Chapter 54: The Molding Of A Sacrifice
Severus, Mag and Filius apparated back to Hogwarts and Albus stood to go as well. "We will have our Death Eater tonight, and we will need to extract Severus's memories tomorrow. Can you return in two days to transfigure the man," Wolfgang asked and Albus nodded without saying a word. From his expression, it was clear that the former Hogwarts Headmaster did not relish such work, and the fact he was willing to do it anyway spoke volumes for how much he cared for Severus. Albus departed for Durmstrang after bidding everyone a good night. That left Regulus, and Kreacher with Gellert, Wolfgang and Millicent in the parlor of Adler Manor. "Gellert, I would appreciate it if you waited with Millicent while the three of us go an grab ourselves a worthless little Death Eater," Wolfgang said. "Then you can call Bramble to freeze his dark mark right away. It will allow Kreacher to see how it's done just in case it's ever necessary for him to deal with it at a later date for any reason." Gellert nodded.
"Sounds good."
Wolfgang rose to his feet with an easy elegant grace. "I'll just go get the cloaks of invisibility," he told Regulus and Kreacher.
"Want to play on my computer while they're gone," Millicent asked Gellert as Wolfgang walked from the room. "It would give you an interesting look into Muggle life that you otherwise couldn't get from a distance."
"Alright," Gellert said, slender shoulders lifting in a shrug.
Things between the two seemed relaxed and easy enough, so perhaps they'd worked out whatever issues Wolfgang believed Gellert had with he and Millicent. As the man's mind was still nearly impossible to read, Regulus wasn't able to see his thoughts on the matter.
"The computer seems to Kreacher to be nearly magical, which he finds somewhat disturbing, considering it was invented by Muggles," the elf told Gellert with a slight frown.
Gellert nodded. "Understood.
Before the conversation could progress, Wolfgang was back with the cloaks over one black suited arm. "Our spell has tracked this Boris Bane to an address in downtown London," he told Regulus and Kreacher as he walked over to a low table beside the armchair in which he was seated for the earlier meeting. Retrieving a piece of paper, he glanced at it, then nodded to himself. "I can side apparate the both of you so that we may all arrive together with minimal noise," he said. "I'll put us at the end of his block and we can walk up to his house. Regulus, I assume your night vision is good enough to see house numbers?" Regulus nodded, and Wolfgang smiled. "Good then. When we arrive, you can lead us to his house and we shan't have to light our way. Of course, the less trace we leave, the better." Regulus nodded readily, and Wolfgang continued. "Brilliant! The house number you'll be looking out for is 134." When Kreacher and Regulus dawned their cloaks of invisibility, Wolfgang placed a hand on each of their arms and they apparated away. The three walked up the block in a huddle with Regulus in the lead. They remained connected by keeping hands on one another's arms because they were under their cloaks so still invisible. Of the three, Regulus was the only one who could sense the others with his mind so Wolfgang and Kreacher needed the guiding contact. Of course the house numbers were easy for him to see in the dark, and Regulus had no trouble heading directly for their destination. He stopped at a house at the far end of the street. It was small and dark with a neat front yard. The short front walk leading up to the door was lined with neatly trimmed shrubs. Regulus found himself rather elated to be included in this...To be valued as a result of his choice to become a vampire rather than just being tolerated. "Can you apparate us inside, Kreacher," he whispered. Elves could easily get around any locking wards without setting them off, after all. Kreacher nodded and smiled, obviously as pleased as Regulus to be helpful. In an instant the three were inside with their backs to the still closed front door. "I am going to mentally scan the house to see how many people are here and then we can proceed," Regulus whispered. If there were other occupants, they would kill them if they were fellow Death Eaters or make them forget if they were innocent. If there were children, of course they would be made to forget. Regulus would never harm a child and he knew that Wolfgang nor Kreacher ever would either. "He lives here alone," Regulus whispered a few seconds later. This brilliant stroke of luck made their job far easier, as if fated, he couldn't help thinking. "He is sleeping, so this shall be simple," he added before proceeding deeper into the small house. Able to follow the sound of his quiet footsteps in the nearly silent house, Kreacher and Wolfgang trailed close behind. Regulus went directly into Bane's bedroom and simply lifted the sleeping wizard, clamping one hand over his mouth as he woke and began to struggle. Though they weren't going to kill this one, Regulus found himself experiencing the thrill of the hunt nonetheless. Bane was a bit larger than Regulus, but it didn't help him. This is where his vampiric strength came in quite handy. It ensured Regulus's slight build mattered not in the least when it came to keeping the Death Eater immobile. "Go ahead and apparate us back to Wolfgang's," Regulus told Kreacher. "We can finish attending to him there."
