The Search Is Over,
Chapter 126, Happy Phantom
On the evening of October Thirty-first, Regulus and Kreacher rose and hurriedly went out to hunt, then returned to dress for the Halloween performance at Durmstrang. Kreacher had laid out their matching Phantom costumes the previous night in preparation to save time. Kereston was able to find a Phantom of the Opera costume intended for goblins that she got for Kreacher, and he only had to magically alter it slightly to make it work for him.
"Do you think it's silly to match," Regulus asked, beginning to feel nervous once they were both dressed.
"Kreacher thinks we look nice," the elf observed, smiling and waving at their matching masked reflections in the mirror.
"It does make a nice statement, doesn't it," Regulus said fondly as he took Kreacher's hand to go.
Lifting his guitar case in the other he called to Mortis who flew to his shoulder.
"Should we have gotten Mortis something to wear, Kreacher wonders," the elf speculated.
Mortis gave an incredulous squawk quite unlike his usual musical trill.
Regulus laughed.
"Something tells me he wouldn't be interested. Besides he looks properly dark and dashing. What says wizarding Halloween better than a death phoenix, after all?"
"Kreacher supposes that is true."
With that decided, he apparated them to Durmstrang.
They stood outside, pausing to just take in the Bulgarian Halloween night. The leaves had all fallen from the towering old trees which surrounded the school in readiness for the coming winter, and the stark autumn atmosphere was beautiful.
As the festivities were happening inside, all appeared quiet and still, but the night creatures were active. Regulus and Kreacher's vampiric senses effortlessly took them in. Wolves prowled near by and bats swooped among the trees as owls hunted down small warm prey. After taking a few moments to enjoy the ambiance this provided, the two passed into the school's large marble front hall.
To Regulus's surprise, Bera Karkaroff herself was waiting to greet them. She wore a shimmering ghost costume which she somehow managed to make appear mildly seductive.
"I vanted to thank you for agreeing to perform tonight, Regulus," she said, catching his hands warmly in hers before bending to embrace Kreacher.
"Ah the two of you look frightfully ridiculous," she laughed.
"I was beginning to wonder if it was too silly," Regulus said, struggling between amusement and embarrassment.
"Never," Bera insisted.
"It's vat Halloween is all about, after all, for vat other night of the year can ve get avay vith such things?"
"Kreacher agrees," the elf said, and Regulus felt himself relaxing.
It had been too long that he'd allowed himself to be intentionally silly. Or had he ever done? Perhaps not and the thought was suddenly very sad. But tonight he would not allow sadness in. It was Halloween, and thus a time to be frightfully ridiculous.
The entire vast front hall of Durmstrang was all decked out for Halloween with giant hanging spider webs, and enchanted paper bats that swooped around at ceiling level.
Albus Dumbledore hurried from around the nearest corner with a trick or treat bag in one hand that he eagerly extended to Regulus and Kreacher.
"Take it. It's all for the both of you," he exclaimed.
"It seemed such a shame that the two of you could not have candy on this night when candy reigns supreme, so I bought you a load of blood lollipops. It isn't chocolate or lemon drops, but it's something, and it will hopefully allow you to share in the festivities."
Regulus chuckled as he took the bag from Albus's hand. It was printed with a smiling orange pumpkin on one side and a grinning ghost on the other with the words trick or treat written over its head in purple.
"Thank you," he said.
As he spoke, Kreacher was already thrusting his hand into the bag for a lollipop.
"Where will we be performing," Regulus asked, trying not to think about anything inappropriate as Kreacher tore open the sweet and thrust it into his mouth. Fortunately he looked adorable rather than sensual, poking the lollipop into one cheek instead of running his tongue over it to torment Regulus as he'd feared he would.
"In the dining hall," Albus explained.
"It's just that way."
He flapped an arm off to his right, nodding vaguely. He wore a scare crow costume with a hood shaped like a pumpkin.
"Great costume," Regulus complimented, meaning it.
"Why thank you," Albus said.
"I made it myself. I call it Father Autumn."
Regulus nodded.
"That's fitting."
"I thought so," Albus said happily.
