Chapter 62
Severus had to run to catch up with Albus.
"Are you alright?"
The headmaster shook his head, still practically running.
"What's the matter?"
"I have been mentally assaulted," Albus said.
"I'm going to my office for a drink. Come if you like."
"Grindelwald did something," Severus asked angrily.
"Yes...But likely nothing like whatever you're thinking," Albus said. "Just...I want to forget about it"
Severus frowned. That made no sense. "But if he did something to you, should we not deal with it?"
"I see no point," Albus said.
"Will you just tell me what he did," Severus demanded, openly frustrated.
They'd reached Albus's office and he flung the door open with a sigh.
"No. I've been through enough this week and I will not suffer the indignity of talking about it." Albus stalked over to his desk. Slumping into his chair he rummaged in a drawer until he came up with a bottle.
"But," Severus protested.
/Oh for fuck's sake,/ Nightshade exploded. /I looked into his mind. You know the Skeeter thing has him all upset, so I guess this just made it worse or something. Grindelfuck sent him a nasty mental image of he and Zabini shagging one another's brains out./
The owl gave a mental snicker.
/Classless...But that's all,/ Severus asked and the owl bobbed his head in a nod.
Severus glanced over at Albus who was swigging directly from his bottle. "Want some," he asked and Severus shook his head, smiling in amusement in spite of himself.
"Do you know I've had this bottle for thirty years? I've never had a desire to sit here at my desk and do this." He swigged from the bottle again to punctuate. Before either man could speak again, a knock came at the door and Albus sighed, taking a final swig for fortification before replacing the bottle in his desk and moving to the door. He had a murmured conversation before returning.
"Mr. Zabini and Mr. Grindelwald wish to study the enchantments on the sorting hat so that they can incorporate any that they find useful into the scrying mirrors they're making us for the school," Albus said.
"They're going to key each mirror to different parts of the school so that those professors who have them will be able to monitor the entire castle more closely next year which should be very helpful."
Severus nodded. Albus produced the battered sorting hat from somewhere and returned to the door with it. Before long he was back at his desk. "At least Grindelwald kept those thoughts to himself that should remain private," he said.
"And they are continuing to make themselves useful," Severus said, hoping to provide a bright side to the insanity.
Albus sighed. "I really hate hating people, Severus, but right now I truly do hate Rita Skeeter."
Severus nodded. He didn't mind hating people at all especially when they deserved it and Skeeter certainly did. Another knock came at the door and Albus sighed. This time when he opened the door Severus heard his voice raised in an exclamation of what sounded like shock. This had the potions master out of his chair and rushing to Albus's side. Once there he understood Albus's shocked reaction.
"Regulus Black? How..."
/Nightshade...Is it really Regulus?/ He could look himself but when the owl did, it couldn't be sensed so well even by one strong at occlumency.
/Well as I've never met him, how the fuck should I know,/ Nightshade snarked.
/You should know by what he's thinking. Don't be obnoxious,/ Severus told him peevishly.
"Please, may I come in," Regulus asked.
Severus blinked, his mind struggling to take in what his eyes were seeing. Regulus Black didn't appear to have aged a day. "Of course," Albus said and stepped back to allow him to enter the office. It was only then that Severus noticed Kreacher with him, practically clinging to his robe.
/He's thinking that he's nervous,/ Nightshade said. /He kind of fucking radiates depression and misery. He doesn't like himself much. He has come to help against Voldemort. He thinks about Kreacher a lot. That he loves him and missed him and he feels very guilty about something. Does that sound like Regulus Black?/
Severus gave a mental shrug. /I suppose. Regulus vanished, and we assumed he turned on Voldemort and died for his effort./
He still wasn't going to relax fully or trust the Regulus look alike until he heard his story, though. "Well I must say, Regulus," Albus said, smiling warmly. "It is good to see you alive and well. You were always such a promising young man."
"Who made far too many mistakes and errors in judgment," Regulus said, a look of what appeared to be perpetual sadness in his blue eyes.
"Most mistakes can be rectified if one has the will to do so," Albus said. "I do wonder, though. Why have you returned at this time in particular?"
"Believe it or not, I've been hiding among Muggles and just heard that Voldemort was back," Regulus said.
"But why didn't you return when he supposedly died," Albus asked, expression mildly perplexed.
"And why do you look eighteen years old," Severus asked...practically demanded.
