Mysteries within Mysteries

"What is you doing here" came a voice somewhere from the doorway startling Hermione from her monologue. Looking where the voice came from, she was surprised to see Kreacher standing there. He looked pained as he examined the room as if searching for the occupant to who it belonged.

Hermione decided, to be honest, that is what the tiny being deserved.

"I was just wondering what kind of place this house would have been if Regulus had survived that day. He seems to be a well-read, patient mind who kept each and everything and everyone into account," she said.

Whatever Kreacher was about to say was left unsaid he just stared at her as if she had discovered the cure of dragon pox once again.

"You believe that the young master Regulus should have lived, "said Kreacher with such solemness that she felt her heartbreak that no one must have ever talked to him about Regulus.

Apart from that she also noticed that Kreacher never asked he just said it in such a way that felt more like a statement of truth.

"Of course," said Hermione. She thought a person only at 17 oh who thought of his brother, mother, father, cousins and every other family member even Bellatrix no matter how far she in his world she is still a part of his heaven.

Her I drifted towards the constellation on the ceiling off to bed far away from Sirius and Andromeda but still a part of the universe which also said something about awareness, caution, love for the family but also willingness to cast aside if harmed the stability of any other star. Just like a damaged appendage has to be removed even if it pains a lot yet if one wants to survive it has to be removed otherwise it becomes the bane of existence.

"You is the first person, Kreacher has met who is almost as Kind as Kreacher's young master. You is not bad, if master loves you as masters family," said Kreacher. Hermione was shaken with such a sudden declaration from a being who is so faithful to another that he put any other person near the subject of his dedication.

"Tha . . . . thank you Kreacher . . . ." she started to say as a single tear left her eye "but I know I am nowhere near your young master so really there is no comparison. I do hope one day I can be as brave as he was." Hermione said solemnly." Do you mind if I study some of the books that belong to, your young master?" she asked.

"I love books and your master had a Unique taste and very interesting books."

"Miss does not fool Kreacher as Kreacher knows miss will fulfil young master's last wish, Kreacher will do all that Kreacher can do to help miss and more if Kreacher can." Kreacher said honestly.

"You is kind . . . . . just as Kreacher's mistress was, you is also smart and noble as young master regulus and his father, but as much as it pains Kreacher to say you is also brave and loyal like mistress's traitor son even if he was not loyal to his true family," said Kreacher with a sharp edge in his voice that told Hermione that he dared her to have any arguments with her on this.

Kreacher's earlier admission about being as kind as Regulus or 'Kreacher's young' master as both elf and Hermione has started to call him, 'Hermione started to do so so that the elf had someone who can remind him of Regulus and she tried to be that for him was startling enough, but this, where he basically compared her with every member of his beloved family or The Ancient And Most Noble House of Black is more than mindboggling and hard to believe. That he believed someone of her blood status to be as the family members of his esteemed family. Even more, so that he described Walburga to be 'kind' if her crazy portrait was anything to go by.

"Hermione . . . . Hermione . . . . where are you?" called Harry from somewhere downstairs.

"Kreacher should be going, dinner is not going to be prepared on its own itself. What will the miss like to have?" the elf asked expectantly as if her word would be the only thing that gave him happiness.

"Something that your young master would have liked," she said. If someone asked Hermione why she replied in such an answer she wouldn't know what to say even with such massive vocabulary that she has. Maybe she would reply that 'to see the light that came into the elf's eyes' or she said to herself that " just, maybe just to feel a little bit closer to that eccentric being who was supposed to keep the life of this dark and dusty place alive."

Next, she was telling Harry and Ron everything, about how she discovered the constellations on the ceiling and bedpost of Regulus's bed. And how she felt a pull towards the bookshelves. At which she heard Ron snort. When she glared at him he just said " come on mione . . . as if you could feel pull towards anything else." At that comment, she decided to just ignore him.

