Hushed whispers woke Hailey up too early for her liking. Groaning loudly, she rolled over and yawned as she opened her eyes. 

Red hair suddenly blotted out her vision as a girl with fiery hair squealed and hugged her. “Hailey! You’re awake! Are you okay? I asked mum to bring me as soon as I felt your magic pass over me.”

“Ginny?” Hailey asked groggily, hugging the girl back. 

The girl in question giggled. “That’s me!” 

Hailey rubbed sleep out of her eyes and put her glasses on. “Good morning… What’s going on? What magic?” As soon as she asked, the events from yesterday flashed through her mind and she shuddered. “Never mind, I remember.”

Looking around, Hailey noticed that the hospital wing was far more crowded than she had thought. 

Dora skipped up to Hailey and hugged her, before ruffling her hair. “Wotcher, Hails! I’m glad to see that you look okay. You’re the talk of the wizarding world right now, you know?”

Andromeda nudged her daughter out of the way and hugged Hailey next, giving Dora a dirty look. “I thought we were going to ease her into it?” Andi sighed and shook her head when Dora shrugged her shoulders, lifting her arms up as if to say, ‘ah well, oops?’

“I haven’t even let you out of sight for a week, and you’re already causing a stir. I thought I told you not to listen to Dora?” Her surrogate mother smiled to take out any sting from her words and brushed her hair down where Dora had messed it up. It was a fruitless effort as her hair was messy without her having applied the special potion that kept it relatively tame, that turned her bird's nest into messy ringlets. 

Hugging Andi back, Hailey sighed and relaxed into her warm embrace, enjoying a comforting hug from a mother. Hailey just knew that no matter how old she got, a hug would always be a beautiful thing. “So what happened?” She eventually asked Andromeda, pulling back slightly. 

Andi laughed. “Isn’t that what I’m supposed to ask you?”

Giggling with her, Hailey smiled. “You are the adult, so I suppose so!”

“So what happened?” Andi asked through a smile. 

Hailey heard others laughing and saw Ted standing off to one side, laughing and smiling at them. Molly Weasley stood behind Ginny hugging her as they both laughed as well. Hailey was a little put out that Hermione wasn’t there. Looking at the time, Hailey suspected Hermione might be still asleep, or getting ready for class. 

Once she stopped giggling, Hailey recounted the events from yesterday, only getting the occasional angry murmur or sigh as she spoke. 

Squeezing her tightly to her again, Andromeda sighed. “I’m sorry, Hailey. I’d hoped Severus Snape would be a better man than that. I would’ve warned you, but I didn’t want to colour your impression of him with my worry.”

“Why is he like that?”

“He has some bad blood between him and your parents, more specifically, your father,” Andi replied, shaking her head. “I don’t know the specifics of it, but I do know Severus and your father hated each other.” She looked sad and guilty as she looked away from Hailey for a moment. “Egged on by Sirius Black, of course.”

Hailey let out a startled gasp and she was almost overwhelmed with sensations as the name Sirius Black seemed to reverberate around her skull. It was like an echo that refused to fade. 

“…you okay? Hailey!”

Shaking her head, Hailey’s eyes focused on Andi. “Sorry, what?”

Andromeda gave her a concerned look. “I said, are you okay? You seemed to just zone out for a moment.”

Dora suddenly gasped and squeezed Hailey’s shoulder. “Was it because of the name, Sirius Black? What did you learn?”

“That he’s a good man, and much like you, Dora, a big prankster. I get the impression that he was close to my family, there’s almost a sense that he was a Potter.”

The older woman shook her head instantly. “That can’t be, can it? He can’t be a good man…”

Hailey stared at Andromeda in confusion. “Why not? Where is he?”

“He’s in Azkaban prison, Hailey. He helped You-Know-Who murder your parents…” Dora answered sombrely. 

“I remember Sirius from back during the war,” Molly spoke up suddenly, “I always thought he was a good man. Someone who would never betray James and Lily.”

Sirius Black… evil? Hailey didn’t understand. “No! He couldn’t be. I’ve never been wrong before. He’s a good man. If he’s in prison for that… then he shouldn’t be, because he’s innocent.” It wasn’t until she felt the tears on her cheeks that she realised she was crying. Warmth surrounded her suddenly as both Andi and Dora hugged her tightly. 

Dimly, Hailey heard Dora speak. “What does this mean, Mum? If Sirius is innocent, then why is he locked up?”

Hailey felt rather than saw Andi shake her head. “I don’t know. I’ll make some enquiries and get to the bottom of that matter. Now, what’re we going to do with this one?” She asked, squeezing Hailey before nodding at her. “Do you want to go back to studying Potions with Professor Snape?”

