Chapter Two- Going Potty
Disclaimer- Never mine…
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Chapter Two- Going Potty
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Great Hall
Severus Snape eyed the creature before him. A House Elf. His godson's mate was a House Elf. It was so utterly preposterous that the potions professor found himself unable to sneer. Its sheer ridiculousness went beyond even that, and to a point that one Severus Snape never found himself at- staring. That's right. Severus Snape was staring, slightly slack jawed at a green tinged midget with eyes the size of saucers. Luminous green eyes.
“Well,” Narcissa said, attempting to pull herself back together. “It’s lovely to meet you. I’m Lady Narcissa Malfoy, and you are?” She held her hand out to the house elf.
“Potty, I is being, oh great mistress!” Potty announced, in a voice that was somewhere between a squeak and a croak.
“Potty,” Narcissa acknowledged. “Charmed. This is my husband, Lord Lucius Malfoy. You may call us Narcissa and Lucius.” After all, the creature was to be their son-in-law, she couldn’t have it- him? referring to them as Master and Mistress, it just wasn’t the done thing.
“Nissa and Luscious.” Potty nodded. Big eyes widening further with the honour of being allowed to refer to these great humans by their given names.
“No, dear. Not Nis-sa and Lush-us; it’s Nar-ciss-a and Loo-shus or Loo-cee-us if that’s easier.” Narcissa admonished. Oh dear, she really would have to get him lessons in elocution. How did one go about tutoring a house elf? Were they even capable of learning such things that an heir, or partner to an heir, of a great household needed to know? Things such as politics and book-keeping? While the Malfoys employed the use of Gringott’s accountancy goblins, one simply must be able to balance books oneself, it was a sign of sub-standard upbringing and training if one were unable to do so.
“Cissa and Lucy?” The poor elf tried again, eyes widening still further with anxiety that it get it right. Severus noted with abject interest that the creature’s eyes currently appeared bigger than its own head from glowing with tears that looked like they would soon be shed if the elf had to be corrected again.
Narcissa sighed and nodded. It would do for now. No need to upset her son’s mate. She sent Lucius a warning look out of the corner of her eye when he opened his mouth to protest. He quickly snapped it shut.
Albus Dumbledore watched the exchange with great amusement and swallowed a chuckle before addressing the group. “Shall be adjourn to my office?” He gestured towards the exit of the Great Hall. After all it was a private matter, and not one to be discussed before the entire school who were all watching with rapt attention, all except Finnegan who was currently lying in a stupor following another attempt at the sandwiches. Albus re-enervated him and released the charms on the food, succeeding in distracting the students from the exit of the group as they all focussed on piling their plates high.
Severus followed, at the back of the group and watched his godson observe his mate. The house elf walked in a sort of bow-legged swagger that Draco seemed to unconsciously be copying. When Potty stopped, Draco stopped. When Potty added a little skip into his step, so did Draco. Severus sneered but kept silent when Cissa threw him a warning look, somehow sensing his revulsion. Severus quickly cleared his expression, lest Cissa send him more than the warning look. He knew from experience that she had mastered the art of adding a little crucio sensation into one of her patented glares.
They walked at a slow pace to ensure that Potty could keep up with his spindly little legs. They were a good shape, Narcissa mused. However they would not be long enough to go around Draco's waist. Not that that was likely to be a problem, Narcissa admitted to herself. As they got to a staircase, Narcissa watched Potty attempt to climb them. However, the steps being of an old design and therefore taller than what was now fashionable, meant that Potty was only able to get a foot on the step above by lifting it until it was level to his eyes. He was then quite unable to transfer his weight onto that foot. Obviously climbing stairs was not normally something a House Elf would be required to do, due to their ability to apparate anywhere. After a few more attempts, while everyone waited to one side politely, Potty eventually resorted to crawling up them on all fours, his arms being considerably longer and sturdier than his legs.
Dozens of minutes later the group reached the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the headmaster's office. It had been a silent journey, everyone within their own thoughts for much of the time. It stayed silent for a few moments more, just time for everyone to be gathered once again in the office, with the addition of Potty. The silence was broken by the sound of uncontrollable sobbing. Startled, Severus glanced around to find the source, eyes settling on the portrait of Dilys Derwent who was blubbering into the hem of her healer's robes, exposing far more of herself below the waist that Severus had ever wanted to see.
"Now, now," Dumbledore soothed the witch, a twinkle in his eye. "Whatever is the matter, dear Dilys?"
"It's just so beautiful," Dilys snotted into her sleeve (her hem too sodden to use anymore). "Young love...!"
Dumbledore's twinkle brightened in intensity. "Isn't it? You really must calm yourself though Dilys, or you'll scare the poor boys away. Young love is also fragile, and you don't want to damage it, do you?" Dilys shook her head frantically, and after clearing her sinuses with an almighty inward snort and swallow, she smiled tremulously at an alarmed Draco and Potty.
