I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Extended Family
Chapter 61 – House Elf Havoc
Starts some time after chapter 141 of Family.
"Hey thanks for clearing up all those boxes, I appreciate it."
Harry blinked at Katie a few times. "I uh, I was getting to it today. It's already all cleared?"
Katie blinked back. "Uh…yes?" She and Harry walked to the closet and looked inside. The pile of boxes and random packaging that was there the previous day was completely gone. Everything was organized and clean. "You're telling me that you didn't do this?"
"No, I really didn't." He looked around carefully. "And I know my clothes weren't this organized earlier."
"Mine either," Katie said. She frowned. "That's unsettling."
"Do you think the Mums snuck over and did this?"
She shook her head. "Mum gave up on cleaning after me and Lyla ages ago. And AndiMum wouldn't know how I organize things either. Did she clean up for you in Grimmauld ever?"
"Like help in the kitchen and sitting rooms sure but never my bedroom." Harry cast a few charms. "I'm getting some magical residue but that could just be clothes that have charms on them. That's really weird."
"None of our friends would do this," Katie said slowly.
"I'm pretty sure I don't sleep-clean," Harry joked.
"I sure hope not," Katie giggled. "Uh, well this is a building that's had magicals living in it for ages right? Maybe leftover magic that does this sort of thing?"
"Does that happen?"
"It could I suppose." She looked around carefully. "I'm not missing anything. If someone came in to mess with stuff, they'd steal something I'd think."
"I guess we can just try to keep an eye open for future weirdness." He noticed her staring at him. "What?"
"I'm keeping an eye on you for future weirdness," she smiled. She squealed when he tickled her.
-0-
"Everything okay?" she asked.
"Something weird is going on," Harry said. He was going through the cabinets in the kitchen. "Some of the things I was low on are filled. I was writing out a grocery list and I know for a fact that I was running low on caster sugar and some spices but they're full now."
Katie frowned. "Okay, so not only are we not missing things, we have things replaced. Yeah that's weird."
"Hedwig?" Harry called out.
Hedwig came fluttering over from her roost, landing neatly in front of him.
"You haven't noticed anyone here that shouldn't be, have you?" he asked. "Someone that might be cleaning and filling things inexplicably?"
Hedwig shook her head.
"If someone broke in, we'd find evidence of Hedwig clawing them up," Katie said.
Hedwig nodded emphatically, tapping her talons on the kitchen counter.
"Thanks Hedwig," Harry said, rubbing her head. "I have no idea what's going on but I'll throw up some new wards and spells to see if we can catch whoever is doing this."
"I guess it could be worse," Katie mused. "We could be missing things and be pranked."
"True," he admitted.
-0-
"Hey Sirius, random question, does Grimmauld have old magic that does things on its own?"
Sirius set his goblet aside. "Wards mostly. Especially around the older rooms with the more dangerous or volatile magics."
"Are there cleaning or organizing spells that last and do that?"
"Not usually. Those kinds of household charms need to be reapplied on the regular. You can use permanent charms or certain runes to keep things in a certain place like that troll leg stand. But otherwise, none that I can think of. Why do you ask?"
Harry and Katie described the things they noticed in their flat.
"That certainly is odd," Andromeda said, sipping from her teacup. "Your flat is not that old and should not be saturated in that kind of magic."
"Who breaks into a place to organize and buy groceries though?" Sirius mused. "I'd be messing with you if I broke into your place." He rolled his eyes at Andromeda's glare. "If, I said, if I broke into their place."
"Hmm, oh wait, House Elves are very sensitive to magics in a building. Kreacher?" Andromeda called out.
Kreacher appeared with a pop. "Yes, Mistress Andromeda?"
"Are there any permanent or recurring household cleaning charms in Grimmauld?"
"No Mistress. Mistress Walburga never cared for what Mistress deemed 'useless magic'."
"Yeah, that tracks," Sirius snorted. "I wonder if there's any in your Skye flat."
"There is none that Kreacher could feel," Kreacher said.
"That's good, must be something else then," Katie said, frowning slightly in thought.
"Wait, hold on, when have you been to our flat in Skye?" Harry asked.
"Last week," Kreacher stated.
Everyone stared at him.
"What were you doing at Skye?" Sirius asked, gobsmacked.
"What would Kreacher be doing at Master Harry and Mistress Katie's place of residence?" Kreacher asked, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Being proper House Elf of course."
