Chapter 47, Small Victories
Regulus turned to Severus with a wide grin as soon as the three Lestranges left the kitchen to go drink in the library. "I just had a brilliant idea. Come on, let's go!" He grasped Severus's sleeve, tugging him toward the kitchen door. "You too, Kreacher. You need to see this," he added.
"Kreacher must finish making lunch," the elf protested.
"It won't take long at all, I promise," Regulus said. "Now come on!" Kreacher sighed, but he hung the wooden spoon in his hand on a hook beside the stove before heading out of the kitchen behind Regulus and Severus. As Regulus led the way up the stairs, Severus wondered what this could be about. Regulus stopped before Sirius's closed door and thumped his hand hard against the wood once before calling out. "Sirius! I thought you would like to know that the Lestranges are here! They're going to stay for lunch, so you may not wish to come down. If you do, you shall only be sitting at a table full of everyone who hates you, due to you being a git, so you would likely have a nicer time just keeping to yourself up here."
When there was no reply, Regulus thumped his palm against the door again. "Sirius! Did you hear me? I know the Lestranges are eager to see you." The last bit came out in a taunting tone, and Kreacher clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a sudden snicker. It was a bit more difficult to make Severus laugh, but he smiled.
"I heard you, Prat," Sirius growled. "Don't worry, I would puke if I had to eat with all of you. I shall be fine until dinner."
"Ah well," Regulus said, tone dripping with mock regret. "If you happen to change your mind, we shall be waiting to bully you just as you bully others. Ta then." He turned and gestured Severus and Kreacher back down the hall. Not until they were downstairs did he finally laugh, throwing his arms wide. "That was for Bella. I hope she appreciates my genius! I'm going to tell her now!"
He darted down the hall to the closed library door, leaving Kreacher and Severus to follow. For his part, Severus was immensely pleased not to be having lunch with Sirius. After his hex had failed again, he needed something nice to happen, after all. "I did something brilliant for you, Bella," Regulus called as he flung the library door open. Rabastan stood at the liquor cabinet while Bellatrix and Rodolphus lounged on the large green sofa with books in hand. "I made sure that Sirius won't be down to lunch. Now you can stop being vexed with Kreacher!" Regulus grinned happily.
"Really? You did? How did you manage that," Bellatrix asked, lowering her book to give Regulus a pleased smile. "Thanks!"
Regulus grinned. "I just told him you are all here, and that he should avoid lunch."
"Yeah, he should," Rodolphus said. "When he starts in on about how ignorant we all are with our outdated beliefs, I have the extreme urge to shut that stupid Muggle-loving mouth for him. Forever."
"For once he was able to take good advice," Kreacher said. "Now Kreacher is getting back to making lunch. Master Regulus should read and visit with everyone until it is time to eat."
"That means, he doesn't want me in the kitchen," Regulus translated with an amused chuckle. "Fine, Kreacher, Severus and I shall stay in here."
"Excellent," Kreacher said, then hurried out.
"I cannot truly ruin something by simply stirring it improperly, but he insists otherwise," Regulus complained. "Apparently stirring is a fine art that only he truly comprehends." As he spoke, he walked over to peer at the spines of the books that Bella and Rod were reading. "I've read both already," he said.
"So have we, but refreshers are good," Rodolphus replied with a shrug.
"Either of you want a drink," Rabastan asked.
"We already said that it's too early," Bellatrix snapped.
"I wasn't talking to you," Rabastan snapped back.
"No thanks," Severus said, a bit shocked. No one had ever offered him a drink before.
"I'd be in for it if I did. Not that I want to, but why are you trying to get me in trouble with my bloody parents," Regulus asked, turning to the younger Lestrange incredulously.
Rabastan shrugged as he filled his own glass with something dark brown in color. "I'd never try to get anyone into trouble, so let's not be ridiculous. I trusted both of you to drink without letting on that you'd done so to your parents is all. But no worries, I am fine having fun alone."
"We're having fun with our books," Rodolphus told him and he shrugged.
