Chapter 11: Got a Secret

The two eventually fell asleep. It was still dark in the room when Regulus suddenly sprang to wakefulness. Kreacher's body thrashed and struggled against him as the elf gasped for breath. "No...Please! Master Regulus...Save Kreacher!"

"I am here, Love...Wake up," Regulus said, holding Kreacher close and rocking him. He'd heard that one should not wake a sleep walker, but nightmares were a different matter. Still he didn't want to wake him too suddenly even from a dream like this. Somehow the gentle approach felt better. Kreacher's body relaxed within a few seconds and when he spoke again, his tone was baffled rather than panicked."Where are we?"

"In bed at home...It's over...It was a nightmare and you're awake now," Regulus soothed.

Kreacher sighed and his entire body went limp against Regulus. "Kreacher is sorry to disturb Master Regulus' sleep," he muttered regretfully.

"No," Regulus said firmly. "I am sorry for sending you with Voldemort to nearly get yourself killed." There. He'd finally said it aloud. He'd sent his dearest Kreacher on a mission that nearly killed him

"Master Regulus is not to blame," Kreacher insisted. "He did not know. It must be Kreacher's fault for somehow displeasing the Dark Lord."

"You must stop thinking such things, Kreacher! I can't stand it," Regulus said, frustrated. "You know he's sick and twisted and that you did nothing wrong...nothing to deserve that even if for some mad reason he thought you had somehow misstepped."

"Kreacher just hates that he has cost Master Regulus so much."

"You cost me nothing...He needs to be stopped. I just wish it hadn't come to light at risk of you," Regulus said grimly. He sighed. "Though I hate to see you blame yourself and I do firmly request that you please stop doing so, I understand the psychological desire behind it. Aside from the bloody slave mentality that is far above someone like you...It's simply hard to wrap one's mind around the fact that anyone would treat someone like that...leave them to die for no reason." Kreacher nodded fervently against Regulus's shoulder. Regulus continued to hold him, running a soothing hand over the elf's back. "Your perplexity is understandable, but the man is obviously quite mad. He managed to fool everyone this entire time, but now he has slipped up and gotten himself exposed. Why is only to be understood by the minds of the mad. We can start, though, by finding out exactly what he was doing at that lake. That is where Professor Slughorn comes in. Hopefully he can help to shed some light on what sort of potion it was that you drank. If not, he may have some leads to get us started."

"Kreacher hopes so," the elf said.

"For now, we should try to get back to sleep," Regulus suggested. "Do you think you shall be able?"

"Kreacher doesn't know. He will try."

Regulus smiled. "I bet I know what would make you sleep." Bending he trailed his lips across Kreacher's cheek to land on his mouth. The elf responded, and as always wound his arms around Regulus's neck and twined his fingers in his hair in that way that always melted all of Regulus's senses and left him breathless.

"Kreacher is not certain that he has the strength, though," the elf murmured.

"That's fine," Regulus assured firmly. "Because tonight, it is all about you. There is time for us tomorrow and all the days after. Tonight let me take care of you...I will give you such pleasure that you shall simply pass out." He chuckled and Kreacher gave a shiver of anticipation against his body. "If Master Regulus is certain," he said, tone hesitant. He was obviously uncomfortable with simply allowing anything to only be about him.

"Quite...And by the time I've finished with you, you will be calling me Regulus...without the master." Placing Kreacher back onto the bed, Regulus trailed feather light kisses down his body as he slid the tunic Kreacher wore up over his head. Kreacher's body was definitely interested even if he hadn't the strength to do more than receive, and Regulus was more than glad to give. As he pleasured Kreacher again and again with his mouth, he couldn't help feeling grateful that the elf was alive to receive that pleasure. As Regulus had intended, his efforts were such that Kreacher called him Regulus many times without the honorific 'master, and when he at last was completely spent and unable to move, he fell asleep in Regulus's arms in a matter of seconds.

In the morning, Kreacher was feeling much better and they spent a few...soothing hours in bed celebrating life before abandoning bed for a late breakfast. Regulus tried to help Kreacher prepare it, but the elf pointedly reminded him that their morning antics proved that his health was fully in order. Therefore no assistance was required. After breakfast Regulus wrote Slughorn and asked if they could meet on a matter of life and death. He felt this was literal and true not to mention to the point so hopefully it would gain the professor's attention. Fortunately the mail owl returned within an hour. The professor's reply was brief and to the point.

Regulus,

To be quite honest you have me worried. You may come and see me at once.

The potions professor's address followed, and that was all. Regulus slipped a quill and parchment into his pocket for notes, then apparated with Kreacher to the home address Professor Slughorn had provided. The heavy iron door knocker that Regulus used to announce their arrival was in the shape of an ornate snail. Almost at once, a chubby elf opened the door. She had a pink scarf around her neck and a rose tucked behind one ear. "I am Regulus Black, here to see Professor Slughorn at his invitation." Smiling politely, the elf said that Master Slughorn was expecting him. She showed them into the library where the professor was waiting.