Albus clapped his hands together and turned back to the people- and elf who proceeded to ride the staircase and gather in his office. "Let us all sit and get to know each other better shall we?" He waited until the others had resumed their former chairs, with Potty clambering onto a foot stool rather like a toddler would.
"Well Potty, I imagine you know who I and Professor Snape are, and you've already been introduced to Lord and Lady Malfoy. Do you know who the boy is sitting to your left?" Albus gestured towards Draco, who was sat on a pouffe clutching his mother's hand tightly.
Potty waggled his overly large head in affirmation. And waggle his head did, his skinny neck seemed to defy gravity and somehow managed to support the elf's head enough that it stayed upright, but was unable to assist nodding straight up and down, instead the elf's head swung wildly in multiple directions before stilling. He croaked enthusiastically. "I is knowing the Dragon boy! I is cleaning his knickers good- all sparkly! I is making his Fluffy, fluffiest! He is not making his knickers messy like that Finnegen boy," added Potty in a more subdued side note. Severus grimaced.
Draco blushed slightly at the idea that this elf had personally polished his silk underwear. Underwear- not knickers. Just because a few pairs had some lace detail, did not make them at all feminine. He did admit to himself that his underwear did have a certain sheen to them that the Malfoy elves were unable to achieve. Fluffy the stuffed dragon was also as fluffy as Potty made out. He absentmindedly wondered whether the elf was any good at hair before deciding that he must not have had much practice, only having three stands sticking straight up at his crown himself. Shaking his head to clear it, he brought his attention back to the conversation Potty appeared to be having with the headmaster regarding the best techniques at pressing the lace on Draco's 'knickers'.
"Enough," Severus cut in curtly. "We are here to discuss Draco and his heritage, and what that means for this... 'Potty'... So can we focus on the matter at hand? I do not have all day. I have essays to mark, and classrooms to idiot-proof."
“So, Potty. What do you understand about what just happened?” Narcissa wondered. She sighed when the elf’s face screwed up in confusion. It really was not an attractive look. She really must do something about training him out of exhibiting that gormless expression.
"Now Potty, do you know what a Veela is?" Albus queried. At Potty's bobble-head impression, he continued. "So you know they mate for life. Well, Draco here is a Veela and he has just discovered that his mate is you. Do you know what that means?" He asked kindly.
Potty gave another waggle of his head; though Albus decided this time it meant no as it was accompanied by a slight frown on the elf's face.
Potty visibly hesitated and Lucius took over.
“Do you know what sex is, Elf?” He asked bluntly, ignoring his wife’s gasp at his crassness.
At Potty’s continued confusion, Albus took over again. "Well," he explained, "it means that you will belong to Draco, and that he will belong to you. You'll spend time getting to know each other, maybe starting with holding hands and eventually having a family together and falling in love..." He broke off when Potty's eyes grew wider than their regular teacup size.
"Holding hands, sir? I is once holding hands with Manky, sir!" Potty whispered conspiratorially, his eyes widened to the size of side plates, his hands wringing nervously, as if afraid that someone would punish him for having done something sexually out of line. "Sappy is saying it is being scandy-lous for it leads to elflings and Potty is too young to be having elflings!" His croak ended with an ear-splitting squeal with horror at the thought of such a thing.
“What I wanted to ask, Potty, was whether you understood the concept of marriage?” Narcissa spoke up.
Potty nodded again. “Alfy and Sappy is being married, Cissa sir. They is being mates, but Potty is thinking Veela mates is being different.” Narcissa smiled. Perhaps there was some intelligence to this creature after all.
“You’re quite right…dear. Veela’s and their mates draw strength from each other. The Veela will yearn for its mate once it has come of age and if it doesn’t find its mate quickly, it will weaken and eventually die. Once the mate is found, the Veela will continue to weaken unless they are in close quarters, until the Mating ceremony. It is essentially a marriage ceremony, but with the added element of the fact that a Veela only has one mate. The couple will then do anything a normal couple would, live together, have children; but they will also be capable of great magical feats together, that they would never have achieved apart. It’s essentially the happily ever after modern fairy stories are based on.” Narcissa finished, pointedly not glancing in anyone’s direction lest they call her out on her little ending summary. She needed to paint a picture of just the pretty parts in order for the elf to agree; her son did not have much time left. She glanced at Potty and took in his clasped together hands and bright shining eyes, obviously a romantic at heart.
“And you are the mate to my son, Draco. Will you consent to mate him?”