"Mag and Severus were just putting the finishing touches on their costumes when I came down to wait for the two of you with Bera," Albus said.
"Perhaps they're in the dining hall by now. Let's go see, shall we?"
Albus led the way along a corridor lit by bright orange hanging lanterns and decorated with life sized floating ghosts that made frightful moaning sounds as the group passed. They could hear the dining hall well before they reached it at the end of said corridor.
The excited chatter of students mixed with haunting Halloween music and sound effects that were obviously prerecorded floated out of half open stately stone doors, carved with raised relief images of crouching gargoyles. As they approached, the scents of spiced pumpkin and apples wafted toward them. Durmstrang certainly knew how to do Halloween.
As they entered the dining hall, a large owl dropped from above them, wings snapping out at the very last minute to keep it from crashing into their heads. At first, Regulus assumed it to be another animated prop until it flew to land on Severus's shoulder. Leave it to Snape to train his bird to frighten people. He and Mag stood near a table laden with Halloween snack treats. Both were dressed as Royal mummies, and Regulus had to admit they made a fetching pharaoh and queen.
"You're both the phantom," Severus asked skeptically.
"Was one of them supposed to be Christine," Bera asked with a laugh.
Severus scowled as Mag pretended to cough.
"Regulus could've managed it."
Regulus glared.
"Thank you, Bera," he said.
"Master Regulus is beautiful enough to pull off a Christine if he wished to, of course," Kreacher said, and Regulus turned his glare on the elf.
"What," Kreacher demanded.
"Kreacher is just saying that Master Regulus is beautiful enough to..."
"Fine, Kreacher," Regulus said as Severus burst into happy laughter.
"I told you," he crowed.
"Shall we begin before I hurt your husband," Regulus asked Mag who was doubled over with her 'coughing by that point.
"Oh gods," she gasped, as tears of mirth streamed down her cheeks.
"You can stop pretending to cough before you hurt your throat," Regulus snapped.
"You are supposed to sing tonight, after all."
"I'm sorry," she managed, shoulders shaking as she covered her face.
"Ignore them, Regulus," Albus said, patting his shoulder kindly.
"You aren't nearly pretty enough to be a girl."
"But," Kreacher protested, but fell silent when Bera reached into the trick or treat bag that Regulus held and extracted a blood lollipop.
"I really think you should have another," she said firmly.
Kreacher took it, looking bemused. By then Mag had managed to stop laughing.
"I think I'm ready now," she said.
"If you're quite sure," Regulus snapped peevishly.
"Oh come, Christine," Severus chastised.
"Don't be like that."
Mag clapped a hand to her mouth, but a snicker escaped anyway.
"You don't sound like a girl if that helps," she managed around her laughter.
"You may be unaware, but there is a Muggle book as well as a movie about a car named Christine. It's a fifty-seven Plymouth Fury that kills people. It is beautiful and deadly, and if you ask me, does not look like a girl at all," Regulus growled.
"Alright then," Bera said briskly.
"We'd better get this performance under way before Regulus transfigures himself into a Muggle weapon on veels and ends most of us."
"Most of us," Severus inquired.
Bera smirked.
"Albus and I both said that he didn't look like a girl, so I trust that we're safe."
Regulus gave her a sweeping bow.
"The lady is wise."
"Alright. We're sorry. It was only a joke," Mag said, a small smile still playing around her lips.
Regulus gave her a silent glare, never one for jokes at his own expense, especially when they were so unwarranted.
"Kreacher wasn't joking. Master Regulus is the most beautiful person in the world."
The elf muttered his protest around his mouthful of candy.
"Better be quiet or I vill give you another lollipop," Bera threatened sweetly.
"Would you like to sit with me while Mag and Regulus perform, Kreacher," Severus asked politely, and Regulus felt himself relenting a little.
Anyone who treated Kreacher properly wasn't worthy of too much wrath in his book, at least not for long.
Kreacher nodded, grinning around the candy in his mouth.
"Kreacher would like that. He always enjoys seeing Severus Snape."
"Come on, then. This is going to be so fun," Mag told Regulus excitedly.
"We're performing there up at the front of the hall."