After that, she started to explain how the shelves were arranged and how she noticed that some books were not arranged in the correct order. At that, both Harry and Ron looked at her as if she was mental to notice something like that. But one look from her had them shut up.

Then she told them about all the books she had kept apart and how she discovered all the notes and annotations in those books. About different aspects of war. And how Voldemort was gaining power at that time. Regulus not only became a death eater but how he also alone was working under Voldemort to gain all his secrets and cripple him from inside.

"A Slytherin to the core," said Ron not in disgust but in awe.

As he looked at the shocked faces of Harry and Hermione he said " What even if that house has dark wizards, there is no denying they sure have ambition and cunning. . . . . . . . what? Even Merlin belong to that house ."

" that . . . . that's really insightful Ronald," said Hermione.

"Always with a tone of surprise, " said Ron exasperated.

Soon after that, they sat for dinner. Where the trio experienced the amazing food that Sirius used to say Kreacher could prepare if and whenever he wants to.

Dessert was a new experience as much as it was entertaining it was also informative for Hermione. Both Harry and Ron had their chocolate cake served with caramel and nuts whereas she had been served hers with molten dark chocolate and vanilla ice- cream with a strawberry on the top.

The whole confection had Ron salivating over it as soon as he saw what the old elf had made her. When Ron tried to exchange the dessert by making gestures towards her plate and his Kreacher not so subtlety threatened to chop Ron's fingers and feed them to the 'nasty master's filthy hippogriff'. He also mentioned in passing that he can see how much miss does for master and master's ungrateful friends who would not have been alive if miss did not help them therefore 'the Young Miss' deserves extra treats at every meal.

"Master and especially his blood traitor friend should remember that otherwise . . . . . ." left Kreacher for the imagination of the three.

For the first time apart from Harry, Hermione could say that someone saw her and appreciated her.

That night when she went to sleep for the first time in years the teenager with bushy brown hair felt like a teenager. She felt peace at the bickering of Ron and Kreacher over food. Harry made sure she was okay with the events of the whole day.

But most of all by the events that occur in her dream world where she saw a black hair falling on pale features of a person with two pools of simple silver glaze mercury for a gaze, doing dives on a broom and yet she was not scared for the flyer but rather she was sharing his peace.

The next morning after serving a hearty breakfast Kreacher left to track down Mundungus Fletcher. After Kreacher apparated away Hermione went back to Regulus's room to find important information in them.

Upon entering the room Hermione felt a sudden pull towards the shelf where some of the books were remained to be placed from last night.

The pull towards the shelf again, felt like it can answer almost any question that she had ever dared to ask. So, she started to arrange books in the proper order and arrangements as they should have been on the shelves. Hermione didn't know why but she felt an extra tug towards the shelf about soul magic and the untold afterlife. This one shelf had her the most curious.

The shelf not only contain factual Books but also fiction. soul travel in space and time to find true love. So with keeping that in mind she continued to organize the books.

When the last book has been placed on the shelf. The shelves started to make space for a new shelf in the case and the book started to rearrange.

Right at the middle there was a new shelf with books with leather-bound structure with years mention at their bindings were present 'they were journals, journals of Regulus Arcturus Black. Even with the journals present, she had her eyes fixed at the centre of the shelf with a peculiar curious gaze.

At the middle of all the journals with rich green and black colour, binding was a chest. On top of the chest was their family motto 'Toujours Pur' engraved with the emblem of House of Black. And black crows sitting on branches were carved around the chest as if guarding the family's secrets.

The chest in itself was beautiful but sitting there it held an allure so enticing that to ignore it was a shame. So Hermione gathered all her Gryffindor courage and went near the box. She moved her left hand in the direction of the chest to touch it as cautiously as possible.

As Hermione touched the box it opened at her touch as if recognizing her from memory. As soon as the thought came into her mind, she pushed it away. How could a chest sitting in the black home recognize her? A muggle-born like her.

She opened the chest completely and what she found inside was as shocking as it can get in the last 24 hours.