The Search Is Over,
Chapter 97, There's Something Going On
Over the next few months, Kreacher continued, almost feverishly, to write. Beautiful horror scenes flooded his mind throughout each day. So many, in fact, that he had to jot down notes to keep up with them all. He'd sent his first short story, Poetic Justice, off to a popular dark publication called Monster's Fang.
Their publication was bi-monthly, a collection of dark novellas and short stories. It was distributed in Borgin and Burkes as well as other shops in Knockturn Alley. Years ago he and Regulus would gleefully binge read back issues together over the summer when Regulus was home from Hogwarts. Of course back then, Kreacher had never even imagined writing for them himself. While he waited to hear back from the editors of Monster's Fang, he busied himself with bringing his other new ideas to life on paper. Rather than short stories, the next proved to be longer, and soon he had three horror novels in the works. He wrote one at a time during the day while Regulus slept.
He'd have gladly divided his days between working on enchanted items with Blaise and Gellert and his horror writing, but they'd completed all the pillows. Blaise was eager to see what else they could craft with the combination of human and elf magic, but at present he and Gellert were putting all their energies toward the actual opening of the shop. After that Blaise promised they'd get back to work. He wrote Kreacher frequently with updates and it felt nice to be included.
There was only one more stage of preparation to go before Blaise and Gellert were ready to begin decorating and stocking the shop for the grand opening. This involved the contacting of those few people they were interested in taking consignments from to add to their intriguing inventory. The shop would only carry the most unusual and unique of items no matter who made them. Blaise wrote Mag to see if she'd like to consign some of her wands and gemstone jewelry. Now that Voldemort was dead, sharing her talent with a select few should be safe and she'd make a nice chunk of gold.
He also wrote Severus to see if he may be interested to sell some of his more specialized potions in the shop. As it turned out, Mag and Severus were both interested in consigning with the shop, but both would need at least a few weeks to get enough product made up to stock.
A little over a month after Kreacher had finished the last batch of sleep pillows with Blaise and Gellert, Blaise wrote to invite him and Regulus to a dinner party. They also invited Kereston, Millicent, Wolfgang and Parvati. Parvati was new to Kreacher and Regulus, though Kereston had attended Hogwarts a year ahead of her.
She seemed to be giving Master Regulus the eye as they all sat chatting in the library while Bramble, the Zabini family elf, put the final touches on dinner. Kreacher observed, however, that Regulus hardly looked her way and didn't at all seem to notice. For this reason, Kreacher decided to be polite to her, considering they were in the home of friends. Visiting the Zabini home was quite the novel concept, in spite of the fact that seven husbands hadn't truly been killed there. The decor was properly dark and equally as classy as that of 12 Grimmauld Place in its way.
"We have quite the treat for after dinner," Blaise informed excitedly.
Kreacher found himself leaning forward in interest. It must be something extraordinary for the usually bored looking Blaise to show excitement.
"There is a particular type of Egyptian spirits that gives one a feeling of high euphoria, and in some, can even induce visions. We got several bottles to sell in the shop, and to celebrate, we wanted to share a bottle with our closest friends tonight."
"With Gellert and Parvati both being seers, this ought to be good," Kereston said eagerly from her place on the other side of Kreacher from where Regulus was seated.
"Yes but with this particular drink, one doesn't have to be a natural seer to experience a vision when under its effects," Gellert said.
"It shall definitely be interesting to SEE what happens then," Millicent said with a chuckle.
"I think I've heard of this particular drink before, but I've yet to try it," Wolfgang said.
"If this is the sort of thing your shop is going to carry as a general rule, I'm impressed!"
Gellert grinned.
"Oh we'll have interesting items a plenty, but nothing as good as what we'll make ourselves."
Before long dinner was ready, and everyone trooped into the dining room. The meal artfully combined German and Italian dishes, and Kreacher enjoyed everything. While no one cooked as well as he did, Bramble was definitely gifted. The Zabinis treated him as part of the family, and he ate at the table with everyone else, though he contributed little to the conversation, seeming to enjoy a stoic silence to which Kreacher could not relate. After the fluffy German chocolate cake Bramble had served for dessert was all gone, the elf brought out a tray of small silver goblets and a fat ornate bottle covered in Egyptian writing with a sphinx on the label. It did look impressive, Kreacher decided.
