Chapter 29: Three Souls Are The Cost. If I Walk Free, Their Lives Forever Are Lost
After Kreacher finished eating, Regulus called for Mortis, not wanting to leave the phoenix behind when they went to Dora's. The black bird had gone off to do his own thing, likely exploring the manor, while Kreacher and Regulus had their alone time. In less than ten seconds, he came flying into the kitchen, and Kreacher smiled at him. "Mortis came in when Kreacher was making food so Kreacher cut up a tomato for him," the elf said. "He allowed Kreacher to pet him," he added almost shyly.
That warmed Regulus's heart. He was pleased to see the two getting on. "He sees how wonderful you are," he told Kreacher, reaching out to draw him close. He couldn't get enough of touching Kreacher again, noticing and not caring in the least that he was clinging to the elf as if he never planned to let go. "We're headed to Dora's," he told Mortis. As soon as the black phoenix was on his shoulder, Regulus apparated them into Dora's sitting room.
"Hi?" The vampire looked mildly startled at their appearence. She lounged casually on her sofa watching a Muggle game show. "Somehow I'm still not used to you just appearing...probably because you haven't really used magic very much in years," she observed. As she spoke, she took in Kreacher, still clutched in Regulus's arms. "Oh my god! I am so glad you're here. Please don't ever leave! Well if he's with you you can leave, but just stay with him no matter what, please! He is really sorry."
Kreacher regarded her pensively. "Kreacher never wished to be away from Master Regulus's side. It pains him more than he can say that Master Regulus could, for even a moment, believe otherwise."
"So...what happened with the us not being able to contact you business," Dora asked curiously. Reaching for the remote control that rested on the arm of the sofa, she switched the television off. Kreacher's head turned to regard the device in her hand with a look half curious, half disapproving.
"Master Regulus and Kreacher are still trying to figure that out," Kreacher replied slowly. "Kreacher believes his Mistress may have placed some ward on the manor to hide us from attacks that kept the letters from getting through as well as anyone new from being able to find it. This would explain why Mortis and Miss Dora had trouble, but the Dark Lord could have been responsible for all Kreacher knows. As for Master Regulus's attempts to summon Kreacher to him...That is more complicated. Master Regulus had the idea that the filthy lake water interacted with his vampirism and broke his connection to Kreacher."
"Vampires are supposed to heal from anything, so I know that isn't logical, but it's the only thing that fits," Regulus told Dora. "Inside my manor today, I still could not summon Kreacher, but on my first day as a vampire, before visiting the lake, I could."
Dora nodded thoughtfully. "You are right. It isn't logical, because what doesn't kill vampires, we can heal from. Still I know nothing about how magic can interact with vampirism so I suppose we all just learned something new." She studied Kreacher in open fascination. "Well aren't you the cutest little magical thing! Granted I have seen you frequently in Regulus's mind, but the real thing is far more impressive!" Kreacher grinned and blushed in pleasure. "I can literally FEEL the magic radiating off of you...In waves of...Other, and awesomeness." She grinned. "And I think many people would even be frightened of you." That last bit was said with true respect.
Kreacher looked surprised and a bit confused, but smiled again. "Kreacher...that is nice of Miss Dora to say," the elf managed at last. Wriggling out of Regulus's arms he stepped forward and gravely bowed. "Kreacher would like very much to thank Miss Dora for saving his Master Regulus's life. Kreacher truly thanks Dora from the bottom of his heart."
"Well that's sweet," Dora said. "In truth I was glad to help. Your magical world is all very interesting to one as old as myself. To discover new things at my age is more than refreshing and in truth a necessity for our kind else we grow bored of living. Many do, you know. After so long with nothing new to interest or stimulate, things become too tedious."
"Kreacher thinks he and master Regulus shall always find things to interest us," the elf said, a small private smile playing across his lips as he quickly turned his head to regard Regulus. The rapid movement reminded Regulus of the first kiss the two had ever shared. He'd intended to kiss Kreacher's cheek but the elf had turned his head very fast, much in the way he just had, and the kiss had landed on the corner of Kreacher's mouth instead, quickly deepening to both of their surprise.
"The two of you need to stop leering at one another," Dora mock huffed. "There is a lady present."
"Kreacher wasn't," the elf defended and Dora shook her head.
