Chapter 89: Boggarts
Regulus and Kreacher traveled for nearly four months, and it was glorious! It was just as both had imagined it would be back in their younger days when in Regulus's last years at Hogwarts, they'd eagerly planned to roam the world together. It was a relief to find that time hadn't robbed them of this pleasure. Regulus had feared that years of depression and grief on both their parts would've made it too difficult to regain the fresh interest and exuberance of youth. Even before ridding himself of the foul water from the black lake, he had been wrong, and being wrong had never felt so wonderful! As they still had no news from Griphook, they assumed the healers still had not returned to the UK. They weren't meeting up with Dora until they were ready to visit the healers, so they just went straight to 12 Grimmauld. Though it had been beyond wonderful to travel, the warm familiar comfort of home felt just as good. Kreacher's two boggarts appeared to greet them as soon as they stepped into the front hall. The first was a clean shaven, twig thin little thing that came a little past his knees with short black hair, a very long pointed nose and little black eyes. He wore a rumpled old fashioned dark suit and always put Regulus in mind of a grim brownie with sharper features, though he'd only seen brownie illustrations in books. The other was as short and also humanoid but more burly, and completely covered in long bristly brown hair. He growled happily, butting against Kreacher as the elf laughed and patted his head. As the burly boggart was completely monopolizing Kreacher's attention, Regulus gave the thinner sharp nosed one a faint smile. To his surprise the odd little thing smiled back, nodding briefly. Regulus's mum had frequently bragged that the Black family along with their close associates were among the very few wizards to ever see a boggart's true form, but Regulus had his doubts. These two looked nothing alike. To him, they didn't even look like the same species. He had a theory that the boggarts could change their shape to some degree at will, unrelated to the fears of anyone. Kreacher on the other hand had his doubts. He believed for a boggart to have such power, it would have to have access to far more magic than they got here at 12 Grimmauld. Instead he felt the two looked enough alike to be the same species, only like some humans, one was by far hairier and stockier than the other. It was Kreacher's power that kept the boggarts from tormenting anyone in the home with their worst fears. He could talk to them in a way that made them listen, and they seemed to enjoy being his pets. When Kreacher had finished warmly greeting both of them with pats and crooning words of fond praise, he began unpacking their trunks. As usual, he firmly waved away the offers of help from Regulus. The unpacking was expedient, as were all things that the deft elf turned his attention to when it came to household tasks. Items flew about putting themselves where they belonged when Kreacher pointed a casual finger at them. Of course Regulus couldn't do as much unless he charmed each item first to always return to where it belonged. Instead he'd have to walk about the manor attending to each thing at a time, putting it away by hand. Apparently, according to Kreacher this was shamefully tedious at best and a crime at worst. Regulus wandered upstairs, dodging the occasional robe or tunic that sailed past him on its way to their shared wardrobe. He'd considered going to the library to read a bit instead, as they hadn't read much on their travels due to having more active things to do while out and about. Though he was pleased and even comforted by the feel of home, his mind wasn't settled enough to focus on a book just yet. His head was still happily in the clouds of their journeys and experiences away from home. He wandered around the room, idly running his fingers across the desk, then a bedpost, grounding himself in the sensation of being home. From time to time he found himself dodging things as they flew in to put themselves away, and he smiled. At that rate, Kreacher would be finished and at his side soon unless he decided to eat something first. It occurred to Regulus that getting out and about was more healing than he could've imagined. Often the benefits of a thing could not be understood until you'd done that thing. Dumbledore had told him this long ago, though he could no longer recall the context, but as usual, the old wizard was right. Being out in the world and gaining new experiences gave both he and Kreacher more to dwell on than their old ones. This was a good thing as those old ones were mostly soured. Kreacher had hardly left the house for nearly two decades before Regulus's return, and after that, they'd still had to lay low. Laying low didn't lend itself to gaining many new experiences. For Regulus's part, though he'd been with Dora, he'd remained tucked away in which ever of her houses they happened to be living in, only venturing out to feed. He hadn't the heart or interest for much else without Kreacher at his side, and being rather a recluse herself, Dora hadn't pushed the issue much. New experiences seemed to open the mind and lift old hurts, perhaps by those new experiences forcing new perspectives. Whatever it did, it worked, as Regulus was in far better spirits than he'd been in for quite some time. Kreacher seemed far happier as well. With that in mind, he vowed to travel as much as possible and to try finding interesting things for them to do when here at home. An occupied mind, so long as it was occupied with good and interesting things, seemed to be a happier mind, after all. "Did Master Regulus miss Kreacher," the elf asked huskily from the doorway.
Smiling in welcome, Regulus turned to face him, just in time to see Kreacher tugging the black tunic he wore over his head.
