Harry went to the door, and called for Al, Lily, and Kreacher. They entered, each giving James a curious look. He was still standing by the wall, with the stunned expression of someone who had been expecting a kick, and received, instead, a slap on the back.

  “Ignore him,” advised Harry. “He just got some unexpected news. And now it’s your turn.”

  “Yes,” said their mother. “We’re going to ask you to listen to us, all the way through, before you ask any questions. That especially means you, Miss Chatterbox. There is nothing wrong, this is all good news, and I think you will all be pleased as punch. This includes you as well, Kreacher.” The house elf’s eyes managed to somehow widen even more at this.

  Harry took up the thread. “James will be spending the rest of the Summer at the Dursleys. Since he and Iris will be going to different schools this fall, we and her parents want to give them a goodly bit of time together.”

  Albus smiled. “You’ll like that, won’t you, James?” James nodded dumbly. Lily looked curious, but remained quiet.

  “Now, this is going to be their special time, so all of us are going to leave them to it. HOWEVER...”

  Ginny took up the narrative, “... that leaves you three at loose ends for the rest of the summer. Without the main provider of...” She looked at Harry.

  “Mayhem?” suggested Harry. “Chaos? Anarchy? Willful and prolonged destruction and angst...?”

  “Interesting Times,” Ginny said firmly. “Without, in short, James, there is a worry that you three might become bored, and get up to...”

  “Mayhem?” Harry tried again.

  “Unfortunate Hijinks.” Ginny threw Harry a quelling glance. “Therefore, we have come up with a plan, plans, actually, that we believe the three of you are going to love. Kreacher, Hermione has told us that you are working on a book.”

  Kreacher’s head went down, and he wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes. “Kreacher was just asking Miss Hermione about book things. Kreacher was just wasting time, Kreacher knows. Book is nothing, just idea, nothing big. Kreacher just has so much time now...”

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  “It IS something big, Kreacher, and we want to help.” Harry looked into Kreacher’s doubtful countenance. “Kreacher, imagine how proud we will be if the first house elf EVER to write a book is a member of our family. The honour you will bring on the House of Potter and the House of Black will be legendary.”

  Kreacher’s head came up, and his thin shoulders squared. “Honour? Legendary?” he croaked.

  Ginny nodded solemnly. “Legendary. Not just among house elves, either. The entire magical community will be fascinated. Not only a book by a house elf, but the very one who led the Charge of the Elves at the Battle of Hogwarts.”

  “Death From The Knees Down!” Harry quoted one of the sensationalist headlines from the papers of the time. “Literally the best-timed, ah, Flanking Manoeuvre in the history of Hogwarts School.” Harry forebore pointing out that was mostly because the highest point an elf could stab on most people was, indeed, the flanks.

  Lily grabbed the elf’s hand. “Kreacher! You never told us you were a HERO! Was it dangerous? I would have been so scared!”

  Kreacher patted Lily’s shoulder comfortingly. “Kreacher was fine, Kreacher did nothing big. Please do not worry about Kreacher.” He looked up at Harry, worried. “But Kreacher is not good with Words, with Writing, with, with...”

  Harry’s smile was kind. “Well, goodness, Kreacher. If only there were somebody around that was...”

  “Me!” Al blurted out. “Me. I could help. I write good, and I know lots of words, and I know Kreacher...”

  “And Mother Black and Professor Black might even help with proofreading and such, if you asked nicely.” Ginny finished smugly. “A veritable coup for the House of Black.”

  “And, last, but definitely not least, Kreacher and Lily.” The two looked up at her, Lily still holding Kreacher’s hand. “What favorite place do you share? Where do you love to explore, and play, and hide from the world?”

  “The Passages,” they said simultaneously.

  Number 12 Grimmauld Place was absolutely riddled with house elf-sized secret passages. Harry and Ginny had not even suspected their existence until after the children had started coming along, and even then not until they got old enough for Kreacher to reveal the elf-sized labyrinth to them. When questioned by Harry about this, Kreacher would only say, “Small places for small people,” as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

  Lily was the only Potter child still small enough to be fully comfortable in them, and they had become her and Kreacher’s special wonderland. The exact extent was unknown. Like the infrastructure of Hogwarts School, they seemed to move and change, always new and surprising. Some were always there, some were usually there, and some seemed to visit occasionally with a condescending attitude, as if they were slumming.

  “Kreacher, Lily, we would like it if you two would take the Passages, and make them into the world’s first-ever House Elf MUSEUM...”