The Search Is Over,
Chapter 158, Everybody Knows
"I summon Balthazar and Hagatha, elves of House Black. Your son Kreacher as well as the spirits of Walburga and Orion Black welcome you home." Ariana's tone was a mix of firmly commanding and respectful. As when she'd summoned his own parents, Regulus felt the crackle of power in the room. When Ariana spoke the names of Kreacher's parents, nothing happened for several seconds.
Then the air seemed to thicken, or perhaps it grew warmer. Regulus wasn't certain precisely, but something definitely changed. Then they came into view. More translucent than Orion and Walburga had been that first time, and less substantial. A pair of thin, wispy elves, they hovered high in the air. So high were they, that everyone seated had to look up at them. They seemed nearly to shimmer and definitely held an otherworldly quality. As Orion's gaze took them in, his face was agonized. His mouth opened and shut several times wordlessly before Kreacher's mother spoke.
"Orion needs not apologize, for he did no wrong. It was a mistake. An accident, and we always knew that."
"Indeed," Kreacher's father agreed solemnly. As he spoke, his gaze rested on Kreacher and on Regulus. He wore a frown that Regulus couldn't read into. Was it concerned? Disapproving? He didn't know.
"Orion and Walburga raised our baby, and for that, they have repaid any debt, though truly none is owed," Hagatha continued to Orion and Walburga. Seeing the spirits together was disconcerting. Where Orion and Walburga, being grounded, appeared nearly solid, Kreacher's parents were anything but.
"We did not see you when we crossed over," Walburga marveled to the elf couple. "Orion and I looked for you more than once."
Hagatha gave a soft smile. "There are different levels of the astral...the realm of spirit. We were on a higher level because we released this earthly realm and the both of you could not. We understood that we must if we were to be able to help protect. The both of you protect from here, and we from on high."
"Like guardian angels," Orion murmured, and the shimmering elf spirits nodded.
"There are old curses that go deeper than bloodlines," Hagatha said. Her tone, though ethereal, sounded worried.
"The elf curse," Regulus breathed. He wanted to squirm in discomfort when both of Kreacher's parents turned their translucent gazes to him. "And more than elves were cursed during that time," Hagatha pronounced.
"Sadly we know little, though," Balthazar added before anyone could ask. "There are echos...ancient echos that one can feel and read like patterns, but these have been broken so much and they fade so it is hard." Kreacher hadn't moved or spoken the entire time. He sat clinging to Regulus's hand, round eyes staring in fascinated awe at his parents. "What should we do," he asked, speaking at last.
"We cannot say...Because we do not know," Hagatha said. "No matter what comes, though, we shall be watching, and we shall do all we can to protect our Kreacher. He has grown up into such a beautiful boy."" She reached out as if to touch him, but her hand stopped far before it could've reached his cheek, as if restrained by some sort of barrier.
"He may have made some questionable choices, but from what we can see of the pattern, this is not new," Balthazar said with a sigh. "The lifelines of you and your Regulus seem to go back a long way."
"I am almost relieved," Walburga huffed. "It means it wasn't at all our fault, and reflects no shortcomings in Orion and I as parents."
"I could've told you that, Mum," Regulus said.
Walburga shot him a dismissive look. "Your opinion in the matter would not have been useful to me, Regulus," she snapped coldly.
"My mother always behaved differently in front of her friends." Ariana spoke in a stage whisper, leaning conspiratorially toward Regulus and Kreacher.
"Hello, other grandparents," Loughness piped up cheerfully. Regulus was honestly shocked that the boy had held his silence for this long.
Hydra shot him a frown as she elbowed him in the ribs. Drawing herself up primly she said, "Hello Grandfather Balthazar and Grandmother Hagatha. We are Hydra and Loughness, Pureblood Squared, heirs to the Noble and Most Ancient House Of Black."
"That could form a new and beautiful beginning of something important, or end very badly, Kreacher," Hagatha told him without greeting the children. Then seeing the look of hurt on Hydra's face she added, "Hello, Child. And you as well," she continued to a thoughtful Loughness.
Unlike Hydra, the boy didn't appear hurt by his grandmother's reaction. Instead he took it all in, studying it for what it was. He was wise, Regulus thought with a stab of pride. Willful but wise. What a combination. He would have an interesting life to say the least.
"Loughness and Hydra must tell these dear old grandparents about themselves, for they are the future," Balthazar pronounced. "We tried to watch Kreacher growing up, but we are far and the connection is a distant tenuous one. Knowing that Walburga and Orion would look after him allowed our crossing to be a smooth one, though." Everyone sat quietly as the children told the ghosts of their elf grandparents about themselves.