"You've been cleaning our flat?" Katie asked, eyes wide.
"Not often. Master Harry is very stubborn about letting poor Kreacher be proper House Elf," Kreacher grumbled.
"I've never asked you to come and clean," Harry said weakly.
"Of course not. Master Harry should not be asking Kreacher, Master Harry should be telling," Kreacher muttered.
"You are a peer of the Blacks as well as Sirius' godson," Andromeda said, smiling. "I think that is how Kreacher circumvents the usual procedure."
"And have you been refilling things in the pantry?" Katie asked. She breathed a sigh of relief at his nod. "That's a huge load off my mind. I was legitimately wondering what was going on."
"Thank you, Kreacher," Harry said, "but you really don't need to do that."
"Kreacher wishes to," the House Elf muttered. "Kreacher is ashamed to only do so occasionally but Kreacher knows Master Harry would be bothered if Kreacher does it more often."
"Right, but really, thank you and we appreciate it," Harry said.
Kreacher bowed and popped away.
"Well, that solves that then," Andromeda snickered.
"I know House Elves want to do those things but has any ever done it so…sneakily like that?" Harry asked, faintly embarrassed.
"Not that I know of and Kreacher typically does the minimum with me." Sirius snorted and refilled his wine. "Then again, he actually likes you so there's the difference."
"He's treating you better with you treating him better," Harry said.
"That's true," Sirius admitted.
"Though you are not wrong, I have never heard of anything like this," Andromeda chuckled. "A House Elf sneakily cleaning and caring for another's home without being asked or ordered too. Especially a cantankerous one at that."
"Stranger things have happened I suppose," Sirius snorted.
"Should we ask him not to do it anymore?" Katie asked.
"No, then he'll do it out of spite and be even more creative somehow," Harry said ruefully. "If he's only doing it occasionally, then I'm okay with it, I think. At least this way he's a bit more reserved."
"As far as you know," Andromeda said ominously with a wide grin.
-0-
Years later
"Oh she is absolutely darling," McGonagall sighed, looking down into the bassinet. "Hello little one, you are so beautiful, yes you are!"
"You're such a softie, McGonaMum," Harry grinned.
"Do not go around telling anyone," she said, her slightly sharp tone ruined by the broad smile on her face.
"You can pick her up," Katie smiled.
"I do not need to be told twice." McGonagall gently lifted the baby out of the bassinet and cooed softly at her. "Such a sweet girl. Dahlia is a lovely name as well." She sat on the couch and cradled Dahlia carefully and fondly. "Such expressive eyes."
"They're so beautiful," Katie agreed.
Harry was about to wax poetic on Dahlia's beauty before pausing, staring past the women and the baby.
"What's wrong, love?" Katie asked, noticing his odd expression.
"I thought I saw something strange," Harry said slowly. He rose from the couch and looked towards the kitchen. He saw the salt cellar and sugar box moving back and forth on the counter, constantly changing positions. "Anyone else seeing that?"
"Yeah…" Katie stood up too. "What in the world-wait. I hear something."
Harry tilted his head, trying to focus on the sound. "Kreacher?" He nearly jumped when a sharp crack preceded the House Elf's appearance.
"Master Harry!" Kreacher said urgently. "Expel the interlopers!"
"The inter-what now?" Harry asked, confused. A pair of large cracks made him jump this time and Inky and Fanny appeared, looking indignant.
"We is good House Elves!" Inky said loudly.
"Not interlopers!" Fanny said severely.
"Inky? Fanny? What are you doing here?" McGonagall asked, shocked. "I did not ask for your assistance at this time."
"We is here on Hogwarts business," the two Hogwarts House Elves said together.
"This is purely a social call however," McGonagall said, confused.
"But you is visiting Nest Hair-" Inky said.
"Master Harry!" Kreacher cut in angrily.
"And Nest Hair is part of Hogwarts!" Fanny squeaked loudly.
"So we come to help Nest Hair and Butter Hair because we is good House Elves," Inky said.
"Master Harry and Mistress Katie are part of the Blacks and Kreacher is the Black House Elf!" Kreacger declared loudly.
"Do…do we really have three House Elves arguing about cleaning our flat right now?" Katie asked. "When none of them belong to us technically?"
"I'm surprised Dobby isn't here honestly," Harry said, smiling at the absurdity of it all.
