Chapter 60: A Wand To The Wise
The following Wednesday, Regulus woke with Kreacher bending over him, peaking through a crack in the coffin lid which he held open just wide enough to see inside. In similar fashion to Saturday, Kreacher's eyes were eager. "Master Regulus. Someone is here to see you. Well she originally only wished to leave something for Master Regulus in Kreacher's capable care, but Kreacher suggested she wait. He knew Master Regulus would be awake soon, and that he may wish to thank her himself. Kreacher served her tea and we chatted about Millicent and Kereston who Master Regulus knows Kreacher likes very much."
Regulus sat up, running a hand over his eyes. as his still awakening mind struggled to process Kreacher's excited and mysterious onslaught of words. "What are you talking about, Kreacher? Or rather who?"
Kreacher smiled, perhaps enjoying the act of drawing out the mystery a little too much. "Magritte WestCraven. She has come with something for Master Regulus. Something that Master Regulus has long and eagerly awaited!"
Regulus sprang to his feet. "My wand?"
"Master Regulus is indeed brilliant," Kreacher said, nodding sagely before his face lit with a grin. "It is rather a magnificent wand! Kreacher believes Master Regulus will love it!"
"I must see it," Regulus said, and hurriedly got dressed. So ecstatic was he, that he nearly forgot to comb his hair! "Did you hold it," he asked Kreacher as he opened the bedroom door to head downstairs.
"Kreacher did."
"Does it feel extremely powerful?"
Kreacher frowned. "It feels nice...Kreacher does not require a wand so he perhaps does not see the appeal that wizards do."
"I suppose not," Regulus agreed, nodding. "Which is why I never truly understood the reason elves serve anyone...And before you say that you are compelled to do so, I am aware, but that never sat well with me as you know." The unsolved puzzle of why elf slavery was, still rose in Regulus's mind as a frustration with frequency.
Kreacher shrugged, pausing at the bottom of the stairs to peer briefly up into Regulus's face. "Kreacher shall be surprised if we can ever solve the mystery of what causes elves to serve wizards. Regardless it does not need to affect Kreacher and Master Regulus. Now let us go and claim Master Regulus's new wand."
Regulus grinned, eager to do just that. "Indeed that is most definitely something we can act affirmatively upon right now." Bending he kissed Kreacher's cheek, then let the elf lead the way into Doge's library where Mag was waiting. The red head was lost in a book, and to her credit, did not seem at all impatient. "Thank you so much, Mag! I am thrilled," Regulus said, hurrying over to her.
"I'm excited for you to see it as well," she said. Lifting a long white box from the table beside her chair, she presented it to Regulus, who did not at all bother to hide his eagerness as he reached for it. This was an entirely new wand owning experience! Of course it was not at all like shopping at Ollivanders. There was no tedious checking each wand to see which finally decided to respond to you. Yet there was still the knowledge, over which to marvel, that the wand would work perfectly for you nonetheless. Having it made for you particularly, made it even more personal.
Regulus moved to the sofa near Mag's chair, and settled down to examine his wand, Kreacher taking a seat at his side. He carefully lifted the hinged lid of the jeweler style case like long box to reveal a black and clear wand. The stones were of a similar size and cut, both possessing six sides or facets. The two stones were held together in the center with a wide band of polished silver. The black stone had a rough pitted texture over which Regulus ran one finger, while the clear crystal was gleaming and smoothly polished. The contrast captivated him somehow. It was almost mesmerizing.
"Well? Aren't you going to pick it up and give it a go," Mag asked expectantly. The smile in her voice caused him to chuckle.
"It's beautiful," he breathed. He took the wand into his right hand, curling his fingers around the black stone, and aiming the crystal forward.
"The clear is obviously quartz to amplify the wand's strength as well as any spell you cast," Mag explained. "The black is lava rock, much like obsidian but slower forming. I may have mentioned that earlier. To me your energy feels like lava rock. You are fire, and obsidian and lava rock are both born in the fires of volcanoes, but obsidian forms fast while lava rock is slow. To me your fire is slow, mellow, and steady, much as lava rock itself is. It is a protective stone, grounding, and it aids in promoting your natural intuition. The crystal will enhance these properties as well as any spell you cast in general."
