Chapter 13: Heathens

Regulus approached his father the moment Orion and Walburga arrived back home from their trip the next day. By that point, he was just ready to get it over with. He'd made the decision to share the burden of the truth concerning the Dark Lord. He was beyond tired of bearing it alone. Rather than feeling like a relief, the decision served as a new anxiety that would not be eased until his father knew everything. Regulus stood pensively in front of his father in the front hall while his mum instructed Kreacher on unpacking their things.

"As soon as you've done with that, Kreacher, would you join Father and I in the library," Regulus asked and the elf nodded, fleetingly meeting Regulus's gaze with worried blue eyes. "Father...I must speak with you in private on a matter of extreme import. May we do that now," Regulus asked, turning back to a bemused Orion. The elder Black nodded and the two walked together into the library. "May I pour you a drink, Father," Regulus offered as Orion sank into his favorite arm chair with a sigh. Regulus thought the offer of a drink was the least he could do considering what he was about to dump onto his undeserving father.

"Yes, that would be nice. Thank you, Regulus," Orion accepted with a slight smile. It was obvious he was wondering what all this was about and too polite to ask for the time being. Regulus nodded, moving to the sideboard as he asked, "So how was your trip?" Regulus made the polite inquiry as he poured. Normally it would've been the question he greeted his parents with, but today his focus was elsewhere.

"Quite nice. What's this matter of import about, Regulus...I see you asked Kreacher to join us so if it is about...anything personal I would rather not know of it."

Regulus sighed. "It isn't. At least not in the way you're thinking, but I would prefer to wait for Kreacher to join us before I begin."

"Very well," Orion said. "I am curious, but Kreacher never takes very long to complete any task, so I shan't have long to wait."

Regulus nodded, crossing the room to his father's chair and presenting him with the freshly poured snifter of brandy. Idly he considered pouring one for himself for fortification, then decided against it and took a seat across from his father instead. For a few moments, strained silence filled the library as they both waited for Kreacher. Eventually Orion cleared his throat, then took a sip of brandy. "Was all well while we were away?"

Regulus nodded. "Yes...We had a nice time. It was pleasant to have some time alone." He glanced away, hoping he hadn't said anything to make his father uncomfortable. That wasn't his intention, and he did not seek to anger Orion, but the elder Black was aware that Regulus and Kreacher were a couple now so pretending otherwise felt wrong.

"That's nice," Orion muttered, gaze focused intently on the brandy in his glass.

Fortunately Kreacher entered then, gently closing the door behind him. Regulus smiled and gestured for Kreacher to take the chair beside his own. When the elf was seated, Regulus took a deep breath as he met his father's eyes. "When Kreacher went to assist the Dark Lord, he was nearly killed." That certainly got Orion's attention. His eyes flew wide and he straightened sharply, setting the glass in his hand on the large oak desk to the right of his chair. "What happened?"

Regulus looked at Kreacher, and the elf began to apologetically recount the unsettling incident in the cave, long slender fingers twisting together anxiously as he spoke. Regulus sat stiffly on the edge of his chair as he listened to the horrors Kreacher unfolded yet again. This time was no easier. Though now the elf was not clinging to him and sobbing in misery and shock as he spoke, the halting, nearly fearful way Kreacher relayed the incident tore at his heart. Again, Regulus was awash in guilt for volunteering the one he loved most for an assignment that put him directly into the hands of a mad man who, for whatever reason, left him for dead! As he listened, Orion's face showed confusion, then shock, then anger.

"Kreacher fears that Master Regulus will put himself in danger because of what happened to Kreacher," the elf concluded in a rush. Regulus hadn't expected that and he frowned. "Please, Master Orion, don't allow Master Regulus to do anything that would cause the Dark Lord to...to hurt him or worse. Kreacher could not bear it!"

