Harry Potter's Pen Pal

Chapter 5

 Harry was gathering books from the Potter library for school when he heard sobbing.

"Hello?" he asked cautiously.

The sobbing stopped, and a house-elf came into view.

"Master Black's brat called?" the elf asked hoarsely.

He was a bit bigger than Dobby, and much older. Unlike the younger house-elf, this one had no hair, was wrinkled, and had a permanent scowl on his face. His eyes were also red, as if he'd been crying for some time.

"My name is Harry," Harry said, in a surprisingly gentle tone. He crouched so he was at the same level as the elf. "What's your name?"

"Kreacher's name is Kreacher."

"Why are you crying?" Harry asked softly.

Kreacher scowled. "None of Master Black's brat's business, it is."

Harry raised an eyebrow, then pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket. The elf froze.

"You don't belong to me, Kreacher, so I can't free you," Harry pointed out, wiping the tears from the elf's face. "And I wasn't going to give you this handkerchief anyway. It belonged to my mother." The cloth magically cleaned itself and Harry put it back in his pocket. "What's wrong?" he asked again.

The elf's face screwed up in pain. After a long pause, he whispered, "It is the date Kreacher lost his master."

Harry was silent for a moment, then said, "You mean Regulus?"

Kreacher nodded, another sob escaping him.

"Can I ask what happened?" Harry said gently.

The elf stared at Harry for a long moment, then sat down with a plop.

"Fifteen years and three weeks ago," Kreacher croaked, "Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see Kreacher. Master Regulus said... he said..." He began to rock back and forth, and Harry reached out and gripped the elf's hand. Kreacher blinked, then continued.

"...he said that the Dark Lord required an elf."

Harry frowned. If Marvolo was the cause of this elf's pain, he was going to hex the idiot into oblivion.

"Master Regulus had volunteered Kreacher," Kreacher whispered. "It was an honor, said Master Regulus, an honor for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do... and then to c-come home.

"So Kreacher went to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord did not tell Kreacher what they were to do, but took Kreacher with him to cave beside the sea."

Harry's eyes widened. "By any chance did this cave have a lake full of Inferi?" he asked cautiously.

Kreacher's eyes widened. "Yes, Master Harry."

"Marvolo," Harry grumbled under his breath. "Sorry, Kreacher, you can continue," he added at a normal volume.

"The Dark Lord took Kreacher to a little island..."

"He tested the potion on you," Harry guessed in irritation. Kreacher stared at him again, then nodded. Harry groaned. "For Merlin's sake. He could have used ⎯ I swear, I'm going to hex him."

"Does Master Harry serve the Dark Lord?" Kreacher frowned.

Harry snorted derisively. "No, Kreacher. I don't serve anyone. Did he hurt you?"

Kreacher shivered. "Kreacher was not hurt."

"Continue with the story, then," Harry sighed.

"After Kreacher drank the potion, the Dark Lord put a locket in the basin and refilled it with more potion. And then the Dark Lord sailed away, leaving Kreacher on the island."