He knew that some people aged slower than others, but he was a year older than Regulus. At the moment he looked far more than that and it was bloody annoying. Black was taller than average, though not quite as tall as Severus. He had shoulder length black hair, straight and neatly combed. He had a nearly delicate aristocratic face that was cleanly shaven. He wore neatly pressed green robes. The only thing that appeared a bit off was the fact Black's skin was extremely pale.
Regulus gave a sad smile. "I shall answer the easier of the two questions first. I became a vampire before going to do the thing that would have gotten me killed by Voldemort had I not done so." Well that answered the youth and paleness bits, Severus thought.
/Hey! Aren't some vampires feral,/ Nightshade wanted to know, a tinge of alarm in his thought. /I mean he won't try and drink a bitch will he?/
Severus's lips twitched. /Let's hope not. And he doesn't appear to be feral. He exhibits too much control for that,/ he said.
"As a vampire, how is it that you are out and about during the day," Severus asked, and Regulus's lips twitched slightly.
"It's dark and rainy. With the proper spells I can move about when there is no sun. I perfected a few shield spells. Many vampires aren't wizards, so I have a bit of an advantage." Severus nodded his silent understanding. "I plan to give you the entire story, don't worry," Regulus hastened to assure them. "The answer to your other question first, though. The reason I did not return sooner was...simply that I believed Kreacher did not wish for me to do so." The elf's face crumpled and Regulus drew him into a gentle hug.
"I know...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry."
"Kreacher never would've wanted Master Regulus to stay away."
"I'm so sorry," Regulus said again.
/Oh wow,/ Nightshade thought to Severus. /This certainly isn't the first time they've had this conversation. I think he'll be apologizing to that elf forever about something./
"All of this will be far more clear after I explain everything," Regulus said, turning back to Albus and Severus, though his arms still encircled Kreacher possessively. "It started when the dark lord...when Voldemort asked his Death Eaters if he could borrow the assistance of one of their house elves for a simple task. He asked for a volunteer and I was excited to rise in the ranks. I knew Kreacher would want to rise in the ranks as well, for we both felt very strongly in favor of what we believed Voldemort stood for. We wrongly believed him to be another Grindelwald." Considering the man himself was actually here as well, Severus choked slightly on a laugh. Regulus paused, arching dark brows and Severus shook his head, gesturing for him to continue. Severus wasn't telling this person who may or may not be Regulus that Grindelwald was free and among them. Not until he knew the man could be trusted.
"He took Kreacher in a boat, across a lake to a cave. He needed his help to hide a locket, but this help nearly killed my elf and best friend." Regulus's expression hardened as Kreacher hid his face against Regulus's shoulder. "He made Kreacher drink a potion that gave him much mental distress simply to test his hiding place, then nearly drowned him in the lake which happened to be full of bloody Inferi! He intended for Kreacher to drown, but before Kreacher left, I made some casual remark about how he should do whatever the dark lord required, then come home. He remembered that and came home to me in the midst of drowning."
Regulus's voice broke and his eyes filled with tears as his expression twisted into one of abject misery. He and Kreacher clung together, Regulus lowering his tear streaked cheek to press against the elf's head.
"Was it a Horcrux, Regulus," Albus asked gently, and Regulus's head shot up.
"How did you know?"
"Because I've already destroyed a few of them. I fear there are seven."
Regulus stared in horror. "No," he breathed. "If there are that many, I hardly struck a blow at all. I did all that...put my and Kreacher's lives at risk, ruined everything we had, everything we were looking forward to for nothing...or nearly nothing," he corrected himself bitterly.
"One Horcrux will definitely matter in the end. It would mean the difference between life and death for Voldemort. What you did certainly wasn't a waste, Regulus," Albus assured gently.
"Truly," Regulus challenged. "You appear to have the situation nicely in hand. You would have discovered this particular Horcrux if Kreacher and I had managed to stay out of it. If I had only stood aside and allowed Lucius Malfoy to offer up his stupid elf."
"Stupid Dobby," Kreacher huffed. "Yes, stupid Dobby should've gone into that lake and drank the potion that made him feel like a bad elf. A worthless despicable elf."
"Discovering the Horcrux yourselves woke you both up to who Voldemort is and now you are better for it," Albus said.
"Better? We've both been miserable for over fifteen years," Regulus exclaimed. Clearly he was doubtful on the matter.
Albus gave Regulus and Kreacher a sad smile. "For that I am deeply sorry. It is an effect Voldemort seems to have on many."