"Regulus. I am glad you came to me with...whatever this was," he said, as soon as he'd sent his elf away to bring them tea. "You've brought a friend along, I see," Slughorn observed.

Regulus nodded. "Yes Sir. This is our family house elf, Kreacher, and indeed my best friend. We...we wished to speak to you about a potion. We were hoping that if we described the effects, you could tell us what sort of potion you believe it to be. I will describe the effects, that is, and if I am wrong, Kreacher shall correct me."

Slughorn's expression grew even more concerned at Regulus's words, but he nodded, silently waving at a couple of chairs across from his own in the large ornate library. "Sit down, do and make yourselves comfortable," he invited.

Regulus nodded. "Thank you, Sir." He sat together with Kreacher, the two squeezing themselves into one chair. The chair was large and overstuffed, and both were thin so there was room. Professor Slughorn raised his brows slightly at that, but made no comment so Regulus began to recount what Kreacher had told him that the potion did. "This potion has a green color that sheds its own light. It causes one to see horrible things and feel horrible stomach pain as well as weakness when ingested. One's emotions are also beyond despair."

"You do not wish to concoct such a potion, do you, Regulus," Slughorn asked with a frown of concerned disapproval. Regulus was quick to shake his head. "No Sir! Never," he said quite honestly.

"Good, good," Professor Slughorn said distractedly, giving a slight nod. "Your elf knows more of this potion than you do, then?"

Regulus looked to Kreacher who hesitated then nodded slightly. "He was forced to drink it, Sir. We are trying to discover why before we decide how to...act upon the matter," Regulus explained. Slughorn was a sharp one, so Regulus knew he'd have to give a little of the truth of the matter in order to gain any helpful information.

Slughorn's frown deepened causing the age furrows in his face to grow even more pronounced. "Will you not tell me who did this, Regulus? Because I have never heard of a potion that combines all of the properties that you have listed. I know some herbs and venoms that would cause one effect or another, but the combination...it is no potion with which I am familiar...But the fact you are concerns me, especially if Kreacher was forced to drink it. If you confide in me, I promise I shall keep your secret."

Regulus leaned forward to regard the potions master intently. "If I tell you, Sir, you must never speak a word of it or your life could be in danger."

Slughorn's eyes widened, and he seemed to hesitate, but then his expression resolved. "Tell me. I will not breathe a word of it."

And so Regulus did. As he spoke, all color drained from Horace Slughorn's face and at one point he even looked quite ill. Regulus found himself hoping the older man wouldn't have a heart attack or something.

"I know you liked him, Sir, but so did we, and he...did that to Kreacher!" Regulus struggled for composure through the rage that nearly choked him at the thought. Kreacher reached for his hand, clinging to it tightly, and Regulus let out a breath, feeling more calmed by the touch. "Whatever he is doing, Sir, it has to be very bad. He is quite obviously unhinged, and he gives dark magic a bad name with his foul deeds."

"Indeed, Dear Boy," Slughorn agreed, and the sincerity in his face caused Regulus to relax, sinking back into the chair with a relieved sigh. "He was such a promising student...such a shiner! True leagues ahead of the rest," Slughorn lamented. "There was that one time, though..."And now it was his turn to lean intently toward Regulus and Kreacher. "Have you ever experienced something that you forced yourself to overlook at the time, hoping you were over reacting? Then later, at times like this, you see it for the red flag it was, and you must berate yourself for ignoring it when you did?" Both shook their heads.

"No Sir," Regulus said. "I can't ignore this, and I believe it was my red flag."

"It may be safer if you did," Slughorn muttered but when Regulus made no reply, he sighed. "This red flag of which I spoke probably has nothing to do with your situation, as I can't see how such would relate to the potion you mentioned. Still I shall tell you of it nonetheless. First, though, do either of you know what a Horcrux is?"

Regulus and Kreacher exchanged a glance and Regulus felt his blood running cold...because it was all beginning to disturbingly add up. "Not precisely, Sir...Because I did not have enough time to read the book that the Dark Lord asked me to steal from Durmstrang which mentioned them."

The potions master definitely looked ill now. He made a low sound of distress, shaking his head. "That was your first red flag," he said. You simply didn't know it." As they listened, Slug horn told them of Tom Riddle asking him about Horcruxes. "I warned him against them, of course, but it does not appear that he was interested in my advice," he concluded heavily.

"I would think that his interest in Horcruxes has nothing to do with the potion save for the fact he wanted that book right before asking for an elf to help with a task. I volunteered dear Kreacher stupidly thinking that would raise us both in the ranks." Regulus lowered his head in shame, black tresses falling over his cheek. Kreacher lifted a slender long fingered hand to brush the hair back.

"Master Regulus could not have known," the elf rasped, but the words, though true, didn't bring Regulus much comfort.

"You both must take excessive care," Slughorn said gravely. "You could both be in a great deal of danger with this sort of information."

Regulus and Kreacher both nodded. "Yes Sir," Regulus said. "We shall proceed with caution. Thank you for sharing what you know with us. I promise to make good use of it."