"Amazing," Regulus murmured. Those properties did feel right for him. This was one of the most exciting magical moments of his life, even better than getting his first wand as a child! Aiming his wand at the coffee table that stood in front of the sofa, he murmured, "Wingardium Leviosa." The table shot toward the ceiling, and Regulus hastily shouted another spell to lower it to the floor into which it promptly slammed. "Hell! If I keep at it I'll be buying Mr. Doge another table," he grumbled, then laughed at himself.
"That was the first charm we learned as first years," Mag observed. "I was almost surprised when you chose something so simple, then I realized...With a new wand, why not use one of the first spells we learned? It makes the firsts match."
Regulus nodded, smiling in pleasure that she understood. "That's exactly it. Only I didn't expect to overdo it quite so much." He frowned thoughtfully. "It puts me in mind of learning to be a vampire. My strength and speed were so new that I over did things without intending to and had to learn to adjust. This is to be the same way it seems...Unless I require a spell to be extra powerful, such as in battle, then I will want to over do it as much as possible."
Mag nodded. "Exactly. Or even with spells like for silencing or invisibility, you can't overdo those and the stronger the better. Smoother apparations can't ever hurt either."
Regulus nodded. "I suppose I should practice something else...Something I can't damage if I overdo it again," he added thoughtfully.
"Why doesn't Master Regulus transfigure something," Kreacher suggested.
Mag stiffened, large green eyes growing expressively panicked. That startled Regulus for the young lady usually appeared so calm. "Just nothing alive, please. I really hate seeing inanimate objects turned into mice or bloody rabbits! It's so creepy! I hate it!"
Regulus felt his brows going up. Mag had seemed such a grounded logical witch so this was a bit startling. "Very well," he agreed. "Nothing alive. I don't think I would've done that anyway, but it's good to know that you don't like it. I will make sure never to do it in your presence. Of course it's not something I generally do."
"Sorry...I'm sure that probably sounds silly," Mag said, obviously trying to be apologetic without truly feeling it one bit. "It's just so insanely creepy to be able to transfigure something inanimate into something that is bloody running and breathing!" She shuddered, slender arms coming up to hug herself.
"But it isn't, really," Regulus said. "It's more of a magical simulation of life."
Mag shuddered again. "It's just wrong and I hate it!"
Regulus chuckled suddenly. "Well it's good to know we're all afraid of something."
Mag's face relaxed into a sheepish smile. "You should've seen me as a horrified first year running to Severus in tears after the first time we had to turn a stupid match box into a mouse in Transfigurations."
"As Severus doesn't at all seem the sort one goes to when upset, I really should've seen that indeed," Regulus said regretfully.
"He was actually kind," Mag said, eyes growing warm with fondness as she spoke of Severus. "He confessed that he didn't like that aspect of Transfiguration either. He said it was one of his least favorite subjects and that my father helped him cheat on his OWLS in that class."
"He cheated," Regulus practically squawked. "And here I thought he was always nearly as brilliant as I am."
Mag chuckled happily. "Cheating on that exam successfully takes brilliance as you should well know. It's also a very Slytherin thing to do. He is probably even more brilliant than you, if that helps," she teased.
Kreacher frowned, obviously not amused with the idea of anyone being more brilliant than Regulus. Ready to distract the elf before he literally got into an argument with Mag over who was more bloody brilliant, Regulus snatched up a vase from the table and aiming the wand at it, transfigured it into a boot.
"You see? With a spell like Transfiguration there is no way to overdo it," Mag said, nodding and giving him an approving smile. "It was far easier, wasn't it?"
Regulus nodded. "It felt amazing. Effortless, smooth, and the Transfiguration itself is better. There is more texture detail on this boot than I think I could've done with my old wooden wand." The boot was tall with a solid bottom and sides of stiff high quality black leather. The laces were thick and well made and the inside had a soft comfortable looking lining. Regulus gave himself a few moments to admire his work before aiming his wand at the boot and returning it to its natural vase form once again.