Chapter 58: Friends
Kreacher had never had a social life that wasn't connected to Regulus. Never had he personally been invited anywhere for his own sake. Never was his company personally sought out except by Regulus. One could speculate that wizards and elves did not often socialize together and this would be true. One may also claim that most elves were slaves and as such having a social life was not appropriate or even likely. Even free elves, though, weren't often heard of being invited to tea with wizards for whatever reason. Though Kreacher was vaguely intrigued by this Nosferatu who supposedly looked like him, he would not have wanted to go on a social outing without Master Regulus, had said master not strenuously encouraged him to do so. Being invited to someone's home for a purely social outing without anyone else accompanying Kreacher had surprised him, and were he honest, flattered him as well. Still he had no use for activities outside of those in which Master Regulus could participate. He went to Adler Manor Saturday at two in the afternoon, though. Millicent Bulstrode had written Friday night to say they would be meeting at two, and Kreacher prided himself on being on time. As it happened, Kereston apparated to the door of Adler Manor at the same time as Kreacher. She apparently valued punctuality as well.
"Hi," the small blonde greeted, giving Kreacher a bright smile. "I'm so glad you were able to come! I'd have watched the movie with Millie, but it'll be so much more fun and interesting with you watching too. I cant' wait to see what you think of Nosferatu!" As she spoke, she lifted her hand to the door knocker, letting it fall a few times.
"Does Kereston Boxwood not have...fun, with Millicent Bulstrode when others are not present," Kreacher wondered.
Kereston chuckled, shrugging small shoulders. "Oh sure, but we grew up together, so if nothing new is going on to give us something to talk about it's just the same old same old. And do just call me Kereston. It's faster and we are friends, after all."
Millicent opened the door as Kereston was saying that last bit, and she grinned, nodding. "Same here. Just call me Millicent," she invited easily.
"Not Millie, then," Kreacher asked, peering up at Millicent as he and Kereston stepped inside.
Millicent scowled at Kereston. "Has fucking Boxwood been calling me Millie," she demanded. "I fucking hate that. It."
"Sorry, it's just..." Kereston began and Millicent cut her off.
"It's just shorter? One fucking syllable shorter, Boxwood. Stop being so god damned lazy with your mouth. It isn't as if you have trouble talking, after all."
Kreacher couldn't help but snicker at Millicent's creative speech patterns. Her mention of Kereston's mouth brought another question to mind that he and Master Regulus were both curious to know the answer to. "Why does Gellert Grindelwald call Kereston Porky Mouth, Kreacher wonders."
Kereston rolled her eyes and sighed as Millicent led them into the parlor. "Because he's being a prat," she groaned. "I took him once to McDonalds and he hated it! Like hated it even more than Millicent hates being called Millie! I assume he started the Porky Mouth thing because I like to eat their burgers and he assumes they're made of pork due to the term hamburger."
Millicent giggled. "He can be an immature prat when he gets something into his head."
"What is McDonalds," Kreacher asked, mildly perplexed. Idly he wondered if he would be able to read a person's mind fast enough as a vampire to simply see the answers to his questions in their thoughts without having to ask. Then again would he feel wrong reading the minds of friends in case they were thinking something private? Perhaps so, he decided. So he'd better not get out of the habit of asking questions.
"It's a Muggle fast food restaurant," Kereston replied. "I wanted to show Gellert what has changed while he's been locked away in prison. How Muggle technology has grown, and how many bloody Muggles there are these days. They multiply like cockroaches, I swear!"
"Hopefully he gets that and won't try his old shit again," Millicent said darkly as she seated herself on a long comfortable looking sofa against the parlor's far wall. She gestured Kreacher and Kereston to come and sit with her. "It'll be easier to see the movie on my computer if we're all together."
Kreacher and Kereston settled onto the sofa and Millicent rang a small bell on the table beside her. ""Getting the refreshments before I start it up," she explained.
"Oh, that reminds me," Kereston said, reaching into her shoulder bag and withdrawing an ornate gold looking box. "Assorted chocolates. I thought they'd go well with the popcorn."
"Good idea," Millicent said with a quick smile at the blonde. "Thanks."
Kreacher peered at the box again. It looked fancy so apparently Kereston had taste. This was a relief, for she seemed very nice, but it made things even more confusing. "Why does Kereston enjoy eating Muggle food and why is it fast," he asked, voicing the questions that were perplexing him and weighing heavily on his mind.
"It's fast because of the way they prepare it," Kereston explained. "It's for busy people who want to grab something fast and eat on the go or after they get home from work and are too tired to bother making a meal. And I like it because it's yummy." She grinned and her smile was so contagious that Kreacher found himself smiling back. "Call it the pleasure I should be guilty about."
Kreacher nodded, for he felt she certainly should. "It comes of Muggles not having house elves to cook for them," he muttered scathingly.
"I didn't have a house elf either," Kereston said as Wolfgang's Kobold entered carrying a fragrant tray that caused Kreacher's stomach to rumble. "But my Mum cooked or she'd stop off at The Three Broomsticks for take out."
