82

CHAPTER EIGHTY TWO:

After the trials of that day had ended Harry approached Amelia and Madam Longbottom where they stood at the floor of the courtroom; he would have liked to have Kingsley there as well, but he was overseeing the transport of the convicted criminals to Azkaban.

"Hi Amelia; Madam Longbottom," Harry greeted, receiving similar greetings in reply. "I just wanted to say that in the future it would be best if the Death Eater children of Hogwarts age or older were given notice so that they can attend the trials of their parents. It proves to them that their parents received fair trials and were justly convicted, as well as giving me the opportunity to speak with them directly after about the changes in their living circumstances. I was actually going to ask Kingsley about it, but he's already left, so…"

Amelia sighed, passing a hand over her eyes wearily. "Yes, you're right, of course. I'll make sure that any children are invited in the future. Are you alright to deal with Crabbe and Goyle yourself?" Their parents had just been tried and sentenced to Azkaban, and Harry knew that the two young children also practically orphaned this day were already at Black Manor, along with all the Death Eater children under Hogwarts age.

"I'll deal with it, don't worry," Harry nodded, adding another thing to his mental list of things to do. Checking his watch he excused himself, saying that he'd see them the next day for more trials and chuckling at Amelia's weary groan.

"I can still offer you a Dreamless Sleep Potion if you need it," he called back over his shoulder, and to his shock she flipped him the bird, sending him into helpless laughter as he left the courtroom.

Instead of apparating back to Hogwarts Harry headed for Madam Tinkleweather's shop, relieved when he found that she hadn't closed for the day yet. Entering, he found her at the front desk drawing some sketches.

"Ah, Lord Potter-Black!" the woman greeted him pleasantly when she looked up at her customer. "Welcome back! How are the uniforms? Did you get the hat and shoes for Dobby and Winky?"

"The uniforms are great," Harry replied laughingly, "and yes, we got the hat and shoes! The milliner was pretty unpleasant, unfortunately, but Dobby loves his hat so it was worth it."

Madam Tinkleweather frowned slightly. "Unpleasant in what way?"

"Ah, he didn't seem to agree with my political views," Harry brushed off her concern. "It's not really a problem, and I need some more hats, so unless you can recommend another milliner..?"

"I'm afraid not," the woman replied, her concerned frown remaining. "But you said you need more hats? I assume that means you're here for more outfits as well?" She seemed quite happy at the thought, and Harry laughed again.

"As a matter of fact, I am! I have a list here," he pulled the parchment out of his pocket, "of all the house elves I suddenly find in my care. It turns out that I claimed them as well when I declared right of conquest," he grimaced at her, placing the smoothed-out parchment on the desk.

"Oh my," the tailor breathed upon seeing the numbers involved. "Whatever are you going to do with all these house elves?" she looked up at him with wide eyes.

Harry sighed. "Well, some of them I've already found other masters for, as you can see, and I do have an awful lot of properties now that need taking care of, but I was thinking that house elves that would like to cook or take care of children could work for other families, earning money that way but with me as the only person who can give them direct orders. It should protect them, let them work the way they'd like to, and earn them some money, which are all good things in my book." A thought occurred to him and he looked over at the tailor with a grin. "You wouldn't happen to need some help here, would you?"

Madam Tinkleweather laughed delightedly. "I'll have to consider it if you keep giving me so much work, Lord Potter-Black! I hear that you're raising a whole bunch of children..?"

It was Harry's turn to laugh. "Good point – I'll see if any of the elves are interested in making clothing. Isn't that a good trick, a house elf creating clothing when to give it clothing is the traditional way to release one from service?" Both of them grinned at each other, in full accord on this point. "Let's just ask one right now, and then you have some choice in the matter." Plugging his ears and giving the tailor a look suggesting she do the same, he called for the Potter elves, remembering that there had been at least one there that had seemed particularly delighted at the thought of getting a uniform.

"Yes, Master Harry?" all the Potter elves chorused, and Harry unplugged his ears with a long look at the tailor that had her laughing in dismayed understanding.

"Hi all," Harry said, crouching once more to be on their level, his knees protesting. "This is Madam Tinkleweather, the tailor who'll be making the uniforms for you."

"Hello, everyone," the woman greeted, and the fact that she went to her knees beside Harry only made his respect for her grow. "I'm looking for an assistant or two to help me create your outfits, and Lord Potter-Black was so kind to point out that one of you might be interested. Do any of you particularly enjoy sewing, and are interested in creating clothing?" As soon as she said the last word she realized that she had erred, but even so a house elf immediately bounded forward, dragging an identical elf – her twin, Harry knew – by the wrist.