"I heard the ancient Egyptian priests used this to bring them closer to their gods," Wolfgang commented, nodding at the bottle, prominently given center stage in the middle of the dinner table.
"Well let's go to the temple then," Sabra Zabini quipped with an elegant wave of one hand toward Bramble.
The elf poured glasses for everyone from the bottle. When Bramble failed to pour a glass for himself, Sabra frowned.
"Oh come on. Share in the experience with us. We won't ask you to do anything in case it completely knocks you out," she told the elf with an amused smile.
"You know it's easier to do what she wants," Geo Zabini teased.
When Bramble hesitated, Gellert sighed.
"Here he goes again, not having any fun with us," the blonde complained.
Bramble frowned, then keeping pointed and glaring eye contact with Gellert, poured himself a glass and downed half of it in one gulp.
"Well...I'm impressed," Gellert said.
"How do you like it?"
Bramble considered for a thoughtful moment then shrugged.
"The colors are all brighter and quite pretty...And Gellert is a little less annoying, so Bramble approves."
"Here's to Blaise, Gellert and Kreacher and to the new shop," Kereston said, raising her glass in a toast.
"And to a long over due dinner party," Millicent added.
Everyone raised their glasses.
"I must admit, if this wasn't our shop about to open, it would totally be my new favorite place to shop," Blaise said with a chuckle.
"Far better than Borgin and Burkes, who shall probably hate us," Kreacher said, feeling an amused cackle slipping past his lips at the thought.
He'd only had one sip of the sweet thick liquid in his glass, but he was already feeling quite light headed and oddly happy. Odd because the particular brand of happy the drink inspired had a silly edge to it. Nearly automatically, he reached for Regulus's hand under the table. Clinging tightly he relished the feeling of their palms pressed together. He relished the fact that Regulus was here to be touched, and that they sat among so many new friends. Bramble was correct, the light was very bright, and for an instant, Kreacher felt his mind floating away until Gellert spoke, the German's light husky voice bringing Kreacher back to himself.
"Yes and as it is ours, anything we want from there is free...So long as it isn't consignment."
"And when it is, we do get that huge shop discount," Blaise said smugly.
"It's a pity Mag and Severus aren't here," Parvati said, taking a large drink from her glass.
"Now that they're teaching at Durmstrang we never see them enough any more."
"It gives us an excuse to travel," Gellert said and she nodded.
"I suppose so."
"About visions, though, this drink does do something for sure," Parvati said after taking another drink from her glass.
"I feel pleasantly light headed, but more than that there are visions dancing behind my eyes. Only I can't make them out yet. This is very different from when I read the tea leaves," she observed.
"Is anyone else seeing anything, because I'm not," Kereston said, tone mildly disappointed.
"I do get the light headed feeling Parvati mentioned, and it does feel pleasant, but otherwise, nothing."
Suddenly Kreacher understood what Parvati meant about visions behind her eyes. Not so much the eyes, truly, though. It was more in the mind, and that was most certainly behind the eyes, wasn't it? His visions weren't precisely dancing, though. They were moving, however, sliding past one by one but slow enough to make out for what it was worth.
There were elves, taller than now, but not as tall as Kreacher when he transfigured. They wore odd clothes as did the humans with them. Very old clothes indeed. And Kreacher got the impression the elves and humans worked together in tandem, balancing and complimenting one another's magics, rather as he did with Blaise and Gellert now.
Feelings were coming with the visions and the feelings spoke even more clearly at times than did the images. The feelings were somehow familiar, as if Kreacher should understand how it had been in those days. The entire thing seemed a bit tragic, until the snake appeared, then it became more unpleasantly foreboding, saturated with dread. Indeed it was something Kreacher would write a horror novel about if he could stand to do so, but in this particular instance, he did not think he could. It was all too personal.