"Dobby would be but Dobby was busy," Inky said. "Dobby made Inky and Fanny swear to take good care of Nest Hair and his family."
"We is also wanting to meet Nest Hair's little!" Fanny said.
At Harry's and Katie's gesture, the two House Elves leaned over Dahlia in McGonagall's arms. They cooed at her, their eyes bright. The baby giggled and laughed, reaching out for their ears and clapping her hands at the noises they made.
"This is too cute," Katie sighed. "Dahlia's charmed literally everyone she's met."
"She's pretty awesome," Harry said proudly. "Inky, Fanny, you two are welcome to visit but you really don't have to clean or do anything here. Technically Kreacher shouldn't be helping us either-"
"Kreacher is only House Elf needed," he said imperiously, glaring at the other two House Elves.
"Bah! We is knowing Nest Hair before you!" Inky sniffed.
"Only because bad master is bad master!" Kreacher said angrily.
"Kreacher calls master bad?! He is not proper House Elf!" Fanny said, waggling a long thin finger.
"If you met bad master, you would agree," Kreacher snorted. "Kreacher is part of the Ancient and Noble House of Blacks! Only proper House Elf is part of the Blacks!"
"I have seen many things but I have never seen something quite like this," McGonagall said wryly. She watched the three House Elves continue to argue. "They have never done something quite like this before."
"Things just sorta happen to me," Harry sighed.
"Indeed," McGonagall said dryly. "Of course, this means that you are needed to teach at Hogwarts.
"How did you come to that conclusion?!"
"Hogwarts House Elves obey Hogwarts as a whole. Sure, they listen to the staff but they are also freely able to ignore said staff if they do not believe it is in the interests of Hogwarts itself." She gave Harry a look. "Seeing how they are so willing to come to you, well, I think you can see the conclusion I am drawing."
Harry rolled his eyes at her. "That's some farfetched reasoning and you know it."
"I am sure little Dahlia would love to have her father at the school to teach her," McGonagall cooed at Dahlia.
"That's dirty," Harry snorted.
"Is it working?"
"I mean, she's just a baby! It'll be a very long time before she's at Hogwarts."
"Yeah. Harry needs to win at least one European League championship and at least one World Championship before he quits Quidditch and becomes a teacher," Katie said seriously.
"He will have eleven years to attain that goal," McGonagall said. "Do not forget, I have vested interest in seeing Pride of Portree dominate the UK League and would be more than happy to see the European League patch on his uniform and the World Badge in his possession."
"Eleven years is doable," Katie said thoughtfully.
"I'm not so sure I like you two planning out my future like this!" Harry protested.
"We are merely showing considerable faith in your abilities," McGonagall sniffed.
"Yeah, what she said," Katie grinned.
Dahlia began to fuss a little.
"Thank you, baby," Harry said, taking her from McGonagall. "I'm glad to see someone here who's on my side!" Dahlia gurgled happily when Harry held her, wriggling comfortably in his arms. "Let's go get you something to eat while these two scheme."
McGonagall snorted but she wore a soft expression when Harry walked off with Dahlia, murmuring softly to her. "He is excellent with her."
"He's so good with her. It's funny, he had a little practice with Hadley and Hailey before Dahlia was born but he really took to being a father." Katie smiled proudly. "I'm so lucky."
"As is he," McGonagall murmured softly.
"So, uh, what do we do about this?" Katie asked, gesturing at the three Elves who had not stopped arguing the entire time.
"House Elves are incredibly stubborn and I have found that sometimes you simply must let them work things out on their own," McGonagall said.
"Only Harry could not personally own a House Elf and yet have three fight over him," Katie giggled.
"Four. Now that the other two have mentioned it, Dobby did look rather put out for some reason today before I left the school," McGonagall smiled.
"Four then." Katie shook her head. "Simply incredible."
"At least if they come to blows, they will clean up after themselves," McGonagall laughed.
-0-0-0-
1529 - Growing up, I never had turkey on Thanksgiving. My family did other things, so whenever school lunch had it I really liked it. I plan on doing a small one for myself for Christmas. Thank you for reading.
alix33 - The fond is the dark brown bits that develop in the pan when you sear meat in it. When you deglaze a pan, you are dissolving the bits into the liquid and it adds a lot of flavor to the resulting sauce or gravy.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Big gobble energy from the Gigantes.