Lifting a bandaged, mummified hand, she indicated two chairs set against the front wall. Both chairs were made of heavy old wood, carved fittingly into the shapes of skeletons with grinning skulls making up their headrests. It seemed they were to be playing in spooky style, which was fitting.
"Won't you have trouble managing the fiddle through those wrappings," Regulus asked skeptically.
Mag shook her head.
"I wrapped my hands specifically to keep freedom of motion," she assured.
Regulus handed Kreacher the trick or treat bag, so he'd only have his guitar case to manage. With that sorted, he followed Mag up to the skeleton chairs. As he was opening his guitar case, Kreacher dashed up and gave him an impulsive hug.
"Kreacher knows he doesn't need it, but he wishes Master Regulus luck nonetheless."
Softening entirely from his former annoyance, Regulus returned the embrace.
"Thank you, Love."
He hoped that Kreacher was correct and that he would manage to pull off a decent performance for he and Mag hadn't gotten to practice the songs together. He hadn't wanted to risk Kreacher wanting to hear the songs. Nosferatu was intended to be a surprise, which would hardly be the case were Kreacher to be aware in advance.
Regulus felt he and Mag played well enough as a duo to manage these relatively simple songs without making mistakes that anyone would notice even without actually practicing together. When playing pop with only a guitar and fiddle, the music had to change a bit anyway, after all. Of course with practice, the two would improve them and make them even better, but for a school party, he knew they were both good enough to make music the students could dance to without obvious errors.
As Regulus and Mag settled themselves in the chairs, Bera went to stand at the head of the staff table while Albus clapped for silence.
"Ve would like to introduce our live entertainment," Bera called.
"It seems there are two bards amongst us this night, so this is definitely a treat for you, no tricks," she promised.
"One of your very own professors has a hidden talent. Along with runes and numerology, Mag Snape is also a talented bard. Some of you may recall Regulus Black, from a recent Alchemy lecture. He is also a bard, and ready to terrify your hearts tonight!"
The mild nervousness gripping Regulus faded at the round of applause that echoed through the vast dining hall.
"So enjoy the music, dance, eat, drink, and most of all BE SCARY!"
Bera swept her arms wide as the students whooped and began to move about the room, snatching treats from various tables or getting ready to dance.
"Let's do the surprise song first," Regulus murmured to Mag and she nodded.
He kept his eyes on Kreacher's face as he began to play the first notes of Nosferatu. Mag's fiddle came in with a haunting lead as he began to sing the first verse. He could tell from Kreacher's lack of shift in expression that Kereston and Millicent were unaware of this song so hadn't shown it to him.
When the chorus ended on the word "NOSFERATU, Kreacher's eyes lit and he began to clap with glee. His simple joyous reaction caused a lump to rise in Regulus's throat. Next they performed Thriller, turning it into a rock song that had the students howling like monsters and chasing one another like wild things.
Next was Bedlam Boys, and by the second chorus, everyone was singing along, adding mad cackles as if from the bowels of the worst insane asylum. As the final notes concluded, Mag gave a wild cackle and Regulus soluted her. Her redo had gone brilliantly. She'd pulled off the role of a stark raving lunatic to the proper crowd who could truly appreciate it.
When they played Spooky, Regulus changed the word 'girl' to 'boy,' staring flirtatiously at Kreacher as he sang. He didn't miss the confused looks this garnered from Mag and Severus, and decided it was time to have the talk with them soon.
Most people knew about he and Kreacher and those who didn't at least guessed while those two remained clueless. Though many of their mutual friends, including Albus, were very aware, all had respected Kreacher and Regulus's privacy on the matter, allowing them to tell each person when they were ready.
As Regulus sang, Kreacher stared at him thoughtfully before grinning on the last verse, apparently deciding that he liked being spooky. The dancing was in full swing by the time they got to Purple People Eater and Spooky Scary Skeletons.
When the set was over the students demanded one more song, and fortunately they both knew Season Of The Witch, so they played that. Performing music to the appreciative crowd, giving out and receiving energy from them, made Regulus feel nearly as alive as he did when alone with Kreacher. That was saying something. That was magic, and that was fire, and perhaps it was even a little scary...but only in the best of ways.