"Kreacher may be seeing something," he spoke up hesitantly.
"Only he thinks it could be from the ancient past." As he spoke, Kreacher felt himself looking to Regulus almost for confirmation. If only he could ingest this drink and perhaps see what Kreacher saw, because it was confusing. Or perhaps it was just the way his mind interpreted it that was confusing. Kreacher didn't know. Either way it was vexing that his dear Regulus was missing out.
While the dinner had been very good, the drink was, for most everyone present, a new and exciting thing to try. It was a class all its own, and a magical experience. In spite of his disturbing depressions, Regulus was still the explorative type, so it was a pity he was missing out. While the vampire looked regretful, he was openly pleased that Kreacher was able to enjoy it.
"What are you seeing," Regulus asked, leaning attentively toward Kreacher.
The elf frowned and shivered.
"Kreacher doesn't exactly know, but he does not like it. He believes it may have to do with how the elves were enslaved. Or perhaps it involves a dark snake goddess. Kreacher only knows that the feeling he experiences with this vision is very disturbing."
The elf closed his eyes and rubbed at his face as if attempting to erase whatever he'd seen. Regulus put a comforting arm around his shoulders and Kreacher relaxed into him.
"Perhaps you'll see something better next," Regulus said.
"Perhaps if you drink more that one will pass?"
Kreacher nodded and lifted his glass again.
"At least Kreacher is no longer seeing the snake goddess," the elf said in relief.
Though the foreboding had faded to be replaced by the well-being once again, Kreacher saw no more visions for the moment.
Parvati shifted in her chair, making a soft sound of distress.
"Ummm, Kreacher? I'm not so sure that the snake is in the past. Or if it is, she may also be in the future...because she's coming, and we aren't going to like it."
As Parvati spoke, her eyes were half closed, staring at nothing.
"It is a good thing Gellert is out of prison, because he'll have work to do when she comes...He will lead us, and gods willing, we will destroy it once and for all."
She had said 'it', not 'her', Kreacher noted with a shiver.
"Are you sure," Kereston asked, voice anxious and full of tension.
"If only I weren't," Parvati replied.
"Don't worry, you'll be there too. It won't be exactly what you wanted, but you can do it."
"Do what," Kereston asked and Parvati closed her eyes, swaying.
"I don't know anymore."
She sighed, her slender dark hands catching at the edge of the dining table to steady herself.
"I can't see anymore. It's gone."
"Could you see what time period, what year this will take place," Gellert asked, expression suddenly alertly grave.
Parvati shook her head. As Kreacher watched, Gellert summoned parchment and quill, beginning to draw. The blonde stared intently at his own work, not looking up until the drawing was complete. Once he was finished, he pushed it into the center of the table for all to see.
"I only saw this, but I don't believe it's the entire symbol. There is probably more in the center that I missed. Perhaps old writing. Has anyone seen anything at all like it?"
Everyone shook their heads nearly in unison.
"This drink makes you even more handsome than usual," Sabra told Geo.
The Zabini parents appeared to be more intrigued by one another than the looming problem at hand. Likely it was the drink, Kreacher thought as the two stared soulfully into one another's eyes. Their glasses were entirely empty, after all. Blaise and Gellert cringed as one at the parental show of affection.
"Please, not in front of us," Blaise pleaded.
"What he said," Gellert agreed with a grin.
As it happened, no one else had visions, but once they managed to get past Parvati's disturbing words, everyone enjoyed the evening. The drink had them in high spirits and all was right with the world. Kreacher was plagued by no more snakes, and in fact saw nothing else at all, a fact with which he was quite content considering.
Though Parvati's vision was unsettling, predicting perhaps another threat to the wizarding world that Gellert would lead an army to protect them against, no one knew when or even for certain if it was coming. For now life was good and Kreacher planned for it to get even better. He'd discovered a budding writing talent within himself, and eventually Regulus would get that potion out of him and his depressions would be over. They would be immortal together. They'd survived Voldemort, and they could survive anything together. Of that, Kreacher was certain.