Expanding Horizons

Black Estate, Cardiff, July 19th

"I think that's enough for today," Sirius said, standing up to stretch a bit. "You're making good progress, Harry."

"Thanks again for helping me, Sirius."

Sirius waived off the thanks. "It's no problem, Harry. Glad to help."

Smirking, Harry couldn't help but appreciate how much Sirius' attitude had changed since they started their once a week animagus lessons. It seemed that as soon as Sirius realized just how far along Harry already was with the transformation, he had lost a lot of the anxiety about his godson accidentally harming himself.

"Do you know what time it is?" Harry asked.

Glancing at a nearby clock, Sirius said, "Half past noon."

Harry grimaced. "So Ron's going to be at my place for another half an hour. Just great. I don't suppose I could stay around here for lunch?"

"Well, I don't mind," Sirius said, "but I'm meeting someone at the Leaky Cauldron. I'm actually running a bit late as it is. There's some leftovers from the dinner your mum made a week ago in the ice box. Feel free, you just need to use a re-heating charm."

"You should just get a house elf, Sirius," Harry complained good-naturedly.

Sirius scowled. "I can't stand the one I already have, Harry. Little bastard just won't seem to die, and I'm not about to let him go free."

Harry blinked. This was news to him. "You have a house elf? Really?"

"Yeah, inherited him once my bitch of a mum died," Sirius bemoaned. "Nasty little bugger. I told him to keep the family's place in London clean."

"Can you call him?" Harry asked.

"Sure, but be careful around him, Harry." Sirius warned. "Don't take anything he gives you, and don't eat anything he makes. The thing tried to poison me a few years ago, and he's always looking for loop-holes in my commands. Kreacher!"

There was a sharp 'crack' and an old, cagy looking house elf appeared. He was dressed in what looked like a decaying pillow, and his expression was borderline murderous as he looked at Sirius. "Befallen child of the house of Black calls, Kreacher. What would mistress say? Oh, my poor mistress."

"Mother's dead, Kreacher. I'm the only Black left," Sirius snapped. "This is my godson, he wanted to meet you. You are to do anything he tells you, understand? Under no circumstance are you to allow him to be harmed in any way – through your actions or inactions. Understood?"

Kreacher seemed to be thinking very hard to find a way around Sirius' order, but he eventually slumped slightly. "Yes, Master."

"Good, now, get my cloak, I have to go meet an old friend for lunch."

Kreacher popped away only to return a second later with a disgusting, maggot infested, cloak for Sirius. "Your cloak, Master."

Taking one look at the cloak, Sirius vanished it – an angry expression on his face – before banishing Kreacher away from him. "Nasty little thing. Good luck, Harry. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Still able to smell the foul cloak that Kreacher had brought his godfather, Harry began to see just why Sirius never introduced him and Nathan to his elf. "Sounds good, uncle Sirius. Have a good lunch."

As Sirius stepped through the floo, Harry turned a wary eye towards Kreacher. The elf had seemingly recovered and was now standing at his side.

"Can Kreacher do anything for the young master?"

Wrinkling his nose, Harry sarcastically said, "Unless you can find me a good book on curses, I think I'll just settle for making myself some food."

When the elf disappeared, Harry walked into the kitchen to begin preparing some lunch. The sound of a sharp 'crack' next to his ear, caused Harry to spin around, wand drawn.

Seeing that it was only Sirius' elf, Harry snapped, "Don't do that!"

"Kreacher apologizes, young master." The elf did not look sorry in the slightest. "But here is your book."

Surprised, Harry instinctively reached out to take the book only remembering what Sirius said not to trust the creature. "Is it cursed in any way? Is there a likely chance I could injure myself just by reading or touching this book?"

Kreacher seemed slightly surprised at the question, but it quickly disappeared. "No."

Hesitantly, Harry took the book from Kreacher, giving it a curious glance. There was a title, but the cover was so worn that it was impossible to read. Opening the first page, Harry scanned the table of contents, idly noting that it was a book on dark magic – specifically, dark curses.

"Where did you get this?" Harry found himself asking, noting that several of the spells Professor Rosier had given him were listed in the book.

Once again, Kreacher seemed surprised by the question. "From the library in London."

"What library in London?" Harry asked sharply, hoping that the crazed elf hadn't stolen someone's book.

"The library of the Ancient and Noble house of Black," Kreacher replied, puffing his chest out in pride. "Kreacher protects the Black ancestral home."

Doing his best not to laugh at the elf, Harry said, "Ah, I didn't realize that. So are there more books like this there?"

"Many, sir."

"If I give you a list of spells my Dark Arts Professor wanted me to learn, could you find some books that describe them?" Harry asked.

Regardless of what Calypso thought, his lack of progress over the summer and winter with the Dark Arts wasn't completely due to his family's stance on the subject. No, it was simply a lack of material to study and learn from. Oh, he had his school books, but it wasn't like he could just go to Knockturn Alley and buy some supplemental Dark Arts books – his parents would freak!

"Kreacher could." The elf seemed to straighten up and reappraise Harry. "Young Master studies the Dark Arts?"

"I go to Durmstrang," Harry found himself explaining. "I'm trying to get ready for a magical tournament, and my Dark Arts professor suggested I learn several spells; however, I've had a problem finding information about some of them. Do you have a quill and a piece of parchment? I can give you some of the spells now."

Kreacher immediately popped away, only to reappear a few seconds later with the necessary items. Harry couldn't help but notice that, unlike Sirius' cloak, there was nothing wrong with the quill or parchment.

Quickly scribbling out a list of spells that he hadn't been able to cast appropriately – mostly due to a lack of supplemental reading – Harry gave the list to Kreacher, who took one look at it, grinned, and popped away.

When the old elf returned, a half dozen books levitating behind him, Harry couldn't help but smile. Suddenly, he felt an urge to go home and read, but before that he needed to make sure of something.

"Kreacher," Harry said seriously. "If Sirius asks what we did while he was gone. What are you going to tell him?"

The old elf seemed to think very hard before saying, "Young Master made himself food while Kreacher tended to the Black family library in London."

"I'll drop these books off with you the next time I'm here. Can you bring me some other books then? I'll take another look at my spell list later tonight to see what I need to practice."

"Master said Kreacher is to do anything the young Master tells Kreacher, provided that the young Master is in the House of Black." For the first time, a wrinkled smile appeared on Kreacher's face. "Kreacher will do as the young Master says."

Harry grinned. "Brilliant."