"Kreacher is not having proper success convincing them to learn elf ways," Kreacher said, hanging his head in open shame.
"Willful children," Hagatha chuckled. "Hagatha does recall another willful child. She believes he has grown up into a willful if unique adult."
"But Kreacher's parents did not live long enough to meet Master Regulus," Kreacher muttered slyly. Regulus frowned at his partner. He did not think himself to be willful.
"Be that as it may, Hagatha was speaking of her own son, Kreacher. He should not pretend as if he does not know as much." Her tone was not stern, though, and her mouth quirked up in amusement before a chuckle escaped her. "Kreacher has not changed so much."
Kreacher raised his gaze to his parents, then dropped it hastily once again. "Does Kreacher not wish to speak to us," Balthazar asked softly. Regulus was glad for the question, because he was wondering the same thing. He wasn't certain what he'd expected of Kreacher during this reunion, but silence was not it. Kreacher had professed several times to hardly remembering his parents, but Regulus had expected a bit more interest from his Kreacher on this particular matter nonetheless.
"Kreacher...does," he murmured, peeking up at his father. "Kreacher just fears that parents may disapprove of what he has become."
"What he has become," Hagatha repeated slowly. "What ever does Kreacher mean?" Interestingly her question did not seem particularly curious. It was asked carefully in a way that put Regulus in mind of a riddle.
"That he is free...and that he...how he is with Master Regulus," Kreacher replied. As he spoke, he shrunk in on himself on the sofa where he sat at Regulus's side.
"Freedom is a state of mind, child," Hagatha said. "Kreacher's parents died free and they lived free. They were slaves, yes, but it was tradition. They, in their hearts, were free, because they did as they wished to do. They loved The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and called its witches and wizards friends. They lived free in their hearts and thus died free.""
A muffled sob from Walburga caused Regulus's gaze to leave Kreacher's parents and turn toward his own. Walburga's slender shoulders shook as tears of misery streamed down her face. For his part, Orion's jaw was set as he clearly struggled not to follow in his wife's lead.
"Did our most favorite of friends mishear," Balthazar asked, drifting closer to Walburga and Orion. "We have said that we have no regrets. Please do not be sad, for you have met your own earthly end and had your own unfair trials just as we did. Just as we are, you are protecting our children, and their children. We are all doing good. As we accidentally perished in the act of assisting thee to cast protective magic, perhaps we literally died to protect our child and yours some day."
Walburga sniffed and wiped at her eyes, but before she or Orion could form a reply, Hagatha was speaking to Kreacher once again, a frown on her face.
"Kreacher is not understanding what Balthazar and Hagatha feels he has done wrong."
Kreacher sighed tiredly, drawing more in upon himself. "Kreacher understands," he muttered. "His dear mother and his dear father are unhappy that he...that he and Master Regulus...That he and Regulus..."
Regulus tightened his grip on Kreacher's hand, wanting very much to be supportive, yet uncertain as to just how in such a situation. While he would defend Kreacher to anyone did he need defending, even to these formidable elf spirits, he felt the conversation should play out uninterrupted for now...just in case it somehow managed to sort itself. His own parents had come around, after all, so anything certainly was possible and love did conquer all. He hoped his grip on Kreacher's hand showed the love and support he felt.
"That could be part of the problem yes, but in that it keeps Kreacher from being free. Or it is part of what keeps Kreacher from being free. That and fears," Hagatha said. "Kreacher is in danger because of this lack of freedom...or he shall be if danger comes. The lack of freedom is the curse, after all. Not every elf is as fettered by it, if they learn to be free. Some elves can be freed, as Kreacher was, though not fully free."
Walburga gave a short laugh. "Pardon the interruption, but Hagatha...Kreacher is the most free elf I know. He has ever said and done as he pleased, even when he served as you both did. I always enjoyed his unfiltered antics, but trust me, he was not restrained or restricted by himself or anyone else."
"Not until he was challenged by himself and someone else," Hagatha said with a slight shake of her head.
Kreacher cringed. In spite of his clearly cowed state of mind, he glared resentfully at his mother. "Kreacher is a good elf," he insisted darkly.
"Yes. Balthazar and Hagatha did tell Kreacher this frequently during his first few years of life...Especially when he did a task well that we were teaching him." Kreacher did not miss his mother's sarcasm. His bottom lip jutted out in an expression Regulus had never seen before on his face. Releasing Regulus's hand, he rose to his feet.
"Kreacher sees. His parents hate him. He does not wish to sit here and be hated. He is going up stairs."