"I can have fun with a book and a drink. The more the merrier and all." He closed the liquor cabinet as he spoke and wandered over to a book shelf across the room. "I feel like reading up on... let's see, ancient wizarding wars looks fun."
They fell into companionable silence with their respective books until Kreacher poked his head around the door to announce lunch. That was one thing about Dark wizards, Severus thought, rising to his feet and closing the book on wandless magic that he'd been reading. They all knew how to shut up and read. "It shall be nice to visit with Aunty and Uncle," Bellatrix commented as the six of them moved toward the dining room. "We haven't seen them in weeks."
"Kreacher has informed them that you have all agreed to remain for lunch. They were pleased, of course. He has also informed them that Master Sirius wishes to remain in his room for the occasion, which they found equally as pleasing."
Bellatrix cackled. "I just bloody bet they did!"
"They should thank us for coming so that he would not," Rodolphus added expansively.
"Truly, you should all visit more often. Visit enough for meals, and he might starve himself to death," Regulus said.
"One can hope," Kreacher murmured. Lunch was pleasant. Mr. And Mrs. Black were pleased to see the three Lestranges and the conversation around the table was lively. Severus could not help but enjoy the family unity and true affection for one another. He hadn't had such since his father's death.
His Grandfather's mere presence insured that no meal was easy and relaxed, and it was certainly never pleasant. Instead it was all awkward silence or constant needling and critical questions and comments from the old bastard to Severus and Eileen. Regulus's family spoke of one another fondly, laughing and teasing about this and that. They included Severus in the banter, complimenting him for the fact that Sirius disliked him. Kreacher chimed in, saying that he could also shred a chicken like none other. This led into Severus explaining about his hex in progress to Rodolphus and Rabastan's open interest.
"I didn't think you would really bother going through with it," Bellatrix said. "A dagger spell is quite intriguing, though. I am sure we should all like to learn it once you have it perfected."
Did she doubt that he would? Severus had no idea where that thought had come from. Her expression was open and interested. Perhaps he was simply too accustomed to some people being unkind for little to no reason. The Lestranges had no reason to be so to him at first glance, but he knew better. Perhaps he was merely preparing himself for if or when they learned that he was half Muggle and proud of it. "Certainly. Of course I will teach it to you once it is perfected," he told Bellatrix, forcing a smile.
"Brilliant," she said, giving him a slight smile in return.
"Are you planning to join up with The Dark Lord as well, Severus," Mr. Black asked suddenly. The man's face was friendly and polite, as if he'd only asked Severus about which wizarding university he planned to attend. For some reason, Severus found this oddly surreal. Likely because he had not been expecting it, though he had no idea why. In this family, it should be expected. Perhaps the problem was that Severus simply was not ready yet. Ready or not, though...
"I do hope to some day when I am worthy, Sir," Severus said.
"Really," Regulus asked. "I wasn't sure where you stood on that, considering Heather and Raislen's disinterest."
Severus shrugged. He honestly had no idea what to say to that, so he said nothing.
"Do you think they will be traitors, then," Bellatrix asked Regulus, dark eyes narrowing.
Regulus shook his head. "No. They don't seem to wish to be involved at all. I suppose that's alright. Those who do not stand against us, shall benefit in the end. Then they shall have to see that we were right all along."
"Victory is going to be ours sooner than later with this pathetic weak Ministry the only thing standing in our way," Rodolphus added confidently. "Then we shall be safe and free from Muggle violence."
"We will rule over the Muggles and with wizardly wisdom guiding the law, the world will be a better place," Regulus said. Severus watched and listened silently, hoping that he appeared interested and agreeable. He was never good at schooling his face, so he focused on the bits they were saying that sounded good. A better safer world for all would be nice, would it not? Of course this was never going to be Voldemort's way and they would all have to discover that for themselves, but it was not for him to enlighten them.
They headed out on their Dark shopping spree as soon as lunch was over. Kreacher Apparated the lot of them directly into Knockturn Alley, just outside of Borgin and Burkes. "They had better have something good," Rodolphus said as Rabastan pushed the shop door open.
