The Search Is Over,
Chapter 108, Hospitality
Kreacher was relieved when Ariana turned down Master Regulus's polite offer of a late dinner. She'd eaten on the train and was tired from travel so happy to retire to bed nearly at once. Kreacher was glad of this, for he did not wish to spend the later hours entertaining even an interesting guest if it interrupted his time alone with Master Regulus.
Granted as long as the company was interesting, he would not normally mind quite so much, but for the fact he would have to leave Master Regulus tomorrow. Though he did so at times to visit friends, he would have preferred Regulus go with him to Aberforth's. Were anything to go amiss with the situation, Kreacher was not as certain that he would know what to do or how to react without the reassuring presence of Master Regulus at his side.
For example, what if Aberforth disbelieved the girl or outright professed not to want her? When he wondered this aloud to Regulus as the two undressed in the silent, inviting darkness of their bedchamber, the pause that followed was not reassuring.
"Well," Regulus began, hesitantly drawing the word out.
"That would be...I don't know what I would say to him were I there, so I don't know how to advise you on that one, Kreacher."
Regulus let out a low chuckle.
"You seem to think I have all the answers, but when it comes to general interactions, I am quite lacking."
Kreacher made a sound of disbelief.
"Kreacher thinks Master Regulus interacts quite well," he murmured, unable to keep the suggestive quality from his tone.
They were about to get into bed after all, and besides...Master Regulus was the most charming person he knew.
"Your supreme confidence is always touching, but I prefer to tackle puzzles, magical connections, things I don't have to deal with on a personal level," Regulus explained.
"If Master Regulus says so," Kreacher said, not bothering to keep the doubt from his voice.
"I suppose if he doesn't believe her, you could suggest they go to a healer for a paternity charm," Regulus mused thoughtfully and Kreacher struggled to hold back a crow of triumph and a 'Kreacher told Master Regulus so.'
Though he did indeed struggle, he quickly lost the fight.
Regulus frowned.
"I was putting actual thought into it for you. It is not as if I would've known what to do on the instant were I there with you tomorrow," he grumbled.
Kreacher shrugged, grinning.
"Kreacher doesn't care. Master Regulus still had the proper ideas that Kreacher needed."
He frowned.
"He still does not wish to go without Master Regulus, but he feels slightly more prepared if things go South as Dora says."
"I still have nothing if he flat out doesn't want her, though," Regulus said.
"Something that harsh is hard to spin. Hopefully the mother didn't keep him a secret because he didn't want her."
"Hopefully," Kreacher agreed a little sullenly.
"Kreacher would not like dealing with that at all. It would quite put Kreacher on the spot."
"I'm sure Ariana would be feeling far worse than you," Regulus said with a chuckle as he and Kreacher sank onto the bed together.
"Yes, but that won't help Kreacher any," the elf complained.
Though Regulus had no more helpful advice, Kreacher had to admit he certainly did an excellent job of taking his mind off the situation.
Kreacher woke earlier than usual, unable to rest completely easy with a stranger in the manor that he knew was likely hoping for breakfast. He was a free elf, but he was also a good elf who knew how to properly care for a guest. He could not allow one to wake unattended in what was now half of his manor.
Caring for the house of Black had always been an honor, but co-owning it even more so. It made him even more conscious of what was proper and appropriate...at least most of the time. He wanted to know that were they still alive, Master Orion and Mistress Walburga would at least be pleased with how matters of family and home were being handled if not precisely what he and Regulus did behind closed doors. On that note, he rolled out of bed with a small groan, the concept of being a perfect host strongly on his mind.
Pausing he turned back to Regulus, allowing his eyes to drink in the outline of his beloved youthful form sprawled out on the bed. The sight caused Kreacher to give a sigh of regret that he was no longer at his side. Reaching out, he tucked the blankets around Regulus. Even though the vampire would not notice, doing so satisfied Kreacher nonetheless.
"Kreacher shall bring Mortis some breakfast soon," he promised the black phoenix that he knew was sitting on the curtain without having to attempt making out his form in the dark room. He didn't need to see to reach into the closet and drag out one of the tunics Regulus had bought him for Christmas the first year of his return.
Pulling the tunic over his head, he smoothed it down, then apparated into the upstairs hall just outside the bedroom door. He never opened the door during the day when he and Master Regulus slept in the bed rather than the coffin. Perhaps the dim light from the upstairs hall would not harm Master Regulus's sensitive, delicate skin, but Kreacher was taking no chances. He would never risk losing Regulus again!
Hurrying downstairs, he began making breakfast, humming softly under his breath as he did. He was nearly done when Kereston spoke from the doorway, causing him to jump and nearly burn his hand on a hot pan. He swore.
"Oh I'm sorry," she exclaimed.
"I didn't mean to startle you. It's just that I so rarely see you down here cooking breakfast."
Kreacher nodded. Indeed he preferred to sleep late these days as he and Master Regulus were awake until sunrise. It was a little before nine so he'd gotten a few hours in at least.
