Unfit

Chapter 6

The old elf acted like he hadn't seen any of them in there. Making his way to the other end of the drawing room in a slow hobble-like fashion. All whilst muttering to himself in his hoarse voice. Making general complaints to himself about the current company he has found himself in.

"Hello, Kreacher," Fred said very loudly, closing the door very swiftly.

Then, if all of them had been idiots, they might have believed his 'startled' appearance.

"Kreacher did not see Young Master," he said, bowing to Fred. Then he goes back to muttering nasty slurs about the occupants one at a time. Until he gets to Harry and Hermione is the one to introduce Harry to Kreacher. Which sets Kreacher off about a 'mudblood' speaking to him as if they are equals. She eventually defends him when Ron and Ginny yell at Kreacher for calling Hermione that name.

"It doesn't matter," Hermione whispered, "he's not in his right mind, he doesn't what he's --"

"Miss Granger, not all house elves you meet will be nice. Kreacher doesn't care about your feelings in the slightest, he would sooner wish to be killed to join his mother's head on the wall than to ever be polite to a muggleborn or even call you by your given name. What are you even doing here Kreacher?" Ana interjected.

"Kreacher is cleaning," he said evasively.

"A likely story," a voice in the doorway said.

"Kreacher, you haven't cleaned this house in a decade. If Sirius asked you, you would have to answer honestly, because I am certain he would allow me to remove your tongue to stop the lies entirely. You lived around those that were supposed to be sly and cunning. You can't even lie convincingly."

Kreacher gave Sirius an insanely low bow, so low that his shockingly large nose was pressed against the floor.

"Stand up straight," said Sirius impatiently. "Now, what are you up to?"

Kreacher gave Ana a side-eye glare before answering Sirius, "Kreacher is hiding some of Mistress' things so they don't get thrown away like modern day garbage. The tapestry has been in the family for 7 centuries. Kreacher will not let Master and the blood traitors and the brats destroy it --"

"I thought it might be that," said Sirius, casting a disdainful look at the opposite wall. "She'll have put another Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of it, I don't doubt, but if I can get rid of it I certainly will.  Now go away, Kreacher."

Kreacher was not one to ignore a direct order but he did glare at Sirius as he shuffled out of the room whilst muttering to 'himself' again. Sirius slams the door behind him. Ana kind of stops listening until she hears Hermione say, "If you just set him free, maybe --"

"Miss Granger, you can't just set house elves free. There are serious repercussions, that is why most of them freak out at the thought of being freed. You know, I'll order you some copies of the History of House Elves from the Paris magical district," said Ana absolutely flabbergasted at the lack of knowledge she seems to have about a magical species.

"But they are being forced to work for nothing, it's slavery!" Hermione exclaimed.

"They do not work for nothing, they live longer being connected to a families magic. There are families that abuse their elves, yes, but have you ever seen the Hogwarts elves? When you build a good bond with an elf bound to you or your family, they will be unflinchingly loyal. Not to mention they look 10x healthier than those that are miss treated. If you miss treat them, they can find ways to defy you and get you to free them even if it means they don't live very much longer. Besides, even if Sirius was to free Kreacher and he lived through it then he could end up going to Narcissa Malfoy."