"My main interest is to find something that the prats can terrorize the parents with," Bellatrix said, eyes glittering as her mouth twisted up into a thin, crooked smile.
"Severus has now made it a personal challenge."
"I did," Severus asked.
Bellatrix laughed. "I can rattle anyone, including your Mum, whom I have never met. It's happening!"
"Why are we prats," Regulus asked. "You like us."
"Because you are little and prats is easier and faster to say than Regulus and Severus. You don't like Regi, so you get prat," Bellatrix explained, almost patiently. She swept past them, gaze swiftly darting over the items in the front of the shop before she headed for the back. "The really interesting things are usually in the back," she murmured as if half to herself. Severus and Regulus looked over the Dark magic books while Rabastan and Rodolphus carefully studied some rusted looking instruments of torture that appeared to be encrusted in dried blood in some places.
"No finesse," Rodolphus said with a disappointed sigh.
"Barbaric," Rabastan agreed in a bored tone.
"Found it," Bellatrix sang out.
"Found what," Regulus wondered. He headed after Bellatrix and Severus followed because he already had all of the books on display.
"I found what will upset Aunty and Uncle as well as Severus's mum whom I have never met, of course."
"Why do you wish to upset your aunt and uncle if you like them," Severus asked, confused.
"Because they shall be upset with Regi, not me," Bellatrix said with a cackle. "I shall enjoy their reaction. Then I shall enjoy seeing whatever Regi does about it. Then I shall enjoy watching Aunty and Uncle's reaction to..."
"For Merlin's sake, what did you find," Regulus nearly shouted. "And do. not. call. me. Regi!"
"Bones," Bellatrix said gleefully. "And a book on how to grind them up and use them in various potions and hex runes!"
"Bones," Severus asked doubtfully.
"Wizard bones," Bellatrix elaborated. "They shall certainly find it disconcerting that their sweet wittle bity babies are playing with old nasty probably haunted bones," she tittered gleefully. "Why the books even have a warning label saying Danger, Beware!" She laughed again, nearly seeming drunk on the idea of danger.
"There is more than one," Regulus asked.
"There are four, in fact," Bellatrix said. "Whoever made up these Dark little sets, probably just dug up one grave, hacked the dead wizard inside to bits, and had just enough to make four sets of bones to go with the four copies of the rare and ancient tome, Bones and How To Use Them For The Darkest Of Arts."
"Is it really rare and ancient, though," Rabastan asked doubtfully. He and Rodolphus had finally joined them. "I mean I've never heard of it."
"Exactly," Bellatrix said triumphantly. "That sounds pretty rare to me."
"Are you getting one," Severus asked.
Bella shook her head, making a face.
"Of course not. Some of those bones don't even look very clean! As in I think some of them have mummified skin still on or something." She shuddered. "It's enough to make one ill, and I just know both of your Mum's shall agree!" She cackled. "My work here is done."
"Where are these books anyway," Regulus asked doubtfully. Bellatrix gestured around a corner in the very back of the shop. Severus and Regulus rounded it to see four glass boxes lined up on a low dusty wooden table. Each sported a copy of the book Bellatrix had described. Its cover appeared to be crisp and new so if the book was indeed old, these were reprints.
That should make them affordable if the addition of the old bones had not caused the price to rise. The bones in question were the reason for each book having its own glass box. They were scattered in the box around each book, and Bella had not exaggerated their unsettling state. Several had what appeared to be threads of hanging dried skin or cartilage hanging off their ends. "I am certain I won't be able to afford it," Severus said. For once he was not embarrassed to make that admission. He had no interest in bones.
"But potions," Regulus said."What if you could make a potion out of one that did something really fantastic!"
"Each is only nine galleons," Bellatrix said. "Get it. I dare you."
Severus sighed. Nine Galleons was truly less costly than he'd expected, and he was curious to learn what sorts of potions called for the bones of dead wizards. "Very well," he said, interest at last beginning to rise. "I'll buy it."