"Kreacher is cooking breakfast for Ariana. Master Regulus invited her to stay the night, and Kreacher is taking her to her father today. As it happens, we do know who he is. It's Aberforth Dumbledore. Kreacher also made enough breakfast for himself, Mortis and Kereston if she would like some."
He paused in his filling of plates to peer over at Kereston, a slight smile on his face as he readied himself to relish her reaction to the information he'd just shared.
"I'd love some but I'll have to take it to go. Can you wrap the eggs and sausages in some bread or something? I usually grab a bite at the Ministry but it's always dreadful," she confessed, making a face.
"Aberforth is a dad? Really? Wow...that's...hard to imagine."
Kreacher snickered.
"Kreacher knows," he agreed happily.
"I can't wait to hear how the reunion goes," Kereston said, her gray-blue eyes sparkling eagerly.
"And good luck, of course."
"Kreacher hates going without Master Regulus, but he shall get through it," the elf complained as he hurriedly made Kereston a breakfast sandwich.
"I'm sorry," she said sympathetically.
"Thanks so much, you're so sweet," she added as she took the sandwich with a grateful smile.
"It smells wonderful as always."
Kreacher couldn't help beaming in pleasure as he nodded.
"I hate to dash as I so rarely get to see you in the morning, but if I don't I shall be late," Kereston said.
Kreacher waved her off, promising to tell her everything over dinner. As she apparated away to work, he apparated back upstairs with Mortis's plate of breakfast. He placed it on the small table beside the bed.
"Kreacher would eat with Mortis, but he still needs to ready the table for Ariana," he explained as the black bird drifted down from the curtain to land on the edge of the plate.
Though Kreacher made a habit of eating with Mortis, he felt it would be more polite to eat with Ariana, and it was good that Mortis guarded Regulus. Kreacher trusted the phoenix to keep him safe no matter what. With a promise to return as soon as he was able, Kreacher apparated back down to the kitchen to take the remaining two plates intended for himself and Ariana to the dining table.
Once this was done, and a warming charm placed on the food, he headed toward the stairs to check on their guest. He met Ariana coming down the stairs as he was half way up.
"Good morning," she greeted cheerfully.
"My ghost scout said you were ready for me now. I didn't want to come down before you were and be in the way or anything."
She wore a different black dress with a gray shawl today, Kreacher noted as he turned and led her down the rest of the stairs and into the dining room.
"That was kind of Ariana Schwarz."
"Oh just Ariana," she insisted with a warm smile.
Kreacher nodded. He was gradually growing accustom to a lack of formality, being a part of wizarding social circles rather than on the edge of them as a mere servant, though at times it still felt a bit unnatural he had to admit.
"Besides...Schwarz isn't my real last name anyway."
"Dumbledore," Kreacher nodded in understanding and she gave a slight chuckle, shaking her head.
"Well no, not legally, but neither is Schwarz. It's a sort of work name I took to keep a bit of privacy. My real legal sir name is my mother's sir name which is Habicht."
"Kreacher sees. He understands Ariana's need for privacy."
His mind turned to the rest of what she'd said as they settled down at the breakfast table.
"What is a ghost scout, Kreacher wonders."
"Oh just one of the random ghosts who tend to stalk me for attention. They're always so happy that someone can see them, but as being stalked, even by the dead can be vexing, I have found ways to make them useful to me. I had that particular one keep an eye out for when you were awake and ready for me to come down."
Kreacher flushed, hoping that ghosts weren't watching he and Master Regulus in their bed chamber for Merlin's sake! Reading his face Ariana spoke hastily.
"I didn't have them spy on you or anything. In fact I told them not to. I just said to keep an eye on the downstairs and to let me know when people started to appear to go about their morning business. So if your...Regulus is drinking people or whatever I don't care and won't be reporting it."
Kreacher snorted.
"He doesn't do that at home."
He wasn't sure that he trusted ghosts not to spy. They had nothing better to do, after all.
"Kreacher saw no ghosts," he noted.
"That's because they're Muggle ghosts," Ariana explained.
"As a necromancer I can see all ghosts, and wizards can't often see Muggle ghosts because Muggles have far less power to manifest a form after death, having no magic to aid them in this."
"There are filthy Muggle ghosts in Kreacher's home," he demanded.
He'd sprung to his feet, nearly without even noticing, glaring as his chest heaved in the purest of indignant states.
"I should think being dead makes them cleaner," Ariana said calmly.
"They have no germs now, that's for sure. And Muggle ghosts can come and go as they please here or anywhere else unless there is someone very powerful about to stop them. That being said, many have probably passed through this house. I am merely able to tell you that one is here now, when otherwise you wouldn't see them so you would never know."
Somehow this made it worse. Muggle ghosts watching Kreacher going about his daily affairs...as well as private ones and him never knowing? He shuddered.
"Kreacher supposes he never considered that Muggles could be ghosts," he admitted as he slowly resumed his seat at the table.
"They have no power, after all."
Ariana shrugged.
"They have souls," she said matter of factly.
"The food is wonderful, by the way."