"That is good," Kreacher said. "Decent folk should have home cooked meals." As he spoke, his gaze took in the huge heaping platter of popcorn dripping with butter. He'd seen wizarding adverts in the paper for self popping corn, but the Black family had never tried it, so of course neither had Kreacher. Millicent flicked her wand at the tray so that it levitated in front of them, in easy reach of all three. Aside from the heaping buttery platter of popcorn, the tray also held three cups of pumpkin juice.
"Why does Kereston's family not have an elf," Kreacher asked and Kereston shrugged.
"I don't know really. I suppose my Mum just likes doing things for herself and our house is rather small. Perhaps she thought having another person there would make it even more cluttered. We're not poor or anything," she explained with another shrug. "Our house isn't overly large but it's not tiny. I am an only child, so we don't really need a ton of space. I have my own room, my parents have theirs, we've a kitchen, dining room, two baths, a sitting room, and that's it."
"She's not a mudblood or anything," Millicent told Kreacher. "Her Mum's just a former Ravenclaw so a little weird."
Kereston frowned at Millicent but didn't comment.
"What house was Kereston in," Kreacher wondered.
"Slytherin, just as my father was," Kereston replied with a smile. "I wanted to get into Slytherin or Ravenclaw, but so many Slytherins were prats! It was surprising really. My parents have enough former school friends who were in Slytherin and they're all cool. Most of my friends were Huffles or Ravenclaws, though. Millicent, Blaise and Mag were my only close friends from Slytherin, honestly." As Kereston chatted to Kreacher, Millicent took her laptop computer from the table beside her end of the sofa.
"Perhaps it's the stress of Voldemort looming over everyone that makes people gittish," she said. "We all have our coping mechanisms."
Kereston nodded. "That makes sense...And you sound like Mag. She'd be proud. It's all psychological."
Millicent grinned. "See? I listen sometimes when I appear to be ignoring everyone."
"It's so weird she ended up with Severus," Kereston gushed as Millicent turned the laptop on. "I mean she was obsessed over him for years," she added, turning to Kreacher. "None of us really thought she'd get him because...you know, he's Snape and probably doesn't want to be touched."
Kreacher snorted, chuckling reluctantly, because Severus Snape had always been kind enough to him.
"It's not that I didn't think he'd want Mag particularly because she's great," Kereston added. "Seeing them being a couple is still so weird though." She sighed. "I'm glad they're happy. It's really going around, though."
Kreacher gave her a curious look and she explained. "I mean people getting into serious relationships who don't at all seem the type. Take Blaise...He's the ice king literally and he melts like a snowball in June when Gellert looks at him. And even you, Millie! You're married! I never thought you'd find anyone you didn't hate."
"I didn't want to go back to school this fall, so the wedding was faster than my parents liked," Millicent said with a shrug as she glanced up from the computer screen. "But yeah, I understand what you're saying. You'll find yours exactly when you're not looking just like Blaise and I did," she told Kereston. "And you too," she added, grinning at Kreacher.
"Kreacher...doesn't need anyone," the elf said.
"Everyone has the right to find love," Kereston said. "If someone is out there for you, I'm sure Regulus wouldn't begrudge you that. He seems very fond of you to want you to become a vampire with him, after all."
"That's just it," Kreacher said, deciding to just have done with it and see who he was really dealing with for good or ill. He could do this for Master Regulus and spare him pain if these people were going to be unkind about their relationship. It would spare him the bother of telling anyone else if it went dreadfully. Kreacher wasn't able to spare Master Regulus the dreadful potion and the lake of Inferi, but he could spare him this if it was an issue. "Kreacher has already found love. He found it many years ago...With Master Regulus. Master Regulus always wished to free Kreacher and to make our relationship known, at least to some people, but Kreacher feared for our safety, and now there is stupid Potter needing Kreacher about for other reasons," the elf concluded resentfully. Resentful thoughts of Harry Potter almost distracted him from worrying over the reactions of Millicent and Kereston to his revelation. Almost but not quite. He glanced from one to the other, worriedly trying to read their expressions. Both were shocked, but trying not to show it.
"Well...That's nice," Kereston said. "I'm glad you found one another again. That time apart when you believed him dead and he believed you wanted nothing to do with him...it must have been even more horrible than if you were just friends! Not that it wouldn't be bad enough with losing a friend...I just meant...""Shut up, Kereston," Millicent said with a roll of her eyes. "It sucked ass, but they're okay now, right, Kreacher?"
The elf smiled and nodded, feeling his entire body relaxing at the fact neither seemed interested in beheading him for being involved with a wizard.
Kereston shot a dark look at Millicent before returning her gaze to Kreacher. "Being a vampire forever with your lover is so romantic, though. How wonderful!"