Potty thought. He was being told that he was the mate to the beautiful blond boy; the boy that he had found himself watching over the years, the one that liked to take long baths and wear fancy underwear. If he understood what the witch was telling him correctly, they wanted Potty to marry Draco- he might even be able to hold his hand. He was already thinking about other things he could do with the blond including knitting him some underwear for a Christmas present and perhaps fixing Draco’s tap that seemed to always be leaking when he was lying in the bath, or in the shower, or under the bed sheets. Yes, Potty was quite good at plumbing matters.
“I is being honoured to mate your son!” Potty screeched, standing up and solemnly shaking Narcissa’s hand before kissing the hands of Lucius and Severus. Severus wiped his hand on Lucius’ cloak who just blinked. The elf definitely had a lot to learn before Severus would allow his precious godson’s mating ceremony to be conducted. If Draco had to mate a house elf, he was going to be the best mannered house elf that ever walked the planet.
Is musings were interrupted at Potty’s scandalised gasp when Albus spoke about beginning the mating process there and then.
"Just the touch of one finger is not enough to result in elflings, but enough to give young Draco here some relief from his pain as it will begin the bond between you," Albus explained. "Now, I want you to just reach out and touch your index fingers to each others. Or I may have to think about clothes..." Albus added as Potty looked reluctant to carry out such an intimate act in front of his new in-laws of sorts. Squeaking shrilly in alarm, Potty reached out and touched his finger to Draco's quickly before drawing his arm back and sitting stiffly on the foot stool.
Severus who had been expecting fireworks of some sort was instead merely reminded of a film he had seen on what would have been Lily's 23rd birthday about a boy finding a creature who wanted to phone home. It was all a bit anti-climatic really.
"How old are you?" Lucius queried once his hearing had returned from the earlier squealing, distracting Potty from his fear of punishment by clothes.
"I is not knowing Master Lucy!" Potty creaked/squoaked. "I is being four when I is coming to work at Hoggywarts. My family is not wanting me." He reached up and briefly touched the thick knotted scar bisecting his face. Narcissa felt a twang of pity and wondered what had caused such a nasty mark. Perhaps Severus' scar reducing potion may be effective. Potty shook his head at Lucius's question of whether he knew when that was.
"Well, I don't think we can achieve much more today. It is getting late and I'm sure Potty would like some time to get to know his new family. Why don't we part for the night and we'll see each other again at breakfast. Perhaps Potty would like to attend in the great hall and get to know the other students." With that, Albus stood and gestured to the door, vanishing the sofa and chairs once his guests were stood with a wave of his wand.
Potty watched the magic display and wondered at whether a House Elf could learn to wield a wand. It would certainly come in handy to make a sofa appear and disappear like that. Elves were limited to smaller objects unless they got together as a group. He flashed back to the last time he had been in this office and seen that sofa...
***
Dumbledore's office evening of 30th June 1991
"The quill is ready, Albus. Once it strikes midnight and becomes the 1st of July, the Quill will start addressing the letters. We have to hope this will work, it is the only thing left to us to determine whether Harry Potter is alive or not. If a letter is addressed to him, then we know he is alive and we work at tracking the letter to him. Severus, you and Filius will extract the boy and bring him here via the portkey. If a letter is not addressed to him, then we must accept that he is no more, and our world is doomed..." The Scottish brogue trailed off.
Potty listened interestedly while vanishing stray crumbs from under the overstuffed armchairs and sofa the staff were seated in. It sounded like they were missing a little boy, a very special little boy that was supposed to save the world. Potty found himself holding his breath along with the teachers while the quill addressed letters.
"Abbott, Hannah..." Read out the Scottish witch. "Bones, Susan," until she got to: "Perks, Sally-Anne" which quickly moved onto "Rivers, Oliver", skipping the name 'Potter, Harry' out entirely.
***
Dumbledore's office 1996
Potty pulled himself out of his memories when Lady Cissy ushered him towards the door. That had been a sad day for the headmaster he knew. It had taken a few days for him to come out of his office. He seemed perfectly happy now though, the elf conceded, waving back at Dumbledore as he followed Master Lucy out of the door. He followed him down endless corridors and flights of stairs, Potty having to resort to crawling down them backwards or risk somersaulting down them.
Poor dear, Narcissa thought, he looks rather tired. She decided that an early night was in store for her son's new mate. After he had had something to eat and a good bath and change of clothes, she decided eyeing his dusty tea towel. She would need her tailor to make him a new wardrobe befitting of the small one's new status. Narcissa did not dwell on the fact that her tailor may not want to make clothing for a House Elf. In fact, she did not dwell on the fact that her son's mate was a House Elf; she'd decided that she preferred to think of him as merely small and exotically featured with a unique skin tone. It was a lot easier when thinking of future possible grandchildren and their genetic inheritance.
