The Search Is Over,
Chapter 161, Of Darkness And Light And Wand Cores
Though Kreacher and Regulus's intentions were good, they didn't bring the results both desired. Of course they were aware that these results would not happen overnight, so they were patient. They pursued their studies passionately at first for nearly a year, then when they did not yield fruit, as it were, they slowed their efforts, but did not give them up. Instead, they smattered their individual researches throughout living general life so that they were peppered in as a constant without burning either out.
Regulus delved deep into history books, focusing on the grand deeds of kings. Wizarding kings and Muggle kings alike, though the later pained him to read of. Though he found many admirable qualities in all of them, he did not see a way to apply such qualities to himself in past or in future situations. He had no armies to lead and doubted he'd have anything close to Grindelwald's skill if he did. Likewise he had no countries to rule over, and again doubted his skills in doing so. As for Kreacher, he spent many hours in nature only to discover that he liked it and that he regretted not having taken the time to seek it out sooner. Nature was magic, perhaps the origin of magic in his opinion. During these attempts at connecting with plant-life, he often thought of Loughness, who had developed a deep fascination for herbology as well as quite the figurative green thumb. Annoyed that he wasn't initially succeeding in the class in his first year at Hogwarts, Loughness had become motivated and truly attempted to excel, and it had worked. In doing so, he'd learned to truly appreciate the uses of plants on many levels.
Though Kreacher never achieved that level of connection himself, he enjoyed dancing with Regulus in Stonehenge and they spent many days sleeping in caves. This was because he hoped to perhaps delve deeper into the natural make up of all things in his sleep to no particular avail. He reached no epiphany in his dreams, though he and Regulus slept well any time they took their day's rest in a cave. At such times, Regulus always made vampire jokes concerning bats. Of course that myth about how vampires could shift into bats was not true. Vlad Dracul, former prince of Wallachia was special in that, because his Patronus was that of a bat. Regulus enjoyed the quip, though, due to Kreacher's bat like ears and Kereston's insistence that he looked just like Nosferatu, which he did.
"It's as though destiny knew we would be here," Regulus had commented the first time they'd slept in a cave. Of course he didn't just mean in the cave, he meant in the world in general. Kreacher would've sworn someone walked across his grave at those words, only he never intended to die, so the shiver must have been caused by destiny. Sleeping in caves didn't bother them, even though they'd both gone through a special brand of hell in a cave. That cave was different, though, with an odd sort of light and an odd sort of darkness permeating it, not to mention that dreadful black lake. It was oddly healing to seek out better caves. Caves deep in the Welsh hills that seemed to call to very old magic, or ancient history at the very least.
Kreacher enjoyed studying the mosses and other plants that grew near the entrances of these caves, even if he had no particular use for them. Though he was not inspired to use the mosses, liverworts and other bryophytes for anything great, they were soothing to look upon. Touching them gently with a forefinger as he studied each detail under the light of the moon gave him a reassuring connection to the earth that filled him with a deep peace. It made him feel even more like himself than he usually did. When he was in that state of peace, he was his best Kreacher, just as he was when in Regulus's arms.
Only in Regulus's arms there was passion and a deep connection to another even during moments of rest while the cave plants connected him to something earthy. He had given up on being as talented as Loughness when it came to herbs and plants, but he'd learned to enjoy them which was enough. Eventually it was a letter from Hydra that set them on a new path of investigation. She wrote about an elective she was allowed to take in her fourth year due to having extremely high marks in all her classes. The elective was on wand making. At the time of writing her letter, she was studying every documented core ever to be used in a wand. She wrote to share her excitement over the course but also to complain that her parents had never mentioned that a vampire fang could be a wand core. Of course neither had mentioned it because neither was aware.
"I think I'm disconcerted, because for a vampire fang to be used in a wand, the vampire is most probably dead," Regulus complained. Kreacher made a noise of agreement. He sat holding Hydra's letter. Regulus stood behind his chair to read over the elf's shoulder. As was frequently the case of an evening, the two were in the library. "No vampire will allow their fang to be removed, after all," Regulus continued. "And a fangless vampire will have a bit of trouble feeding."
"Vampires heal well, but Kreacher isn't aware of them being able to regrow parts," Kreacher agreed. Both fell silent as they resumed the reading of Hydra's letter. She wrote that vampire fang cores turned wands into powerful Dark tools said to enhance a specific set of a wizard or witch's abilities. One could develop an even deeper connection to the Dark Arts as well as to a state beyond life or death. Sight and speed as well as general instinct could be heightened for the carrier of such a wand as well. Hydra ended her letter with two questions that both Regulus and Kreacher found jarring as well as fascinating.
"Does this core reflect the changes you have both experienced with Vampirism, and is your general magical essence Darker now?"
Both stared into space, each alone with his thoughts as they considered their daughter's questions and the implications behind them. "Kreacher thinks so," the elf murmured. "Perhaps this is why Kreacher has not connected with nature in the way he hoped to. As an elf attempting to explore our lost abilities, Kreacher is afraid he expected more of himself."
"I agree with the former," Regulus said. "Upon consideration of the matter, of course we have to be Darker now. We are now of the night, literally. Still Kreacher, nature requires darkness to thrive as much as light. It is all quite the necessary balance. Give growing green things too much sun, as in constant sun, and they fry just like any vampire would. Constant sun would kill just as would constant dark. While a plant requires sun to grow, it must shelter in the night as well, as the night gives relief from too much sun that would kill it."
Kreacher nodded. "Too much dark and the plant will not grow. Too much light and the plant dies, thus clearly cannot grow. In essence, the end result is the same," the elf murmured, nodding to himself before turning a bright smile on Regulus. "As always, Master Regulus is most wise."
"As is Kreacher when he is not doubting himself due to an utterly unfounded belief that his parents are still unhappy with him," Regulus chided gently. His statement, subtle as it was, let Kreacher know that he was well aware of Kreacher's unchanged feelings on the matter of the single meeting with the ghosts of his parents.
Kreacher scowled darkly. "Kreacher's parents are extremely unhappy with him. Kreacher knows," he muttered sullenly. That was when the large bay window in the library rattled with an odd shuddering vibration before it shattered! Both Kreacher and Regulus started as shards of glass from across the room flew, striking them like shrapnel and cutting into their skin. The room seemed to hum with an unsettling power. "What in the hell," Regulus demanded and Kreacher shook his head mutely, for once having nothing to say. After a moment of staring at wicked looking shards of glass that were lodged in the now empty window frame, Regulus sighed. "It appears we shall need to call on Ariana."