9

CHAPTER NINE:

"That was well handled, cub," Remus said when all the other Order members had left. Harry smiled at him, the praise giving him a warm feeling. Sirius was unnaturally quiet, and had been for most of the meeting; now that it was just the three of them in Grimmauld Place, Harry hoped to find out what was on his godfather's mind.

"Everything okay, Sirius?" he ventured, and blinked when Sirius suddenly erupted.

"Everything is goddamned NOT okay! What the fuck is all this? You're back from the future where we're all dead and you're a fucking killer," something in Harry's face made Sirius stop there, his face flushing suddenly. "I need a drink," he muttered and left.

Harry only noticed that his hands were shaking when Remus grasped them, gently drawing him over to the couch along the wall. "You know that Sirius doesn't adjust well to new situations, cub; give him time," he murmured.

"I only knew him for two years," Harry replied numbly, "and only saw him a few times. I don't really know him, Remus, not really, but he's my godfather," he ended in a whisper. Godfathers shouldn't accuse their charges of being killers. "I'm a killer only by necessity," he said weakly, and to his relief Remus agreed.

"I know, cub, I know." He reached out and lightly stroked Harry's cheek, noting sadly how the young man leaned into the touch. "And if we adults kill, it'll only be to keep others from killing. If we deal with the war, then this timeline's Harry and his friends won't be the ones forced to kill." Remus pulled Harry into a hug, smelling the scent that was so similar to the young Harry and yet so different. This Harry smelled dangerous. "I'm so proud of you, Harry," Remus said softly into his companion's ear. "You've been so strong, for so long. You've grown into a fine man."

Lulled by Remus' comforting words and touch, Harry sank slowly into sleep. It had been a tiring day.

A noise startled Harry out of sleep, and before he knew it he was crouched against the wall, wand in hand and eyes searching out the danger.

"Easy, Harry," Remus said, raising his hands to show that he was unarmed. He stood by the door with Sirius, who openly gaped at the man who had been sound asleep a moment before.

"Sorry," Harry blushed. Standing, he smoothed out his robes self-consciously. "Maybe I should go," he said, not meeting the other men's eyes.

"Have you eaten?"

Harry looked at Remus in surprise, then blinked twice in thought. When had he last eaten? He had grown so used to the feeling of an empty stomach that he hadn't even thought to ask for food.

"No," he replied simply, deciding that there was no need to add, 'not for over two days'. The last time he had eaten was right before the battle.

"Then stay, and I'll whip up something to eat." Remus was already turning to go when he saw Harry stiffen noticeably, his face stony. "Cub?" he asked, trying not to show his worry.

"Kreacher," the young man hissed, his emerald eyes glinting. A loud pop sounded, and Harry moved so quickly that even to Remus, he was a blur of motion. Then he locked his jaw to keep from gaping, for there stood Kreacher, his head neatly severed from his body.

"Traitor," Harry hissed, casting four spells in quick succession – two to pulverize the house elf, one to clean the floor of blood, and another to freshen the air. Then he relaxed slightly, and though Remus could still feel the predator in him, it was clear that he felt the danger had passed. "He tricked me into going to the Ministry, leading directly to your death," he supplied harshly, shooting Sirius a glance. "Dobby!"

Another pop, and Remus was relieved when Harry didn't behead the house elf that appeared. Harry simply crouched to be level with Dobby and spoke to him clearly.

"Dobby, please go get Winky." Dobby saluted him – and where did he get that mannerism from? – and popped away, appearing shortly after with Winky. She looked as Harry had expected – dirty and drunk. Standing, he locked his hands behind his back, speaking to the house elf as the Head of a pure-blood line.

"Hogwarts Winky," he addressed her by her elf name, "The House of Black has need of a loyal and competent house elf. I remember that you served the House of Crouch long and well, and would give you a new family to serve. I will offer you neither wages nor days off, but I will insist on a uniform. The House of Black will not have a house elf dressed in such shabby things; it would not befit the image of such an old pure-blood line."

Winky was staring up at him with big eyes; Dobby was bouncing up and down with a huge grin. "Master Harry is wanting to hire Winky?" the excited elf asked, and Harry didn't miss the way Winky flinched at the word 'hire'.

"No, Dobby," he said, speaking to the female house elf. "Sirius Black is in need of a house elf to restore the family home to the glory it once had; he intends to bond with a house elf, not hire one."

Winky seemed to perk up at that, and shakily heaved herself to her feet. Sketching an uncertain bow, she said, "Winky will return," and popped out. Harry only had time to give Dobby a curious look before Winky reappeared, seeming much more sober than before. She bowed deeply, straightening to look up at Harry Potter. "Winky is wishing to bond with the House of Black," she stated formally, and Harry nodded.

"Sirius, if you would?"

A glance at his godfather showed that the man was completely off balance, and Harry felt momentarily guilty. He hadn't even asked whether Sirius wanted a house elf. But then the man stepped forward, and before long the bonding was complete; Winky would answer to the members of the House of Black, and Sirius over all.

"What is Winky to start with, Master Black?" she squeaked, and Sirius sent Harry a lost look.

"I need you to go through Kreacher's hoard and find me a locket. Bring it to me." Winky bowed and popped away – and reappeared right away, a silver locket in her hand. Harry blinked. He had not expected her to be so quick.

Recovering, he gestured at the floor in front of him. "Place it here," he said, and once the elf had done so he pulled a basilisk fang out of his robes and stabbed the locket. A high-pitched scream filled the room before everything went quiet, all people present staring at Harry and the locket with wide eyes.

"Where did you just pull that fang from?" Remus asked weakly, and Harry looked up in surprise. Then he laughed, a slight edge to his voice that the other man couldn't place.

"Of all the things you could have asked, that's your most important question?" Harry chuckled. "I charmed one of my trouser pockets to be an enlarged space, keep me from being stabbed by the basilisk fang… You know, the necessary charms." He tucked the fang back into the pocket he had pulled it from and banished the twisted remains of Slytherin's locket.

"That was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes," he said, and at their confused and wary looks elaborated, "A piece of his soul. He made several Horcruxes. I know the location of a few of them, and we will need to deal with them as soon as possible; before he removes them and hides them better." He smirked at their horrified looks and turned to the house elves once more. "Black Winky and Potter Dobby, we would like to eat dinner. Once our meal is prepared, please survey the house and report back on its status, what work needs to be done, and whether there are any dangerous items or creatures around." They both bowed, and Harry added a firm, "Thank you." before they popped away.

"Come; we can discuss it over dinner," Harry said as he passed the two frozen men on his way to the kitchen. He was suddenly feeling his very empty stomach.