Entering the guest suite down the corridor from Severus' quarters, she set about turning the taps on for the bath once ensuring that Potty was sat at the table and eating from a selection of the foods on offer in the Great Hall along with her husband and dear friend. Her son was presumably too full from the cucumber sandwiches to eat, or like her, too full with nerves to want to eat.
Once Potty had pushed his plate to one side, shy at sitting and eating with wizards, Narcissa pounced. "This way, Potty- it's time to get cleaned up." Potty obediently followed Narcissa towards the bathroom but froze when he got to the doorway and began to shake.
"I is not wanting a bath, Mistress Cissy!" Potty squeaked. "I is cleaning up with magic. Potty's magic is being good for washing!" He insisted.
"It's not good enough I'm afraid. It only takes off the surface dirt; you have many layers encrusted into your skin. That will not do. It is not befitting a Malfoy or their associates to present themselves looking that way, so you will be getting into that bath! Do I have to speak to the headmaster about your disobedience?" Narcissa threatened softly.
Potty swung his head no but still did not move from the spot. Narcissa scowled most unbecomingly for a lady and bent over, picking the small one up and marching towards the claw foot bath. The nearer they got to the bath, the more Potty struggled until he finally apparated out of her arms with a pop, only to reappear beside Draco looking extremely confused. Narcissa supposed it was the work of the bond, not allowing Potty and her son more than a few feet away from each other. She snapped her fingers for the bath to walk to her and lead it to the middle of the living area where Potty was once more within her reach. This time he didn't try to get away, instead stiffening completely, eyes wider than ever. Deftly she picked him up under the arms and deposited him knee deep into the water before tearing off his tea towel and pushing at his shoulder to sit him down. Too late though in Severus' book, who was treated once again to the sight of someone below the waist which he did not wish to see.
Once sat, Narcissa quickly set to work, scooping water up with her hands to wet the 'child' before brandishing a fluffy yellow loofah and beginning to scrub at his skin. He was a filthy little thing, apart from his hands which were scrupulously clean, presumably to maintain high standards of food hygiene. Throughout the bathing Potty remained still, his only reaction being barely noticeable winces, until Narcissa decided that the best and quickest way to rinse him was to duck him under the water. Immediately her son's mate began flailing his arms and screaming in between begging for Narcissa to 'please stop!' and 'I promise I'll be good!' Disturbed, Narcissa stopped and let Potty back up from under the water where he dragged in great shuddering breaths and cringed as far from Narcissa as he could.
Lucius and Severus frowned, coming nearer to the bath with Draco hanging back confused. If Lucius wasn't mistaken, the elf was acting as though Narcissa was punishing him. Severus had come to the same conclusion, and with the water running off Potty's body and taking the dirt with it, his keen eyes picked up on scars littering his body along with a few more to add to the large one already visible on his face. The House Elf had clearly been abused, most likely in the first few years of its life prior to coming to Hogwarts. Severus' jaw clenched. He couldn't stand any kind of abuse, particularly that of the vulnerable, of which Potty was being both a House Elf and most likely still a child.
Vanishing the water which seemed to be the source of the elf's distress, Severus lifted the elf from under the arms and deposited him feet down onto the carpet, wrapping him in a fluffy towel which completely swamped the elf, before patting him dry. Now that the dirt was gone, it was easy to see that as well as the appearance of multiple scars, Potty's skin was actually a few shades lighter than it originally seemed, making his now darker eyes stand out even more.
Once Potty was dry and re-dressed in a clean pillow case for night wear Severus turned back to Narcissa, looking between her, Potty and Draco. "He shall sleep with me," Severus declared before picking an exhausted Potty up and heading to the door. It would not do to leave Potty with the Malfoys when Potty had lost his trust in one of them. His quarters were only next door, just one wall separating the rooms where Draco and Potty would sleep, satisfying the rules of the bond. The Malfoys let them leave, understanding the reasoning behind Severus' decision and still shocked from the amount of damage that must have been inflicted onto the magical creature to leave such scars. They would hopefully reconcile with Potty in the morning.
Carrying the surprisingly heavy elf next door to his quarters, Severus too thought about the abuse the elf must have endured. He wondered as to how much impact the incident with Narcissa would have had on the elf's trust, hoping that it would not have damaged any chances of Potty completing the mating bond with Draco. As it was it would likely be harder to train the creature if he spent the time flinching every time a Malfoy spoke. It is decided, Severus thought. In the morning he would begin getting the elf to trust him, with the knowledge that they have shared experiences, with the hope that this evening's happenings would not hinder the bonding between the elf and Severus' godson. Laying the elf on a bed and tucking the duvet around him he wondered if it had been he who Lily Evans had married, would she still be alive and would he at this moment, be tucking their son into bed, smoothing the hair on his head and watching his green eyes- Lily's eyes, close in sleep.
To be continued...