"Right," Kreacher agreed and Regulus felt the elf's slender hand closing around his forearm. In an instant Bane's dark bedroom was replaced by Adler's moderately lit parlor where Millicent and Gellert sat together on the sofa hunched over her laptop computer.
"That was fast," Gellert said, flashing a pleased grin before speaking the name of his elf. "Bramble!" The disgruntled Zabini elf, wearing a green tunic covered in a spider web pattern appeared before him. "It is time to freeze the dark mark," Gellert explained.
Bramble looked around, gaze taking in the situation in a blink. He approached Regulus who'd just shed his invisibility cloak to reveal himself as well as the Death Eater he still held. He was locking eyes with Bane as he lowered the Death Eater's feet to the floor so that Bramble could get at his dark mark. "Be still and be quiet," Regulus commanded, words and eyes tugging at Bane's mind so that the man had no choice but to obey. Bramble's hand shot out, and a jet of cold issued forth with the sound and feel of a small winter wind. Regulus shivered, as the room had chilled even though the jet of icy air was only directed at Bane's arm. It only took a few seconds and it was done. Kreacher watched in open fascination and Wolfgang gathered up the cloaks, also watching with a milder interest.
"Is that all," Bramble asked and Gellert nodded.
"Thank you," the blonde said, and the elf nodded back. Though Grindelwald had spoken at their last gathering as if Bramble richly disliked him, Regulus noted the elf moving rather protectively to stand at his side. "If there is nothing else, I will see everyone at tomorrow's meeting," Gellert said.
Wolfgang nodded. "Sounds good. Thank you, Gellert." Grindelwald inclined his head and Bramble apparated them both away.
Millicent stared at the spot they'd vacated for a moment, then shrugged. "He was actually kind of fun to hang out with while the three of you were gone," she said, a slightly bemused smile on her face as she spoke.
"Interesting," Wolfgang said, then chuckled. "Perhaps there is hope for him yet."
"What are we doing with Bane," Regulus asked.
"I plan to keep him stored away in one of my guest rooms," Wolfgang replied easily. "If you could suggest to him that he remain calm and quiet, that should be sufficient. My kobold will bring him three meals a day and there is a bathroom attached to the room he will be using."
"Do you have to like command him to do basic stuff like use the toilet on his own when he has to go," Millicent asked Regulus curiously. "I mean we don't want him shitting himself or anything." She grinned and Kreacher snickered.
"I've never commanded anyone to do anything long term," Regulus admitted. "So I am not exactly certain. Just to be safe, though..." And he turned back to Bane, locking eyes with the docile Death Eater once again. He commanded him to eat when served food and to relieve himself in the bathroom that adjoined his room when he felt the urge. With that done, Wolfgang led Bane upstairs to his room and Regulus and Kreacher bade Millicent a good night before taking their leave. When they were back at Doge's, Regulus found himself feeling more melancholic than elated which, considering the success of the night and the pleasure he'd taken in it earlier, was a bit surprising. For his part, Kreacher was oddly silent, and a glance at the elf's face told Regulus that their moods were similar. "Are you thinking that we could've just frozen my dark mark back in nineteen-seventy-nine and I could've avoided vampirism," he asked quietly.
"Perhaps Kreacher is thinking that," the elf admitted.
"You and I could've left together," Regulus said, the catch of regret in his throat causing his voice to come out in a whisper. "We could've avoided so much pain...Never separated." It all seemed suddenly so unfair...far too unfair.
And then Kreacher was moving with nearly vampiric speed, flinging himself at Regulus, his momentum taking them both down onto the bed beside which Regulus had been standing as he removed his heavy winter cloak. The elf's mouth was hard and demanding with need against Regulus's own, hot little hands tugging at Regulus's shirt, then nearly angrily removing his own tunic so that the two were deliciously skin to skin. "Master Regulus should stop speaking so of a past that we cannot change. It is too...painful, and Master Regulus should know better," Kreacher chastised. "He should know that no good can come of this sort of regret." Kreacher was kissing him again before Regulus could reply, and he gladly surrendered to the demanding touches of the only person he would ever love.