The Search Is Over
Chapter 146, When You Can't Tell Them Nothing
It took several months for the novelty of having Walburga and Orion back at #12 Grimmauld Place to wear off and begin feeling more like a normal part of life. It was almost as if Orion and Walburga had been restored to life.
Having them around all the time was amazing. It was a healing experience for the entire family that was humbling. Most people never got the opportunity for anything close to what they were given. Though given was only partially correct. It had begun with Walburga not accepting the hand fate had dealt the Black family.
Of course they were fortunate enough to meet a Necromancer, but that was through the initiative Kreacher and Regulus had taken. Most people did not think of seeking one out and those wizards who shied away from the Dark Arts weren't aware that Necromancers even existed, much less where to find them. So though they were grateful for the unique opportunities that fate had presented, they'd also sought those opportunities out and fought for them. One had to take their destiny into their own hands, and they'd all done that. Considering he'd felt beaten down for far too long, this new empowering concept did much for the renewal of Regulus's inner strength.
Walburga and Orion gladly spent their days with the children while Regulus and Kreacher were forced to sleep. The elves still looked after the children as well, but the twins spent hours in the library playing with their grandparents. Eventually the ghosts even began teaching them simple spells when the twins expressed an interest. There was only so long that books on magic could entertain intelligent minds without some hands on practice to liven things up.
Of course this meant that wands were required. For the children, not the ghosts. Walburga and Orion would never have access to the magic they'd had as wizards. Not all that which their too early deaths had taken from them could be restored. Still the two never voiced a complaint, being eternally grateful for what they'd regained rather than lamenting what they'd lost. Though they could not practice magic, they could still explain it to the children and give precise instructions on how each spell should be done.
Hydra and Loughness were excessively gleeful when Regulus and Kreacher allowed them to get wands from Mag. What the Ministry didn't know wouldn't hurt anyone and all that. The two took well to learning the wizarding side of their magic from the grandparents and even Regulus or Severus, as he trained the children at times on their weekend visits when he taught Sortia. They weren't nearly so eager to learn their elf magic when Kreacher began teaching them a bit of that, however.
"We don't want to clean floors," Hydra announced darkly, showing, what was for her, a rare belligerence.
It was usually Loughness who protested anything he didn't want to do.
"It's stupid," he agreed, not missing the opportunity after all.
"It is not," Kreacher said.
He frowned disapprovingly at both children, but the twins were unmoved.
They all stood in the middle of the kitchen floor, surrounded by a ring of dust that Kreacher had deposited there so the children would have something to clean.
"The point is not to clean floors," Kreacher explained peevishly.
"It is to use the act of cleaning floors to learn how to use your elf magic.
"A thing you should very much wish to do, because it is far stronger than wizard magic," Regulus added.
"But elves shouldn't use their magic to clean floors either," Hydra insisted.
"It's demeaning."
Regulus smiled, proud that she was using words like demeaning at six years of age.
"Why," Kreacher demanded.
"The floor must be cleaned must it not? That is unless Hydra wishes to live in filth."
"Of course she does not wish to live in filth," Hydra said.
From time to time the girl could laps into elf style third person rather than the human first person in which she usually spoke.
"She simply does not see why she should be cleaning it. She is of the purest blood. She is Pure blood Squared, and thus the best of the best! She is wizarding royalty of the highest order. Grandmother said so."
Regulus and Kreacher exchanged a horrified glance. Though this may be true, was true in fact, was it wise that the children be so full of themselves at six years of age? Especially when it could put notions of grandeur into their heads that could make teaching them difficult.
"Elves should never have had to clean floors," Hydra continued in a quiet resentful mutter.
"Humans should do it. If not wizards, silly worthless Muggles. Hydra isn't saying that she is better than elves, for they are the strongest and she knows it. They should not clean floors and she shouldn't either."
"Did your grandmother tell you that too," Regulus asked, ready to have a talk with his Mum at his own peril.
Hydra shook her head.
"No. Hydra can think for herself, though, and she knows she is right."
Regulus nodded.
"Of course she is. But..."
"May we go now," Loughness demanded suddenly.
"This is boring. I hate being bored. It hurts, rather," he complained.
"The children may not go," Kreacher growled.
"The children may clean the floor. Kreacher will demonstrate and then they shall try it themselves, and then, if Kreacher is satisfied, the children may go!"
"But elves should not have to," Hydra began, plainly ready to repeat her views until they were properly understood.
"Elves clean better and faster than humans," Kreacher snapped.
"We deserve the best, so we do it ourselves. Now watch Kreacher carefully," he instructed.
He cleaned precisely a third of the floor in a blink, then gestured to Loughness and Hydra.
"One third for each of you, there and there," he said, pointing to indicate which spot each child should attend to.
Both children scowled darkly, but when Kreacher and Regulus merely waited, they attempted the same spell Kreacher had performed. It took several seconds longer, but eventually the floor was clean.
"That sucked," Loughness grumbled and Regulus frowned.
"Where did you learn such language?"
Loughness grinned.
"Grandmother."
Regulus and Kreacher exchanged a brief look, and Kreacher's lips twitched, for he'd learned most of his creative swears from Walburga as well.
"Very well," he sighed, giving Loughness's shoulder a small push.
"Go then. Loughness and Hydra have done a passable job on the floor and Kreacher is weary of looking at them for the present. There will be more lessons soon, and Kreacher shall not be satisfied until the children clean the floor as fast and as well as Kreacher himself does. Mistress...That is the children's grandmother is correct. You are the best and you shall be the best at everything. Kreacher is the best at all things elf, and he is determined that his children shall be the best as well," the elf proclaimed.
The children sighed and rolled their eyes resentfully, causing Regulus to frown as he came to stand in front of them.
"Or you could clean the floor again now. Kreacher may be tired of dealing with you for the present, but I can take over," he threatened calmly.
Hydra cringed in horror.
"No, we are sorry," Loughness groaned and Regulus's lips twitched in spite of his own annoyance.
"Well you may go for now, then, but only because Kreacher already said so. You may as well get your head around the fact that you are going to learn elf magic, though. Doing so makes you more than other wizards, not less."
"Fine," Hydra said with a resigned sigh, and the two slunk away.
"I hope Mum appreciates how easy we were when we were young," Regulus said and Kreacher chuckled.
"Indeed," he agreed.
"Should we have her talk to them," Regulus wondered.
As she was already instructing them in foul language, either intentionally or merely by example, she could at least help by using her apparently vast influence to have them more eager to learn their elf magic.
"Perhaps. That could be nice,, but then again, what if that only gives her more sway over them and us less," Kreacher objected thoughtfully.
"They already respect her, and while her influence is admittedly useful, the children's acquiescence would have had nothing to do with us which could in the end give us even less authority where it counts where they are concerned."
"Good point," Regulus said, sighing, then making a face.
"I suppose that leaves the unpleasant job to us. It seems it's truly time for us to experience the rough side of parenting."
"Alas," Kreacher agreed glumly.
"So how shall we handle the next lesson," Regulus asked, already turning his focus to the near future in his need to solve the current problem.
"We shall have to promise to remove privileges if they do not truly try harder," Kreacher said.
"We should not have to take such measures, but the children should likewise be better behaved students."
"I suppose it's one of those things where they shall understand and agree with our point of view only when they are older," Regulus mused.
Though the children were extremely bright, they were still children, their minds not fully developed. Experience taught wisdom, and they would have to have a few rough experiences to learn. He like all parents would hate to see those future days, but they were necessary.