Dumbledore's Warning

"You saw it too, Harry," Dumbledore raised his voice to drown out Kreacher's unceasing shrieks. "Kreacher does not wish to belong to you."

"I don't care," Harry said, looking with disgust at the House-elf who was writhing and stamping his feet. He repeated, "I don't want him."

"Then would you rather let him fall into Bellatrix Lestrange's hands?

Don't forget, he lived at the Order of the Phoenix headquarters all last year!"

Harry stared blankly at Dumbledore.

He knew he absolutely could not let Kreacher live with Bellatrix, but the thought of Kreacher belonging to him, of being responsible for the creature who had once betrayed Sirius, filled him with disgust.

"Give him an order."

Dumbledore said, "If he belongs to you now, he will have no choice but to obey. If you do not want him, we must find some other way to keep him from being with his legal mistress."

Kreacher was practically screaming himself hoarse. Unable to think of anything else to say, Harry shouted, "Kreacher, shut up!"

At once, Kreacher seemed to choke. He clutched his throat, his mouth still moving furiously, his eyes bulging.

He gasped for several seconds, then suddenly threw himself forward onto the carpet, pounding the floor with his hands and feet in a furious but utterly silent tantrum.

"Good, that makes things easier,"

Dumbledore said happily. "It seems Sirius was quite clear-headed.

You are now the legal owner of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, and Kreacher."

"Do—I have to keep him with me?"

Harry asked in horror as Kreacher writhed violently at his feet.

"Not if you do not wish to."

Dumbledore said, "May I make a suggestion? You could send him to Hogwarts to work in the kitchens, where the other House-elves can keep an eye on him."

"All right,"

Harry