the_debt_of_time

elf. He put his dragonhide boot on Kreacher's back and shoved him down the small set of
stairs. "Don't you ever say that word again!"
"Sirius!" Remus scolded.
Sirius turned to look at his best friend, who was staring across the hallway. He
followed Remus's line of sight and cringed when he saw Hermione. She stood in the open
door, her brown eyes wide and furious as she glared at him like he was the murdering
monster the Wizarding world assumed.
Before he could say a word, she rushed forward and fell to her knees at Kreacher's
side. "You poor thing!" she cried out, reaching to help and ignoring the way that the elf
tried to fight her. She narrowed her eyes back up at Sirius, absolute disgust in her gaze.
"How could you? He's just a poor house-elf!"
"Hermione, that thing just called you―"
"I don't care what he called me! You think I haven't been called a Mudblood before?
It's just a word, one that wizards taught him to use." She returned her attention to Kreacher,
her features softening in obvious sympathy. "Are you all right?"
"The Mudblood touches Kreacher! Oh, what would Mistress say if she knew!?" He
howled as if burnt and then Disapparated away from her.
"Do you see?" Sirius pointed. "He's not a thing to be pitied, Hermione."
"He's not a thing at all," she bit back. "And... I'd greatly prefer if you didn't
violently attack a poor elf on my behalf. Not only is it cruel, I don't need you to defend me.
It's not your job, Mr Black." She huffed and then stood up, turning on her heels and
storming out of the hallway, presumably back to the kitchen with Molly and Ginny.
Remus groaned. "That went well."
"Not my job?" Sirius repeated, eyes wide and staring at the empty space where
Hermione had recently stood.
"You did know that Mia had a soft spot for elves," Remus reminded him.
"Not my job?"
"I'm going to do you a favour, Pads," Remus told him, placing his hands on Sirius's
shoulders and directing him up the stairs. "One that Mia did for me a long time ago."
"Not my job?" Sirius continued to say. "Did you hear her?!"
Remus ignored him as they climbed the stairs. "We're going up to your room, and
you're going to take a Calming Draught and maybe a hot bath so you can relax. Because