"Sit down," his father thundered. The room seemed to snap with power, and Regulus found himself sitting up straighter as though Balthazar were speaking to him. Kreacher froze in place, then stiffly sat. The expression in both of his parents round elf eyes as they regarded him belied Balthazar's tone, for their gazes were full of love.
"Kreacher is so strong...so smart. He must not be his own downfall." Hagatha's tone was pleading.
Kreacher's lip jutted further. "Kreacher does not know what it is that his parents wish of him," he said tersely.
"Kreacher must search out those fears and shames in his heart so that he may be free," Hagatha said softly. She reached out as if to touch his cheek, but was too far away. She did not move closer, though she appeared to wish to do so. It was as if a barrier that none could see kept her back. "Kreacher must search them out, name them then cast them away."
"But Kreacher does not know how," he protested. His face seemed to wish to wear several expressions at once, again a thing Regulus had never witnessed from him before. "Why must Kreacher's dear parents be difficult," the elf complained. "They should help Kreacher instead of criticizing him. Do they not love Kreacher?"
"Kreacher knows that we love him," Hagatha snapped, expression gone from soft to peeved at her child's willfully refusal to understand that which she so greatly wished to impart. "Kreacher must be free to truly access his full power potential for future times of need, though. If Kreacher is free, the danger can perhaps not reach the other elves."
"What other elves," Kreacher asked. "Do parents mean Stormy and Ripper and the rest?"
"All of the others...all of the elves," Hagatha said. "It is a faint pattern, and we cannot see it all. It is faint and broken."
"Or if it is not broken it is so faint and worn out with age and magical weathering that it appears to be," Balthazar added thoughtfully. "Hagatha and I have pondered it much and long, and we still have many questions. It is not that we are unwilling to share. We simply do not know."
"But how can Kreacher be free," the elf asked.
Hagatha smiled softly. "Kreacher should accept himself fully with no shame, no guilt and no curse compulsion to twist his mind against itself. He must, in this case, not care what anyone else thinks, though he was cursed to do otherwise long before his birth. He must find a way within himself to do this, and his mother cannot give him the answer, though she does very much with her whole heart wish that she could."
"Kreacher writes books now, and he has had them published. He also makes enchanted items with Gellert Grindelwald and Blaise Zabini. He makes much money for the Noble and Most Ancient House Of Black," Kreacher said in a rush. He felt an urgency to impart anything important to his parents that he could before their time ran out. "He had the idea for the children, and how to have them with the aid of specific talented individuals."
"Kreacher has done marvelous things," Hagatha said proudly, and Balthazar nodded.
"We could not be more proud if we raised him ourselves. He is indeed a most brilliant elf."
"We only hope that he uses that brilliant mind to free himself," Hagatha said, bringing the topic round to that which drew her concern most. "We see the black phoenix has come to help, and that is good. Kreacher's powers must augment those of the Little King, because together they must stand against the ancient evil."
"I rule nothing," Regulus said with a shake of his head. "I once tried to...I tried to do something great and I failed."
Hagatha chuckled softly, shaking her head. "The Little King did not fail. He succeeded. He is here and alive, as is Kreacher. Remember, the basilisk is also called the little king.""
Regulus felt his mind race. "But the basilisk rules serpents and I certainly don't speak Parseltongue."
Hagatha chuckled. "The Little King does not need to understand the snakes. He only needs the snakes to understand him."
"If we understood more, we would tell you," Balthazar said before Regulus could raise more questions. "For now, we are being pulled back, though. We must depart, but if there is need, do call upon us again."
"Only if the need is great, though," Hagatha warned. "It is not safe for those on the higher astral plane to visit this realm too frequently, as it can create gaps in the ether which darker entities can use. Entities that we would wish to protect those we love from," she said meaningfully. Of course no one quite understood, but most present nodded anyway. "The little king carries the dark gift of blood drinkers. It allows him the hypnotic gaze which could serve him as the basilisk's gaze serves it," she added. "He and Kreacher should use it well."
"We love Kreacher, Hydra and Loughness very much. Blood of our blood," Balthazar intoned.
"Blood of our blood, hearts of our hearts," Hagatha added. "Orion, Walburga and Little King Regulus, you are ever in our hearts and under our protection as well."
Before anyone could speak words of thanks or returned love, the air shimmered and the two were gone.
"I didn't do that," Ariana said hastily. "I would've waited until you were ready," she told Kreacher. "They left on their own. Lower spirits could not do that. I have never worked with spirits on the higher plane...but they are certainly powerful." Her blue eyes were full of awe and admiration as she spoke.
Hydra grinned." That's our Grandparents," she said proudly.