“What else can I do? Potions is a required course.”

“We can discuss it with Professor Flitwick. Perhaps we can hire a tutor? Or I can find the time to tutor you once or twice a week.”

Squealing and hugging Andi tightly, Hailey grinned up at her. “Yes, yes, yes!”

Grinning down at her, Andromeda brushed Hailey’s hair out of her face. “Somehow I think you want me to tutor you,” she replied dryly. 

“Gee, ya think?” Dora spoke up, laughing. “How come you never offered to tutor me?” She pouted. 

“Because I actually like Hailey,” Andi said with a laugh as she ruffled Dora’s hair. 

Everyone laughed as Dora fake stomped her feet and made her hair straight and bright, angry red. A warmth filled Hailey as she looked around the room at all the people

who had come to see her and as if summoned by thinking about her, Hermione appeared. She was breathing hard and appeared flustered. 

Leaning over on her knees, Hermione got her breath back before she spoke. “I’m sorry I’m late! I stayed up late researching the Fae and slept in.”

Opening her arms, Hailey silently asked for a hug, and was happy and grateful when Hermione rushed into her embrace. Sighing softly, Hailey melted into their hug. “I’m happy you’re here, Hermione.”

Even through her thick bushy hair, Hailey could tell that Hermione was blushing brightly. “Me too,” Hermione whispered back. 

Andi spoke up suddenly. “So, about your house elf, Peppy? Where is she now?” 

Hailey felt the magic she had for knowing people through their names wash over her, instinctively knowing Peppy better. She blushed at feeling the devotion that the little elf had for her and her family, it bordered on near worship. Hailey frowned, considering what to do about that, but would have to wait and see how things turned out. 

One other thing that she sensed was some kind of magical connection between her and the house elf, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say between her family and Peppy. She wasn’t quite sure what that connection was, though it didn’t feel bad like she thought a slave bond would. It was a close connection, with a warmth to it that was rather surprising.

“I don’t know where she went, or where she even came from, or how she knew to come.”

Releasing her and taking a slight step back, but holding her hand, Hermione spoke. “I did a little research on house elves too. Absolutely appalling what wizards have done to them. I hope we can help Peppy by freeing her. But all the books say that a wizard or witch who has a house elf can just call their name and the elf will come.”

She wasn’t that thrilled about owning a slave herself, but Hailey couldn’t shake the nagging feeling about why house elves like Peppy seemed even happy to be enslaved. It was giving her conflicting feelings on the matter and resolved to talk with Peppy about it first. 

“Peppy?” 

A loud crack, very similar to what she heard yesterday, resounded through the ward as a tiny creature with floppy bat-like ears appeared in front of her. She was wearing what appeared to be a black toga with the Potter house crest and bare feet. 

As soon as she saw Hailey, Peppy threw herself into a curtsy so deep she nearly fell over. “Peppy is so happy to see Lady Potter alive and well!” Her ears drooped even further as her big eyes shimmered with tears. “She misses Master James and Mistress Lily.”

Hailey smiled kindly at the little elf. “Hi, Peppy. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Peppy’s eyes widened in shock as Hailey spoke and after a moment’s pause, she realised what she had done as well. Hailey had spoken yet another language she had never learned before. 

“You can speak elvish, Lady Potter! I’ve not met anyone who could speak Elvish before, that wasn’t a house elf!” The house elf’s eyes narrowed a little bit as she stared at Hailey, or more precisely her ears, before her eyes widened in surprise again. “You’re Fae! But how? There aren’t any more Fae left on Earth…”

“Where did they all go if they aren’t on Earth any more?”

Just as Peppy opened her mouth to speak, Hermione interrupted with an amused tone in her voice. “Hailey, none of the rest of us can speak… what is it, elvish?”

With a conscious effort, she switched back to English. “Ah, oops? Sorry, Hermione, everyone!” 

Hailey was about to explain what they had been speaking about when Peppy interrupted her. “Please, Lady Potter, I beg you, don’t tell them what I said. We aren’t supposed to tell wizards where they went.”

“What? Why not?”

The house elf looked around nervously at everyone before she replied. “All I know is it’s because of The Covenant.” Peppy gulped and shook her head. “I’ve said too much, please, can we talk about something else now?”

With a sigh, Hailey nodded and made sure to switch back to English. “Okay, but I have some other questions I wanted to ask you.”

“Peppy is your house elf, Lady Potter. You can ask her anything!”

Hermione was muttering to herself as she watched Peppy beam up at Hailey when finally she had had enough. “That’s not right! No one should own anyone else! Hailey, you could free her right now.”