"I always miss you when you aren't at my side. You know that," Regulus said, hearing the suddenly breathy quality of his own voice. As he spoke, he found himself gazing lustfully at the slender yet toned form of Kreacher's naked hairless chest and long legs. The elf had been eating well, and his under nourished, emaciated and sagging skin was now filled out nicely, just as it was before Regulus had gone away. "Master Regulus should lift his arms," Kreacher commanded quietly. Regulus let out a breath, and did so at once, lips slightly parted with his rising desire. At the motion, Mortis launched from his shoulder to land on the curtain rod, where he could gaze out of the window as he was wont to do. As soon as Regulus's arms were stretched above his head, his robe billowed around him and flew off. Kreacher approached, pressing his palm against the erection that extended Regulus's underpants. Regulus groaned, eyes fluttering closed. "Kreacher thinks we should welcome ourselves home," the elf murmured.
Regulus could feel Kreacher's breath suddenly hot on the skin of his stomach and he groaned again. "Good idea," he managed. Kreacher was just sliding Regulus's underpants down ever so slowly when the bloody cursed door chime rang! "Who in the hell could that be," Regulus wondered peevishly as Kreacher sighed and glanced about for their clothing. He snatched up his own tunic, then tossed Regulus his robe.
"Kreacher supposes we should find out in case it is goblins," he decided. As it turned out, it wasn't goblins. It was Narcissa Malfoy.
"Regulus! I heard from Bella that you were back...well alive and then back...And I wanted to see you! Hello there, Dear Kreacher," she added, giving him a fond smile.
Kreacher forced a friendly smile in return, though it was obvious that this was a bit of a struggle, considering what Narcissa had unwittingly interrupted. "It is nice to see Miss Cissy again," Kreacher said, stepping back and gesturing her inside. "Do come in. Kreacher will bring tea."
"Oh thank you," Narcissa said sweetly. She stepped inside, then startled Regulus and Kreacher both by letting out an ear piercing scream!
"What ever is it," Regulus demanded, looking wildly about. It was then that he saw the boggart standing before her. It had taken the form of her son, Draco. He was wearing a black leather jacket and straddling a Muggle motorcycle just as Sirius had done. Narcissa's face had gone white as she stared in horror. "Kreacher commands thee to stop that nonsense at once," the elf said sternly, pointing a finger like a dagger at the boggart. At once the creature returned to the form of the little long nosed personage in the rumpled old fashioned suit. His little face wore a look of embarrassed shame as he turned to Kreacher and hung his head. "Kreacher's pet is sorry, Miss Cissy," the elf assured.
"Why don't we wait for Kreacher in the library, Narcissa," Regulus said warmly, hoping to ease her obviously frazzled nerves with the presence of books. They always soothed him, after all. "Yes, that would be nice," she said, giving him a strained smile. He wondered idly why she was concerned that her son would develop a foul taste for Muggle contraptions but was, of course, too polite to ask. She didn't speak again until they were seated across from one another in the library. "You're looking so...Well Regulus!" Of course he was well aware that by *well* she meant *young*. She was nearly as composed as if nothing had rattled her only moments before, Regulus thought. Her hands were neatly folded in her lap, and she sat straight and prim. His lips twitched into a slight amused smile that he couldn't quite contain.
"Vampirism does that for one if they feed properly. You're looking quite fine yourself. Nearly as young as the day I left."
Her cheeks pinkened prettily at the compliment. "Why thank you! The vampirism...ur...I'm so sorry you had to do that to yourself, Regulus, but I'm so pleased to have you with us, no matter how you managed it."
He felt a sudden twinge, wondering if he ought to be ashamed of being a vampire. Her clear discomfort perhaps said so but...Until now, he'd had so many worse things over which to worry himself, but with him reentering society...Well he had no idea how most proper wizards would react. "Thank you," he replied after only a second of hesitation.
To his relief, Kreacher came in then, a tea tray in his hands. He placed it on the table that sat between Narcissa's chair and the loveseat on which Regulus sat. He seated himself beside Regulus while the pot poured two cups of tea. Taking one for himself, Kreacher floated the other over to Narcissa. "This is a new chocolate tea Kreacher picked up on his travels," the elf explained proudly.
Narcissa smiled, sniffing delicately at the steam issuing forth from the dainty china cup. "Yes, Bella said the two of you were traveling. How was it?"
"Amazing," Regulus enthused honestly. "We plan to do it again often." Narcissa's eyes sparkled warmly. "That's wonderful! And Kreacher, this tea does smell exactly like chocolate." She took a sip. "It tastes like it too!"
"How is Bella," Regulus asked. "We only just returned today, so we haven't had time to catch up."
"She's well. Enjoying that insanely dangerous Shadow Ops work," Narcissa replied, giving a small baffled shake of her head. "She's one of the reasons I came to call, actually. I wanted to thank you for saving her...for saving all of the Lestranges, Regulus." She blinked back sudden tears. "I've already lost one sister for all intents and purposes. I can't lose another. Bella was always my rock in some ways, and..." Her voice broke, and she paused to dig a green silk handkerchief from the sleeve of her black floral patterned dress.
"It's quite alright," Regulus assured hastily. "I was always very close with all three of the Lestranges, and I couldn't stand for more to befall them. I'm just glad I was able to use my abilities to help." As he spoke, his own words reminded him that it was the very vampiric abilities over which he'd been worried a moment before that had saved his family. He hoped Narcissa understood as much as well. Perhaps she'd keep that in mind if anyone in the better circles put him down for what he was.