"We is interested!" the elf exclaimed excitedly, big eyes shining. "I is loving to sew, and Mick is always dressing former young Master!"

"That sounds wonderful," Madam Tinkleweather replied good-naturedly, turning to the second elf, who looked somewhat reluctant. "Your sister sounds quite enthusiastic, but you don't look too keen. Would you rather not work with me?"

The house elf bit his lip and gave Harry an uncertain look. "Mick is not wishing to leave Master Harry," he admitted softly, and his sister, Nick, turned on him with an upset expression.

"Master Harry is not making us leave!" the elf protested. "He is letting us work for others, you is hearing him say so earlier!"

"She's right, Mick," Harry said gently, reaching out to the house elf and touching him lightly on the arm. "You'll still be a Potter elf, but here's an opportunity for you to work with clothing if that's what you'd like to do. Madam Tinkleweather would pay you both, and you'd get the opportunity to create clothing for children and house elves, sewing and maybe even designing if you're good at it. If you're not interested you don't have to, mind. It's your choice to make."

"Absolutely," the children's tailor agreed with him. "However, part of your wages would of course go to Lord Potter-Black as your Master, and you'd have to wear a uniform more like mine than the ones Winky and Dobby wear. What do you think?"

Nick appeared all but ready to launch herself at Harry and Madam Tinkleweather for a hug, but restrained herself as she anxiously watched her twin brother consider the first big choice he'd ever had to make.

"You're welcome to quit whenever you want," Madam Tinkleweather pointed out softly, and that seemed to decide the elf.

"Mick would be liking to work for Madam Tinkles," the elf said quietly but resolutely, and the two humans found themselves smiling widely as Nick wrapped her brother in an exuberant hug.

"Alright," Harry said to the two elves with a smile, "That means Madam Tinkleweather is your boss now. Let's give it a trial week and if by the end of the week you're all happy working together we can draw up a contract so that it's all nice and formal. You open shop at 9 AM?" he asked the tailor, and she confirmed that she came to the store at around 8:30 to prepare in the mornings. Turning back to the elves Harry instructed them, "Come here tomorrow morning at a quarter to nine – can you tell time? Yes? Great. So, come here to meet Madam Tinkleweather tomorrow at a quarter to nine, and she'll get you started. Alright?"

The elves nodded promptly, Mick seeming to start catching Nick's enthusiasm, and Harry told the group of elves that they could go again, hurriedly covering his ears before they popped out. Exhaling he stood and offered his companion a hand up that she took but didn't need. "There we go, then – two assistants! I do hope it works out well."

"I think it will," the woman replied with a secret smile. "I do think it will." Shaking her head slightly she walked back behind the desk and picked up the parchment, perusing it another time. "Then that means two Potter elves that will need a different uniform," she said, making a note on the parchment, "and I have a few questions about these other house elves," she pointed at the list of unbonded elves with her quill. "I can find out the Weasley colors easily enough for this one – Jirplump, is it? Why do house elves often have such strange names?" she mused to herself. "But it might be best if you send the other elves and their new masters to me to discuss uniform options. You made a note here that this Radley is to be the younger Potter's bodyguard, and a bellhop costume is hardly appropriate then. No, it truly is best if you send them to me once they're bonded," the tailor informed him with an upward glance at him.

"That sounds good to me," Harry agreed. "I'm sorry to give you so much work at once…"

"Not to worry," Madam Tinkleweather brushed it off, "It's great business, and I haven't quite decided yet whether to give you a discount for commissioning so many or raise the price for the amount of work it is…"

"Raise the price," Harry said promptly. "I can afford it, and you've been a huge help. You can be sure that I'll bring the children to you when they need clothes," he smiled at her, and she smiled right back.

"You're a good sort, you are," she said fondly. "Off you go, then – I have work to do, and I'm fairly certain that you've got more important things to deal with than house elf costumes!"

"Not more important," Harry disagreed, "but yes, there are things I should be doing. Good luck with the two elves tomorrow!" With a wave he left, disapparating from outside the shop and heading up the path to Hogwarts, keeping a weather eye out for possible attackers along the way. After all, there was no point in getting a bodyguard of his own when he was more dangerous on his own and had a couple dozen protective house elves at his beck and call.