Briar was happy that she was finally home. She was not as ready for the stream of questions from her brother. She watched him, with the wide-eyed elves, as he didn't stop to even breathe, she had a brief flashback of a close friend, and her heart was hurting. Lightly massaging her chest over her heart, she watched his face getting red and redder.
"Breathe."
"Gasp."
"I will tell you what I can. I still have a few things that need to get done before we can have a proper sit-down." Briar looked to Death, seeing him sleeping in the large love chair by the fire, a cup of tea beside him and a blanket thrown over him. A few books and paper were piled on the small coffee table.
Briar could see where Harry had snooped and found a few harmless books, parchment, ink, and a quill. He was trying to learn to write so he could take note of what Briar was thinking when she looked at the picture. Seeing as he was done gathering his air, she turned to the waiting elves, smiling softly at their wide-eyed looks.
Briar led the elves to a simple ritual circle, used to bind more than two elves at a time. The elves looked a little nervous. Until they heard the old English binding, pretty much giving them free rein over the property. Still in a servant/master bound but with more leeway for the elves. It protected them more, keeping Briar or anyone from truly hurting them but she would always protect them. They could use magic freely and they were tasked with taking initiative when it came to tasks around the property, giving them a home not just a job.
All the elves didn't know what to think, Briar gave them a moment to explain what happened to Harry.
"Well, where would you like to start? Slowly one at a time so I can answer. I can only do a few for now, I swear I think you may go into Ravenclaw now." Briar said after getting the elves settled into the sitting area, still stunned by Briar's kindness, to talk. All the adults were too stunned to move while the kids were running around not knowing the rules. Briar just smiled at the little feet wobbling about, trying to not think about what his questions would be about.
Her past?
Why did she allow their-his- parents to die?
And so many more muddled her mind, so when he finally spoke, it took her a moment to answer. Not thinking that, that would be his question.
"What are they?"
"House-elves. They are creatures of magical origin, really unknown exactly, that have a symbiotic relationship with wixen. Meaning." Seeing his confused look, "that we benefit from working together. They do chores and I give them magic, is it in simple terms."
"Okay, they are like helpers, but more like-" Harry stopped himself not quite getting it.
"They are family, they have magic that is stronger than ours will ever be, but we can do so much more with ours. There is give and take with every species that has magic, no one is more powerful than another, we all have different talents. We will work together; you can call and ask them for help, but you have to be polite."
Briar thought for a moment to help him understand better. She sat for a heartbeat before a thought hit her. How the hell that didn't pop up first?
"Most wixen treat them like the Dursley's treat us. They have twisted the binding ritual. Mine is better now they get their magic through my bond with them." Briar said seeing the light click in his head, he nodded his long hair flopping about.
They spent the next few minutes going over the magical world and who they were in a bit more detail than Death could. Even he noticed the little differences. Briar told him that after she checks on a few people, if they come to live with them would change her plans a bit, but they would get tutors. But he knew the bare bones of what her plan was. Harry hoped they would, he seemed to think that the life Briar was trying to weave would lead to friends and family.
"Miss?" Briar heard a voice from the elves call. Looking over it seemed to be the older elf, the one with a 'wife' and the two elflings playing with the old rug.
"We likes to stay." Big ears flopping about.
"Wonderful! Come let me show you to our housing and if it's okay we can walk so you can get a feel, and I can also go over some rules if that's okay. You can give me some too or tell me if any I give are too strict, okay?" Briar could see all of them shifting around, some tugging on their pillow covers
"Look, this is new for both of us, okay. So, no one will be punished for making a mistake, just know that no one is perfect." Briar said looking everyone in the eye, seeing Harry's eyes mist up with tears. He needed to hear it also. Seeing them nod, smiling, she began.
"One, you will take breaks when needed, nothing you are doing on your time needs to be done quickly. That being said I will not stop if you look to be having fun.
Two, if someone, anyone, gives you an order you don't like to ask or don't do it. Use your judgment. You will not be punished.
Three, any items, clothes, toy, or anything given as a gift is not to release you but as a present for a good job or celebration. How you dress is a representation of this house so I would like you to dress well.
Four, I am a Peverell, which means I will be doing rituals. If that makes you uncomfortable you do not need to help but please do not judge me." Briar took a moment for everyone to hear as she walked down the long hallway to the kitchens.
"Five, you all will start school, either you go into the muggle world and take classes or self-learn. But you are living creatures of magic just as I am. You have the right to speak as well as any other.
