papers."

A rather subdued Potter/Weasley family went back to the New Burrow for dinner. After dinner Solon came back with plans for the next day.

"The Potter family come with Elves, to Hogwarts," Solon said. "We get Fletcher and Lily. We get the heads of Kreacher's ancestors. Then we go to Shell Cottage Shrine, and we bury Kreacher and his family next to Dobby.

The next day Harry and his family was at Hogwarts as the Hogwarts house elves reverently unearthed the two little bags containing the bodies of Kreacher and Azalea's first two children. They then went to Shell Cottage, the original Shell Cottage, which had been turned into a shrine to Dobby, and to Harry and Bill and their families.

Behind the original tomb stone for Dobby was a much larger monument, with words on it in English and Elfish. The Elfish was much longer than the English.

Next to it was a much larger stone with the names of all the elves buried next to Dobby, and a much larger monument, because Kreacher's story was longer, and he had a family. All of the heads were buried, and their names were mentioned. The elves took care of the heads, and dug the grave. After they put Kreacher, Azalea, and the three children in the grave Solon came over to Harry and said, "Throw in the first dirt, please."

Harry took a handful of dirt and threw it in the grave, saying, "Good bye for now, Kreacher. We meet on the other side, with my parents, with Dobby. It is your time to be happy, and have fun."

After the funeral service was over, after a large dinner, Harry, Ginny, and Albus, Rose and Hermione went over to the site. There were a number of elves there, but they stood aside so the Magi could come close and read what was written.

Albus asked his father, "Dobby was your house elf?"

"I don't think so," Harry said. "He was a free house elf."

"Where would he have lived if he had not died?" asked Albus. "I bet you would have let him live at Grimmauld Place, if he had asked."

"Of course, I would have," Harry answered.

"Your love was what changed Dobby from 'free, abandon,' which is one phrase in elfish, to 'free to be with owner who love/like, people to serve." He served you out of love, but only because you loved him back."

They went over to the other stone. Albus said, "I didn't realize that Azalea had six miscarriages trying to have a child for Harry. She lost her health trying to serve her master."

"We had no idea!" a horrified Ginny said. "Poor Kreacher, poor Azalea. They could never tell us all their troubles."

And Harry hugged Albus, and Rose. "Thank you for being friends with the Elves. Your knowledge of Elfish is very important."

Hermione said, "I am so grateful that Magi are beginning to understand Elves, and Elves are being treated better. It is all just a lot more complicated than I thought when I wanted to just free the house elves."