Kreacher Komforts

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 177693

With the discussion of House Elf welfare on a different thread I was 
reminded of some questions about Kreacher. 

After the Trio's MoM raid to liberate the locket from dear Delores, 
may she develop a deadly strain of spattergroit, they leave 12 GP for 
good. Leaving Kreacher there also. Now, was there some off-page 
instruction to Kreacher to go back to Hogwarts if the Trio doesn't 
return? Because, of course that's the next place we see him, leading 
the Hogwarts Elves into the battle.

I remember thinking at the time that poor Kreacher was left alone in 
that house with the still obnoxious and quite vocal Mrs. Black 
Portrait. I feared for him lapsing back into his old ways of 
following that raging banshee's orders.

I also wondered why Harry didn't summon Kreacher to him during the 
camping trip from hell? It seems an elf, whose magic the MoM doesn't 
seem to track in any way, could have been a very valuable member of 
the team. Cooking, finding and/or acquiring provisions, scouting, 
etc. are just a few of the things that come to mind. He moved about 
pretty freely it seems while hunting down and capturing Mundungus. It 
seems like a lost oppurtunity to me.

Mike, who wonders why Harry didn't think of summoning Kreacher when 
he was held captive in the Malfoy Manor. After all, two Elves would 
have been better than one