If the look on Peppy’s face was anything to go by, it was the last thing she wanted. Her smile vanished and she went pale all over and threw herself at Hailey’s feet. “No! Please! Lady Potter, anything but that! Peppy has been a good house elf. She did exactly what Master James ordered her to do!” She wailed as tears flowed steadily down her cheeks. 

Sliding off of the bed, Hailey dropped to her knees and helped stand Peppy back up. The look on the house elf’s face broke Hailey’s heart. “It’s okay. I promise I won’t.” She frowned and sighed, holding a hand up to stop Hermione’s protests. “But, we will discuss the terms of your… employment. Starting with just calling me Hailey, okay?”

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Lady Hailey!” Peppy said, hugging Hailey tightly, before letting go like she’d been burned with a look of worry on her face.

“Peppy is sorry she touched you without permission, Lady Hailey! She won’t do it again!”

“Hey now, it’s okay. I give you permission to hug me whenever you’d like too.” She sighed. “We’re going to have to seriously talk about your working for the Potter house soon, and I thought I said to call me Hailey?”

The house elf nodded. “That's why Peppy calls you Lady Hailey!”

With a sigh, Hailey gave up for now. She’d have to have a conversation with Peppy at a later date to find out what she could do for her. Perhaps she could convince her that freedom is something that the elf would actually desire, hopefully breaking whatever conditioning she had, if she had any. Though from what Hailey had gleaned from her name, Peppy was genuinely happy to be a Potter house elf, she didn’t think that would give her a false impression. 

Andromeda suddenly spoke up from beside Hailey. “Where have you been all this time, Peppy? Everyone assumed you died when Lily and James did. Though they were puzzled about why they couldn’t find your body.”

Peppy’s ears drooped again as she glanced back at Hailey as if asking for permission to speak. Hailey was saddened by the thought, and a little sickened to think that her parents had owned a slave, with her now owning a slave too. Sighing once more, Hailey nodded, giving the house elf permission. 

“Peppy was at the Potter ancestral home, Miss. She was trying to clean it up so it would be livable again.”

“I always thought that was a myth!” Andi exclaimed. 

Shaking her head, Peppy’s ears flapped side to side almost violently. “No, Miss, just lost to the Potters for a time, until Master James and Mistress Lily found it again. Peppy has been trying to clean it up until Lady Hailey declared herself matriarch of her house.”

Hailey blushed as everyone turned to look at her again. “Peppy, we need to talk about you working for me,” she sighed. 

“Please don’t free Peppy, Lady Hailey. Peppy will just continue working for you until you accept her back. Please, I love being the Potter house elf,” the elf begged. 

Frowning slightly, Hailey let out a slow breath. “I don’t like it, but I promise, I won’t free you, would you be open to getting paid? And days off work?”

The elf immediately shook her head. “Peppy doesn’t need money, Lady Hailey. She gets much more valuable things for a house elf.”

“What could you get that makes it okay for you to want to be enslaved, Peppy?” Hermione asked, speaking up suddenly. 

“Peppy is sorry, Miss, but Peppy cannot say,” she answered, glancing at the bushy haired girl and wringing her hands with an apologetic expression on her face. 

“Why not?” Hailey asked this time. 

The house elf looked back at Hailey. “It is a secret only known to house elves, Lady Hailey. Please don’t order Peppy to answer.”

Hailey gave Peppy a horrified look. “I would never do that, Peppy, never! Okay? Your secrets are your own.”

“Ah, I thought I heard voices. I’m glad to see that you’re feeling better, Miss Potter,” Madam Pomfrey said as she strolled into the hospital ward looking at all of the visitors with a small smile. “Looks like you’re a popular girl. But I must insist that they step outside for the time being while I check over my patient.”

Andi squeezed Hailey’s shoulder as she passed her on the way out. 

“See you soon, Hailey,” Dora said before she left. 

Hermione and Ginny both hugged her before they walked out as well. 

Peppy curtsied before with a snap of her fingers, she vanished with a crack. 

After everyone left, Madam Pomfrey bustled about, doing various checks on Hailey before announcing that she was satisfied with her recovery and could go to class. Walking out of the hospital wing to find her friends and family waiting, Hailey couldn’t help but have a smile on her face and a warmth in her heart as they greeted her recovery with smiles of their own. 

She still wasn’t that happy with now basically owning a slave, and she knew Hermione wasn’t either, but hopefully over time she’d discover why it was so important to Peppy that she remain enslaved to the Potter house and what she knew about the Potter Ancestral Home. Just as importantly, she’d hopefully find out more about the Fae, where they went, and why, but those were questions for later, for now, she’d just enjoy the time with her friends and family.