Six, any holidays or things you need you will get. You all help me more that I could ever pay for, so if you see yarn you like. A blanket or trinket. I do not care what, Flippy will have the key to the vault, and he will get you either what you want or the money to get it." Briar finished as she made it to a doorway by the kitchens.
"This will be where you all are staying." She could see a few faces fall, Harry included. Briar just smiled as she opened her door. Peverell's took care of their house elves. So, their place was more like a tiny home.
Everything was elf seized, the door opened to a large entryway, each door into an apartment for each elf. It could be easily expanded if needed by pressing runes along the doorways in the hallway. Briar smiled as she watched the six elves run, seeing that they would really have homes.
"Wow."
"Trust Harry, trust me. I am not bad, I promise even if it may look like it." Briar softly said keep her hand low but opened her palm, offering. Harry looked for a moment, searching her eyes for a minute.
"You're my sister." Harry said with a finality that pushed a large weight off her shoulders. Briar had hoped that Death would explain the whole time-travel mix-up and her history well enough she would never have to remember. Harry seemed to understand that she was not ready to share everything yet and accept her anyway. She could feel her eyes fill with tears.
Later that night once everyone was settled in and sleeping. After lots of crying, cleaning, intruding, cooking, and eating. After many tears the elves got to work on a magic rush with the good environment. Briar couldn't stop them, she had waited, while they had a magic boost the manor needed a lot of cleaning and updating. It wasn't too long till the elves were sleeping.
As she began making her potion, thinking it was only three days since she woke up in the cupboard. While she had completed a few steps she still had more to do.
More to look into.
More steps she could do.
There were so many minor differences. While at the center it was the same there were still a few things that tripped her up at times. A few of the goblin greetings changed clans. Which is what tipped them off to what she was. She lost that bet.
Adding some quills crushed into a fine powder, stirred three times. Turning her thoughts to Harry, her brother. Twin. He is so accepting even after knowing the basics of the truth. Bare bones. However, it was enough for him to make a choice. And he chose her.
Smiling, she looked out to the full moon. Popping a mandrake leaf into her mouth, a few happier memories floated by her eyes. She set a sticking charm to keep it in place. Then she also set a few potions spells she learned outside of Hogwarts. Once she got a better teacher, one who wished to teach and didn't mind the questions behind everything.
Who was horrified and took her to the beginning, which was embarrassing till she learned. Briar was good at it. She would never be a potion master, but a potioneer. She could invent minor potions, but she could never make potions for sale or teach anyone. Only Masters could.
Briar loved inventing potions, spells, and rituals. Checking once more making sure everything would be fine, for the two weeks it was required to simmer, and the leaf needed to be in her mouth. Her potion, she never named it but was essential to become an Animagus fast. The normal way to become one took months and luck.
Which at the time she did not have.
Her potion only needs two weeks and that is it. No thunderstorm, lighting, or chanting. Nothing. Potion and leaf. It was easy to do when in hiding and didn't need any heavy monitoring while waiting the two weeks. Smiling as she made her way to the master bedroom. Briar smiled at it, the whole manor was full of bedrooms, and they picked the only master. Others had been turned into classrooms; this was the only one to survive.
Looking around she could see many changes that needed to be made, and if others came that meant more rooms. All of that needed money, Briar's heir vaults would only go so far, much had been spent on necessity. Sighing she just went and fell on the bed, soon someone was petting her hair.
Looking up, mostly so she could breathe. It was Death, still older and tired but he had a lot of color back.
"You look better." Briar whispered as she turned to lay more into him. Leaving him room to move away if he wanted.
"I am feeling it. The longer you are here the more this land comes alive." Death just moved so he could lean against the wall, hand still going through her hair. She knew she would need a real shower soon; cleaning charms only went so far after a while. She was also drained.
Briar forgot she was seven years old. Thankfully she seemed to have panned for a meltdown. The elves could handle the house and Harry, while none of the plans she had could be acted on till she had information.
Information she needs to get in her Animagus form, easier than standing around in the cloak and using spells. Which would leave traces that she was there. She also didn't know when it would come in handy later on. Briar also knew that people were looking for the two of them-
Flick
Death flicked her head hard, before going back to petting her hair.
"Ow..." Briar complained quietly as she rubbed her forehead.
"Stop, you may have a good resting bitch face, but when you are thinking hard you move your face around. If one knows you well enough, they can read your thoughts." Death's tone was a little snooty for Briar.
"Yeah well, you are always cold." She sounded like a child, even to herself.
"I am Death."
"I know, I just can't think of a better come-back right now. I am tired and used a lot of my magic. With my core needing rest as it is-" Briar stopped herself seeing what Death was doing.
