Highlights
- Kreacher, the Black family house-elf, played a crucial role in the downfall of Voldemort, despite being a lesser-known character to many Harry Potter fans.
- Kreacher's personality and beliefs were shaped by his environment and the values taught to him by the Black family, making him a stubborn and bitter house-elf at first glance.
- However, Kreacher showed extreme loyalty to those who treated him with kindness and respect, forming a strong bond with Regulus Black and ultimately becoming an asset to the Order of the Phoenix.
When Harry Potter fans think about house-elves, it is likely that the first name that comes to their minds isn’t Kreacher. While Kreacher, the Black family house-elf, may have been out of the spotlight throughout most of the series, his presence, besides offering a different glimpse into the minds of these magical beings, plays an important part in Voldemort’s eventual downfall.
House-elves as a whole aren’t seen in the Harry Potter movies as often as they are in the books. Kreacher, in particular, remains a relatively unknown figure to many fans. He’s a character who often lingers in the background, especially in the film adaptations. At first glance, he may seem like a hostile and bitter house-elf who appears to hate everyone, but his story and his transformation gives fans a whole new perspective about his character.
Who Is Kreacher?
Kreacher is far from the typical house-elf. He served the Black family, one of the most ancient and esteemed pure-blood families in the wizarding world, for generations. While house-elves are bound to serve their masters, Kreacher had an unbreakable loyalty to the Black family, except for Sirius, who treated him poorly. Perhaps what sets him apart from most house-elves is his personality. He tends to be stubborn, resistant to change, and holds a strong dislike towards Muggle-born wizards and those who challenge the pure-blood ideology. This mindset is a direct reflection of the environment in which he was raised and the values taught to him by the Black family.
Despite what a first glance at Kreacher may portray, he was extremely loyal to those who treated him with kindness and respect, and he would treat them the same way. This can be seen in his relationship with Regulus Black, Sirius’ brother, who he shared a strong bond with. Before Harry Potter’s time, Regulus, a Slytherin and an unlikely hero, found himself involved with one of Voldemort’s horcruxes, Salazar Slytherin’s locket. Kreacher played a crucial role in Regulus’ quest to retrieve and destroy the locket, even though it meant going against the Dark Lord’s orders. Kreacher took Regulus to the Crystal Cave, where the horcrux was hidden. Regulus drank the potion and ordered the house-elf to switch the locket for a fake one, and destroy the real one. This cost Regulus his life, and a devastated Kreacher left as ordered, but was unable to destroy the horcrux, likely driving him to insanity after failing to complete his master’s request.
How Did Kreacher Meet Harry?
After Sirius and Regulus’ mother, Walburga Black, died, Sirius became Kreacher’s master. The house-elf had a particular hatred towards Sirius. Kreacher first met Harry Potter at the Order of the Phoenix headquarters, which used to be the Black family’s house. Kreacher, as he did with most people, acted somewhat antagonistically towards Harry at first, as he perceived him as a threat to the Black family’s legacy. It can be argued that the house-elf is somewhat responsible for Sirius’ death, as he lied to Harry about Sirius not being home, leading Harry to believe that his vision of his godfather being tortured in the Department of Mysteries was real. This led to the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, which ultimately resulted in Sirius’ tragic death.
Sirius left everything to Harry after he died, including Kreacher. Harry, who wanted nothing to do with the house-elf at first, sent him to work in the Hogwarts kitchens, alongside Dobby and other house-elves. Kreacher and Harry had a complicated relationship, but they eventually formed a strong bond and Harry started to change Kreacher’s outlook. Harry began to treat the house-elf with kindness and respect, making him confront his biases and rethink his loyalties, ultimately shifting his allegiance and becoming incredibly loyal to the Boy Who Lived, and an asset to the Order of the Phoenix, treating even Hermione, a Muggle-born, with respect.
What Happened to Kreacher?
During the Battle of Hogwarts, Kreacher led the house-elves against Voldemort and his Death Eaters for Harry, defender of house-elves, and for the memory of his beloved master Regulus. While many lost their lives during the battle, Kreacher survived. His life after the battle is unknown, although it can be assumed that he continued serving his master Harry, or perhaps he continued working in the Hogwarts kitchens. In 2017, J.K. Rowling revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Kreacher died at the age of 666.
Kreacher’s journey and life post-war continues to intrigue Harry Potter fans. His ultimate transformation from a bitter and prejudiced house-elf to a brave hero during the Battle of Hogwarts shows the complexity of his character, his loyalty, and the lasting impact of his masters’ kindness.