"You most certainly were. Now come over here...May I touch your cheek? It looks so soft." Dora's gaze shown with adoring fascination as she eagerly regarded Kreacher.
Kreacher blinked, giving Dora a bemused look. "Dora may," he said slowly,then inched his way over to her side and turned his head, offering his cheek to be touched. Regulus noted with a smirk of inner amusement at himself that Kreacher turned his head far more slowly for Dora. "Wow, your skin is so soft," Dora marveled. "May I touch your head now?" Kreacher nodded and she ran her slender hand gently over his head. "Wow," she murmured again and chuckled softly. "What a wondrous thing you are."
"Kreacher is Kreacher," the elf noted philosophically. "He is pleased that Dora approves, though."
"So what else? Am I all caught up now," Dora asked, glancing from Kreacher to Regulus.
"Well..." Regulus said. "My mother died...In nineteen-eighty-five, and of course I had no idea." He'd had no way of getting the wizarding news without risking being seen by the wizards who believed him dead. As doing so could put those he cared for at risk, he hadn't risked it.
"Oh Regulus, I am so sorry," Dora exclaimed. "What happened?"
Regulus shook his head as Kreacher's head lowered in silent sorrow. Both wore similar expressions of abject misery. Regulus had to swallow several times before he could answer his maker's question. "We don't know, but it doesn't feel right at all. I mean of course it wasn't right! Mum was far too young to die, but the way it happened was strange."
As Dora listened, Kreacher told how he'd found his mistress on the floor in the hallway of their family manor when she'd showed no signs of any health condition that could kill her in such a sudden fashion. Dora shook her head in sympathy. "Well I hope the two of you aren't going to be insane enough to risk yourselves in what is probably going to be a pointless crusade against this Dark Lord Voldemort guy. I mean you already attempted to kill him once and look what happened. It caused all manner of huge messes that took literally nearly twenty years to clean up. Certainly Mrs. Black would not want either of you to risk yourselves."
"That's just it, though," Regulus objected. "It isn't cleaned up yet. My cousin and the Lestranges are still in it and quite against their will though they don't even know it! I can't leave them like that if Dumbledore has an idea for how I can help." Regulus had never truly believed that someone would end the Dark Lord soon even back when he'd first fled with Dora. When one of Dora's other vampire friends paid her a visit a few days ago, bringing the news of Voldemort's return, Regulus was shocked. Mostly because he'd never been aware that Voldemort was ever supposedly dead. Remaining out of wizarding society as he did, the news never reached him.
"But you no longer have nothing to lose," Dora objected in open frustration. "You have Kreacher back now, so why risk yourselves again when there is no guarantee of helping anyone and a likely chance you will endanger yourselves instead? It appears this insane monster calling himself Voldemort is more than difficult to kill and the attempt cost you enough already!" She glared back and forth between the two of them, gaze demanding a logical reasonable explanation for what she saw as their headlong dash into unnecessary danger.
"We won't go directly up against him again, I assure you," Regulus said and Kreacher nodded his fervent agreement. "We will ask Dumbledore if we can help behind the scenes...If there is anything we can do to somehow help the Lestranges and Bellatrix, we must."
"Someone else will surely help them by killing Voldemort. An army likely as not," Dora exclaimed in open frustration.
"If Kreacher wishes for us to remain out of it, I will do as he wishes," Regulus said. "I promised him that he is in charge of all important decisions now as apparently I am rubbish at them if I have any emotion behind my motivations what so ever." There went that old self deprecating thinking of which Mortis always seemed to disapprove, but it felt so true, so all encompassing, that Regulus couldn't help but give it credence. The phoenix gave an annoyed trill and nipped at his ear in open chastisement as if sensing Regulus's thought.
/You must stop killing your soul./ The bird projected the words into his mind and Regulus tried not to cringe. The first time he'd gotten that sentiment from Mortis was around five months ago. He had gotten the distinct feeling back then that the bird was about to leave him...That he was dragging the black phoenix down with his misery and becoming unworthy of Mortis's company as a result.
Thankfully Kreacher spoke, and the elf's words dragged Regulus out of his own dark thoughts. "Kreacher thinks we should try to help the Lestranges if we are able to do it safely and without risk," he said. "They were good and loyal and they were there for us."
Regulus smiled, pleased that Kreacher was of the same mind on this matter. "Good. Thank you, Kreacher."
Dora gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine. If you insist on doing this, I am going with you!"