"Fine, you win. I will rest and call on the elves for help."
"I have said nothing. But I shall praise you for such mature thinking at the age of six." Death said suddenly the curtains closed around her bed as a soft song seemed to start. The soft otherworldly lullaby relaxed her, she could not make out the words.
"What-"
"You said you would rest, and I believe Zeepy heard every word."
"Yes' I dids!" A high voice from the girl elves of the newly bonded pair.
"Crap."
"Master not bes sayings naughty words! I tells , I will." Zeepy threatened me with the older elf, Nip, mother of two elflings.
"Okay Zeepy, you win. I will listen to your wisdom." Briar said as she smiled, settling in for a long two weeks.
Briar was not wrong; it took the elves a week and a half to allow her to leave the bedroom. Not that she would ever tell them, but she felt a lot better. She was able to spend time cleaning up her Mindspace, and just resting her core.
"Flippy." Briar called her head elf the morning her potion was done, it was time. Flippy was assigned to be her personal elf, she had allowed them all to figure out who did what. Harry was assigned to Gandy. She didn't know if she liked the smiles from the two at that announcement. The others had jobs around the house while the little elves were growing fast and learning what they would like to do.
"Yes?" Flippy's low squeaky tone jumped her out of her thoughts about how good everything was going so far.
"I need you to follow me to my personal potions lab. I have keyed only you, Death, and I into them. Sometimes I will be working or have something delicate going on and I don't want everyone coming and going." Briar said as she led him to her lab.
"Have you worked around potions before?" Briar asked as she made a quick vile of her Animagus potion and added the leaf from her mouth. Slowly she swirled the potion around, waiting for it to change color to her magic.
"Yes, I have, Master."
"Is there any way I can get you all to call me anything but Master? Miss Briar? Briar? Hey you kid?" She asked as she floated down a potions case. She had made enough for anyone who would want to become one, maybe rules these are kids. Something to think on later.
"No."
"Fine." She did not like his smile; it was a little too sharp.
"Can you bottle the rest of this up for me? You don't have to clean up if you don't want to. I just need you here while I drink this." She held up the potion, now a swirling mix of gold and black.
"What will it do?"
"If I made it right. I did it from a memory before I set my mind right. There were a few gaps." Briar rambled a bit. Uncorking it, looking at the elf.
"Master?" Flippy asked.
"Bottoms up!"
"Master!" There was a large plume of grey smoke that filled the small room.
"Yous-Trouble! - I can't-" Briar watched the now large elf trying to lecture her, she was floating in a bubble of his magic.
Chitter
"I don't care if you need something!" Flippy hissed at her. She folded her small round ears down, curling her long body making herself look smaller. She turned her green eyes to him, making them big and innocent. Maybe she should have said it was safe. Worst is that you are covered in smoke for a moment. If it worked, like it did for Briar, the smoke would force you into your animal form.
"Not far. You can't look that cute." Flippy gently lowered her to the ground. She chittered as she ran around for a moment. Thankfully the mirror she had set up showed her she looked the same as before. So, she played with Flippy for the ten minutes she was stuck in the form.
"What animal are you?" Flippy asked once she was in human form again. Trying to catch her breath sitting on the cool stone.
"Irish stoat, melanistic." Briar panted as Flippy began to clean up the potions room better than she had been able to do.
"Mel-a-nist-ic?" Flippy slowly said, it was a hard word to get right.
"Meaning completely black. Al-bin-ism is the lack of color, so all white."
"But you have a patch of white along your throat to your head." Flippy pointed out.
"Mix of mental and physical trauma before the change. Scars or anything notable about is shown in your animal form." Briar thought of McGonagall and how her cat form looked to have glasses. Giggling a bit at the thought, she caught her elves white face as he stared at her.
"Oh, don't worry. It was a long time ago!" Briar spent the next few minutes calming him down enough so she could go over her plan with him. She was going to go check on a friend from her timeline in her animagus form. If everything is okay she will leave. Unless she is showing signs of a lot of magic outbursts then she will intervene.
"Are you sure about this, Master?" Flippy asked once more, before they were to leave. It was the weekend but close to the start of the school year. So she should be in London, and with a weekend barring an emergency they all should be home. Flippy popped her close to where she remembered her bushy hair friend living in Hampstead Garden Suburb.
"Just call, Flippy will be waiting." Flippy whispered after watching Briar transform, she gave him her best sault before scampering off into the hedges. Thankfully she had been close, it had only taken her two hours of hedge jumping and road crossing.
"Hermione don't stay outside reading all day!"
"I won't!"