Kreacher nodded, smiling shyly as he didn't really know what to say. Kereston had done a good job of saying it all, and though he appreciated Millicent, he didn't think that Kereston needed to shut up. Unlike most people, she said nice things. And so what if she talked a lot. Kreacher talked a lot. Kereston was interesting and if interesting people talked a lot he did not mind.
"Speaking of vampires, I have the movie up now," Millicent said. "It's an old silent film so the dialog is in writing here on the screen along with the image." They watched the movie in silence, snacking on the popcorn that Kreacher found to be extremely deliciously addictive as well as the chocolates Kereston had brought. Kereston was right! The vampire in the movie did look a lot like a taller version of Kreacher. The thrall the woman seemed to hold over Nosferatu in the end fascinated the elf for some reason that he could not explain. As the movie ended, he turned to Millicent with a grateful smile. The popcorn platter was empty as was the box of chocolates.
"Kreacher thanks Millicent for the movie and for inviting him over. He liked the movie very much."
Millicent smiled. "Good. And it was cool hanging out with you. We should do it again soon."
Kereston nodded. "Certainly! I bet you're bored while Regulus sleeps and having something interesting to do on the weekends would really help me right now to be honest. Work is worrisome these days with us having to clean up magical messes we know Voldemort and his lot caused, yet we can do nothing about it but put up and shut up."
"Potter better kill that bastard somehow," Millicent said grimly. From the threatening gleam in her eyes, Kreacher knew Potter would be in for it if he failed and managed to survive.
"Kreacher would enjoy visiting with Kereston and Millicent again if Master Regulus does not need him," he said, realizing that it was true. Never had he sought company outside of Regulus and his circle, but he felt rather at ease around these two girls, and they were interesting. Not only that, they'd accepted he and Master Regulus, and honestly hadn't seemed to believe that it was wrong for them to be together. Drawing in a deep breath, he looked from one to the other, fingers tugging nervously at the hem of his new tunic as he steeled himself to ask a question that he knew would worry him if he didn't get an opinion from someone else to balance his own. "Do Kereston and Millicent think that other wizards and witches will want to kill Kreacher and Master Regulus for being together? Or will they ostracize Master Regulus and make his life miserable?" He watched the girls exchange a surprised glance. For a moment neither spoke.
"I honestly don't know, but if they do, fuck em," Millicent said.
"Oh Millie, no one is going to try to kill them," Kereston snapped. "Don't tell him that."
Millicent reached across Kreacher to punch Kereston on the arm. "Don't fucking call me Millie! And of course no one is going to try to kill them. I meant the ostracizing part." She turned back to Kreacher. "Of course I meant the ostracizing part! We'll always be your friends, and I'm sure everyone else in our crowd will too. If it's anyone else, fuck em."
"Or not," Kereston said with a giggle. "Because that would be nasty."
Kreacher laughed, suddenly feeling much better. "Kreacher asks that Kereston and Millicent do not tell anyone else, though. He wishes to give Master Regulus an opportunity to decide when he wants people to know. Though honestly, he has only been silent this long for Kreacher," the elf admitted.
"Of course," Kereston said. "It's your business."
"So are we the only ones who know, then," Millicent asked. "I'm feeling all honored and shit!"
"Almost," Kreacher said with a quick smile. "Though Millicent should still feel honored because it is difficult for Kreacher to speak of. Miss Dora, Master Regulus's maker knows, and the Lestranges. Master Orion knew before he died," he added, unable to keep his eyes from going moist at the thought of dear Master Orion and the horrifying way he was taken from them.
"The Lestranges knew," Kereston gasped. "And they were alright with it? I mean they must be because you're still alive, but that's a surprise."
"They are kind to Kreacher," the elf defended. "They were not pleased when they found out about Kreacher's relationship with Master Regulus, but they kept quiet. As Kreacher did, they feared what would befall he and Master Regulus were word to reach the wrong people."
"So family loyalty," Millicent asked and Kreacher shrugged and nodded.
"Yes, Kreacher supposes, but they also like Kreacher and Master Regulus more than they ever did Master Sirius and Miss Andromeda," he concluded proudly.
"What are they like," Kereston asked. "The Lestranges that is." Her blue-gray eyes were round with curiosity, though her face also held the fear many felt when speaking of the Lestranges. Kreacher considered for a moment before replying. "They are fierce and loyal. They are wild, and they are proud."
"What about crazy and dangerous," Millicent asked. "Cause that's what the word is on the street."
"Dangerous if you're on their bad side, yes, but if they like a person they will fight for them," Kreacher said. "Mad, perhaps a little. Perhaps Azkaban made it worse, but Kreacher has only seen them once and only briefly after their escape," he admitted.
"Well you make them seem a bit more human at that," Kereston admitted reluctantly and Kreacher smiled.
"Kreacher is glad." He considered telling Kereston and Millicent what Voldemort had done to them then and there, but he hesitated. Kereston said Voldemort had the Ministry, so if she knew too much and someone got at her, that would not be good at all. No, he would wait and tell everything once the monster was dead.