Elf Rights

Night crawled in nice and slow over the sun and doused the city in orange. A bleak and uninviting breeze picked up pace and drove most of the men inside. Nocturnal beings ventured out. A broomstick zoomed past the full moon, muggles unaware of its existence. It slowed down and dived steep towards the deserted street of Magnolia crescent and pulled up just in time. The diver relaxed his grip on the broom and glanced back with a boyish grin towards the small cluster of bushes, a grin stretched out from his battle-scarred face, like remembering something. Years ago a big black dog had been staring at him through the bushes, frightening Harry to his core. He later found out the big black dog to be his godfather. Love and friendship had meaning those days.

Suddenly, he heard a soft voice, "Please" it called. It was urgent yet not excited. Harry slowed down, the grin replaced by the sharp eyes and a raised wand that years of auror training had ingrained in him. "Please." The voice called again. Harry spun around pointing his wand at the cluster of bushes the sound was coming from. He slowed and moved towards the noise. An open window of the neighboring house spilled enough light to let Harry see the source. A girl put her head out from under the bushes and called "Will you fly me into Hogsmead?" By the time Harry had jumped off his broom, an elf had slithered into the light and was staring intently into Harry. "On your way buddy, if you know what's good for you." The girl was trying to move but was struggling. Harry stretched his wand towards the girls' legs and said "relashio!". The elf took a sudden step forward when a second voice sounded "Easy Kranky, it's Harry Potter."

"Oh!" Said Kranky and stopped looking at Harry. The girl shot towards Harry and grabbed his hand. The elf cried insolently " You can't fly away just like that..." but Harry pointed his wand and the elf levitated upside down, red eyed and a scowl on his evil looking ugly face, squirming and scowling in mid air. Harry pulled the girl closer and turned on the spot. Within minutes, they reappeared at the new inn named "The chocolate broomstick" made on the spot where the legendary 'Three Broomsticks' stood. "Elf rights! Who would have thought!" Said the girl.

"Whatever were you doing there with them, I don't need to know" said Harry indignantly.

"Kranky my old slave. He was trying to extort galleons from me!"

"You didn't pay him?" Asked Harry eyebrow raised.

"I did, one galleon a year. But he needed more! They were supposed to be free for life and now suddenly he is asking for a 1000 galleons! That scoundrel! He even bought an enforcer. But thank God, you flew by! I shudder to think what they would have done to me otherwise."

"They would have killed you. Elf magic is mostly untraceable."

"Well I was lucky. Of all the wizard out there, you were destined to save me. The boy who lived came to save me, Effie."

"I must leave! I have to go home now."

"Can't we have a drink?"

They sat down for a drink and the waitress chimed in Harry's name along with the applauds of Madam Rosemerta and a few of the guests.

"Do you believe in what that minister of Elfish welfare says?"



Harry regretted separating the ministry of Elfish welfare from the ministry of magical beasts and creatures. And now it was the biggest cause of death, theft and arson. The elf's rights movement fanned by the goblins had turned into a beast that was way out of any threat the wizarding world had ever faced. Even you-know-who!

"I believe in elf rights but I don't believe in their way of justice."

"Wasn't the minister in your class? Can't you talk to her?"

"No." Over the years the elf's rights movement had gained support and even though Harry had pointed out the problem of rebellion to Hermoine, she didn't listen. Even Ron in his attempt to pacify Hermoine, cut all cords with Harry. Now Harry was an outcast, ex auror, ministry degenerate, just the way he had been 30 years ago. He paid for the drinks and swiftly took off on his vintage, limited edition firebolt.

There was no looking back now!