The Search Is Over,
Chapter 98, Sure Fire Winners
A few days after Blaise and Gellert's dinner party, the two contacted Kreacher with another pillow idea. They'd thought of a concept Blaise called nap pillows. Pillows that would be enchanted for two hours of sleep rather than the customary eight for those who just had time for a few winks. Of course Kreacher was interested in adding more money to the Black family bank vault, and nap pillows would take even less time to produce than those intended for a full night's sleep. He agreed to meet with Blaise and Gellert the next day after one in the afternoon. Blaise wrote back to confirm, saying they'd bring the pillows, and Kreacher promised to provide refreshments and even dinner if the two were able to remain. Regulus enjoyed Gellert's company, and due to Gellert and Blaise keeping so busy with preparations for the shop, they were rarely free to socialize of late. Regulus would be pleased if Gellert stayed for dinner, so Kreacher planned to do his best to make it happen.
It was nearly surreal for Kreacher to have such a busy life. When he wasn't indulging his newly discovered talent for writing horror based on his life and the lives of those around him that he either liked or disliked, he was working with Blaise and Gellert, or socializing with Kereston and Millicent or with Master Regulus. To some extent, he would be pleased when the Lestranges did find the four elves he'd requested to take over his tasks so that he'd have even more time for these other pursuits. To some degree, he'd requested four elves, because he hadn't expected four elves to be available. That would leave him free to continue looking after his own home as part of him wished to do. If the Lestranges did manage to come up with four elves, though...well then four inferior beings should be able to, with extensive training, manage the proper care of 12 Grimmauld Place.
The next morning, he was readying snacks and tea for Blaise and Gellert's afternoon visit when the mail arrived. They rarely received mail, so Kreacher assumed it may be a note from Blaise and Gellert, but instead it was an acceptance letter from the Monster's Fang publication. They wanted his story! With a whoop of jubilant glee, Kreacher jumped up and down, waving the letter in the air for several seconds. If only he had someone to share the news with, but Regulus was sleeping and Kereston had already gone to work. He could write Millicent, but writing the news rather than speaking it somehow just didn't feel as satisfying. There was Mortis, but somehow he doubted the phoenix cared one way or another about horror stories or dark publications that paid for them. Kreacher sighed, resigning himself to waiting to share his news until after lunch even if the words did want to burst from him in that moment.
For several seconds, Kreacher stood in the kitchen, simply clutching the acceptance letter to his chest. Until recently, the Black family were the only ones to ever think well of Kreacher. After everything fell apart, and Kreacher was left alone, there was no one to think well of him and many to think ill and be unkind. Now not only did he have many friends who treated him as if he mattered as much as anyone else, but an actual esteemed publication wanted to pay him to print his story! It hit him then that it even got better than that. Soon dark wizards all over the world would be reading his story! People that he didn't even know would be reading the words he wrote! It was thrilling as well as awe inspiring. It made him want to write more at once. As he was already in the midst of writing a horror novel about the creation of Inferi for an ancient war, that was a simple urge to satisfy. He wrote nearly feverishly until almost one, when his stomach made its hunger known with a loud demanding growl. This also served to draw his attention to the time. He'd have to eat fast as Blaise and Gellert would be arriving soon.
He finished up the left over chicken and rice from last night's dinner in record time. Blaise and Gellert arrived just as he was tidying up the kitchen. At the sound of the door chime resonating through the manor, he apparated into the front hall.
"Kreacher shall be published," he crowed as he tugged open the heavy front door.
He felt his face breaking into a grin at the sharing of the news.
"What?"
Blaise looked confused. It was then that Kreacher realized that what with everything going on, he probably hadn't remembered to share the news.
"Kreacher is now writing horror," he explained as he led them into the library.
"He began with a short story when he realized he was still angry with Sirius Black. It is a horror, as of course it must be if it involves him. Master Regulus and Kereston liked it so much that Kreacher submitted it to Monster's Fang. He got a letter of acceptance for it today! They shall be paying Kreacher when it is printed two issues from now!"
Eagerly he took the acceptance letter he'd gotten in the mail from where it rested on the desk beside the story he was currently writing, and presented it to Blaise and Gellert.
"I enjoy Monster's Fang," Blaise said.
"Congratulations, Kreacher, that's impressive. I had no idea you enjoyed writing."
Kreacher glanced down with an embarrassed chuckle as Blaise and Gellert admired his acceptance letter.
"Neither did Kreacher, honestly. The idea for that story just came to him and after that it was as though a flood gate of ideas opened itself in Kreacher's mind. Now he is writing far longer works. He very much enjoys it."
Making the sleep pillows was nearly effortless. The three had gotten the eight hour ones down to a science and the two hour ones were even easier just as Kreacher had expected. They finished one within twenty minutes. They made six in two hours, then stopped to have tea.