"I promised you that already, Kreacher. That's why I brought this to Father. So that we can decide what should be done together," Regulus interjected, frown still in place. "I felt it best to try to figure out exactly what the Dark Lord was doing that was so important he had to kill Kreacher to keep him from returning and telling me anything," Regulus continued, addressing his father. He told Orion of the assignment he, Bellatrix and the Lestranges were given to steal books from Durmstrang, including the sort of books being stolen. He then related his and Kreacher's visit to Professor Slughorn and what the potions master shared of Horcruxes and his conversation with young Lord Voldemort aka Tom Riddle. "I believe he made a Horcrux from the green locket with Slytherin's symbol on it that Kreacher described being hidden in the cave. Considering the fact that a Horcrux is always put into an object as well as Voldemort's conversation with Slughorn and the book mentioning Horcruxes he had us steal for him, it all seems to add up," he concluded.

"You are a very smart young man, Regulus, and you are quite probably correct," Orion said with a heavy sigh. "Though at present, I have no idea of the best way to handle this. I must think." As he spoke, Orion's troubled gray gaze moved from Regulus to Kreacher and back. "You have both done well with this...as well as could be done considering," he praised. Turning to the desk, he picked up his glass and drained it. "Did you mention this to Bellatrix and the rest yet," he asked, and Regulus shook his head.

"No Sir. Only to you." Well he'd told Dora, but she wasn't a wizard, so in this case hardly counted for Orion's intentions surely.

"Well I think we should. Now. They need to know who they're serving. That and if we are to stop him, they are the ones to help. They're his favorites, and he trusts them if he trusts anyone. If we are to truly stop him, we will have to take him out and fast. With the help of Bellatrix and the Lestranges, we can strike him before he can react. The six of us."

"You want to kill him," Regulus asked, stunned at this revelation from his father.

"To protect my family, I'd kill anyone, Regulus. If you are intent on taking action on this, and I believe you are right to do so, he won't be stopped without being killed. He has left us no choice. We haven't enough solid proof to go to the Ministry. Even if we bring them the locket, we can't prove that it is his."

Regulus exchanged a look with Kreacher then nodded. "Yes Sir. I believe you are right...We must do this ourselves." Though the idea of outright killing Voldemort to his face was a little shocking, it soothed Regulus's soul. From the moment Kreacher came home the way he had, Regulus had known that Voldemort had to pay.

Orion nodded and stood. "I'll go and send Bellatrix an owl now, telling her to meet us here at once and bring the Lestranges with her."

"Thank you, Father," Regulus said, swallowing down a sudden lump of emotion. It felt better than good to allow his father to take control, and the fact that Orion willingly did just that was touching, nearly making Regulus feel like a protected child again. A child who'd better grow up fast if he was to help commit a very justified murder, he told himself in dry amusement.

"Of course, Son. I'm just doing what any parent should."

Regulus nodded, swallowing again. "I love you, Dad."

Orion cleared his throat. "You too...both of you." He left the room abruptly and closed the door behind him. Regulus reached at once to draw Kreacher into his arms with a sigh of relief. "It's going to be alright! We're really going to do this," he said, and Kreacher nodded, clinging to him in return.

"Master Orion is wise. He will make it right."

Regulus nodded in silent agreement to Kreacher's words and the two simply clung together wordlessly until Orion reentered the library. He wore an expression of purposeful determination. "I sent the owl off to Bellatrix. I didn't tell your mum, Regulus, because I didn't want to worry her. We'll tell her what happened after it is all finished."

Regulus nodded, having been of the same mind earlier. "Yes, Sir."

"And now I would like the two of you to help me to bolster the defenses on this manor," Orion continued. "Just in case Voldemort gets to worrying that Regulus will begin looking for his elf or...who knows what could get into that mad man's head, but I want this place so defended he can't get in even if he very much wishes to do so. As defenses have always been a bit of an obsession of mine, I've cooked up some rather nasty traps and wards that I am quite certain would stop even him. I shall teach them to the two of you and we will surround the manor with layers of protections."

Kreacher and Regulus nodded eagerly, and they got to work. The experience would have been far more enjoyable and fascinating were the circumstances driving it not so dire. The wizard and elf magic going into the wards was somehow beautiful, like moving magical art that nearly crackled with power. Regulus fully believed his father that these wards could even keep the likes of Voldemort out. Bellatrix and the Lestranges arrived before they finished, so Orion asked them to wait in the library until the defenses were complete. Half an hour later, the six of them sat around the large oak desk having tea while Kreacher repeated his story for a third time.