Chapter 3:
Harry sent Hermione a cold look that had her freezing. He knelt down to the elf to reassure him, "It's okay Kreacher, I'm not going to send you away. I was just wondering if you've been back to Grimmauld Place?"
Calming down, the house elf nodded his head, his ears flying around. "Yes master, I returned there after the big fight as I had no orders and master had vanished," the house elf said, sounding nervous.
"Good," Harry again reassured the skittish elf, "that's good, Kreacher. How is the house, could I stay there?"
The house elf's eyes grew wide at that point. "Master wants to return to master's house?" the elf asked excitedly. Kreacher's voice lowered and he began to mutter, "Yes, yes master should return at once. Kreacher has been busy, so busy making the house good for master but Kreacher didn't know if master would return."
Smiling, Harry stood up and looked around the room. "I'm going to collect my things and I'm going to Grimmauld place," he said with a finality that had even Molly wary to argue with him.
~
Grimmauld Place, 4th June 1998
In the days that followed his exit from the Burrow Harry was hounded by Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and even Mrs. Weasley. It got to the point that Harry had blocked the floo connection against them and warded the house to keep them out; he still accepted their owls, but only because he had written and asked them to allow him to have some time alone. Harry had been shocked when Kreacher told him that Harry could edit the house's wards, he hadn't even known he owned the house, inheriting it after Sirius' death.
Standing now that he had finished his meal, Harry thanked Kreacher.