"I can't believe we're about to actually open the shop," Blaise marveled as they sat in the parlor with cups of apple cinnamon tea, cucumber sandwiches and apple cake squares.
"It's so weird to feel nervous and excited and scared all at once," he confessed.
"Scared," Kreacher asked, a bit confused as to what was frightening about an exciting new venture.
"It's about the act of growing up and taking a giant step toward the greatness that is ours, I suppose," he explained.
"You as well," he told Kreacher."You're even adding writing to your resume. I think it's all brilliant, but it means we have to keep going. We can't get lazy, and we must continue to out do ourselves, or we shall grow bored and stagnant, never living up to our full potential."
"We can do that," Gellert said.
"It should be easy."
Kreacher wondered if Grindelwald hadn't already done, but then again, he supposed it depended on how one looked at it. If Gellert hadn't had his quest to free the magical world from Muggle tyranny, perhaps he would've done more with his enchantments. He'd crafted those Hallows for his followers to wear, and that worked along the lines of what he and Blaise were doing now. Had he not lead a revolution, he could've been a great enchanter, and now he was being given the opportunity to explore that possibility.
"Kreacher thinks we will have no trouble continuing to grow," he said thoughtfully.
"It is our natural urge, after all. Freedom of inspiration begets more of the same."
Blaise gave him a smile, nodding in agreement.
"When you put it that way, I feel far less anxiety, Friend. Thank you."
Kreacher is glad to help," the elf replied, pleased.
"You as well," Blaise told Gellert, reaching for the blond's hand with a fond look in his usually icy blue eyes. Gellert smiled as their gazes met.
"As Millicent says, we've got this," he told Blaise confidently.
Kreacher thought they made quite the nice couple. It was nice having friends who were also partners as he and Regulus were. For the next few hours, the three brainstormed ideas for future projects. They were in the midst of sorting the logistics of making dream catchers that could truly prevent nightmares when Regulus entered. Only then did Kreacher notice that the sun had set.
"Kreacher hopes Blaise and Gellert have decided to stay for dinner," he said, and both nodded.
"Of course. We've seen so little of Kereston and Regulus of late, after all," Gellert said.
Kreacher smiled to see the enthusiasm in Regulus's eyes as he settled happily on the sofa at his side.
"How did the sleep pillows go," he asked.
"Oh those were simple as expected. They went fine. Kreacher has the real news, though," Blaise said, smiling at the elf.
"Oh Kreacher nearly forgot," Kreacher said with a slight start.
And he had! So engrossed was he by thoughts of the dream catcher concept to prevent nightmares that he'd quite forgotten about his acceptance letter.
"Kreacher's story was accepted by Monster's Fang," he told Regulus with a proud smile.
"Oh Kreacher! I'm so proud of you," Regulus said, drawing him into a tight embrace.
"Kreacher never would've if Master Regulus hadn't come home," he said, clinging to Regulus tightly in return.
With his face pressed into Regulus's chest, and Regulus's clean soap like scent in his nose, Kreacher decided he'd never been happier. He had everything he wanted in that moment and more than he'd ever expected, and life was good.
"We were just deciding if we believe it's possible to craft a dream catcher that can actually prevent nightmares," Gellert told Regulus.
"Then people wouldn't have to take no-dream potions. It's just what with dreams being internal and the dream catcher being external, it's going to take a bit of planning."
"We're thinking if we can't prevent nightmares, the dream catcher can at least be made to protect the sleeper from negative energy attacks or even lethifolds," Blaise said.
Regulus frowned.
"Your hitch with the dream catcher is the connection between the inner and the outer," he asked.
When the other three nodded he suggested, "Have you considered some sort of pensieve style link between the dream catcher and its owner with a specific task in mind?"
"No, actually, but that's perfect," Blaise said.
Gellert gave a smirk of satisfaction.
"I expected the man who figured out that the elder wand likely holds horcruxes could easily help us out of our quandary."
Kreacher beamed with pride. Of course his precious genius Regulus could figure out anything.
"Now we've only to combine the pensieve style link with a method for detecting nightmares," Blaise said.
"Manageable with a bit of study, I should think," Gellert said.
"What is manageable," Kereston asked as she slouched into the room.
"Today was hell and I'm so tired. Some kids used magic a bit too vigorously and tipped over a Muggle ice cream stand, so my department got to clean that up."
"Ah," Gellert exclaimed, pointing happily at Kereston as if he'd just discovered something important.
"You can help us out. We shall study you while you sleep and look for indications that you're having a nightmare. Then we'll know how to detect them with our defensive enchantments."
"We're working on a dream catcher that prevents nightmares," Kreacher explained helpfully.
"But I don't often have nightmares," Kereston said, frowning at Gellert.
Gellert grinned.
"With the right potion, we can change that."
"I don't think so," Kereston said firmly.
"Who wants to have nightmares?"
"We'll pay you," Gellert coaxed.
Kereston made a face.
"No. Get Millie to do it."