Chapter 57, Workin' For The Weekend
The next two months passed swiftly. The days were taken up with classes and the evenings with studying, Severus for his O.W.L.s, Heather and Raislen for their N.E.W.T.S. Regulus faithfully helped Severus, quizzing him on various subjects. "I will so be set for my own O.W.L.S," Regulus said more than once during these study periods. "When I'm a fifth year, I won't even have to study." Such should've been the case for Severus, as he'd helped Heather and Raislen two years ago. Likely it was, but he worried he may have forgotten important details.
Likely those concerns were unfounded as most subjects hadn't presented a challenge for him in the slightest this year. Transfiguration of course was a nightmare, and Astronomy could be tricky, so he had to dedicate a great deal of attention to it. When a Hogsmeade trip came up a few weeks before the holiday break, they were all more than ready for the opportunity to give their brains a break with some fun in the town. As usual, the Lestranges and Kreacher met them at the Hog's Head. To Severus's disappointment the Malfoys were not present.
"Were you lot in that night club raid that was in the papers a few weeks back," Regulus whispered to Bellatrix as soon as they were all settled at a table with their drinks.
Bellatrix's thick dark brows shot up and her mouth made a pout of disgust. "Gods no! We can't go slumming in a Muggle establishment, even if it does mean killing some of them." She shuddered. Rabastan and Rodolphus nodded in agreement.
"It involves breathing their filthy air for too long," Rabastan said, scrunching up his nose at the very idea. "It's far more fun torching their houses from the outside."
"So, like you all don't want to do something else with your lives other than torching the homes of Muggles," Heather asked, looking incredulously from Bella to Rod to Rabastan, concluding with Regulus and Kreacher. "You come from prominent families. Don't you lot want to leave your own marks on the wizarding world?"
"Not really," Rodolphus replied, shrugging wide shoulders and looking somehow dismissive and bored all at once.
"Oh we're leaving our mark," Rabastan grinned. Severus did not need to be skilled in the mind magics to know he was still thinking of torching the homes of Muggles.
"We are involved in saving the wizarding world," Bellatrix said, looking at Heather as if the younger girl had lost her mind. "What greater honor can there be? We are already being a credit to our families in The Dark Lord's service!" Her fervor was far too similar to that of Regulus for Severus's comfort. Something about it all was just unsettling.
"Kreacher and I do plan to travel and explore the world if that counts, though," Regulus said.
Kreacher believes that it does," the elf said loyally. Straightening in his seat, he peered into Regulus's empty glass. "Master Regulus has finished his drink. Should Kreacher get him another?"
Regulus shrugged. "I can wait until you have finished yours. Then we shall go together and grab the next round for everyone."
Kreacher glanced down into his own glass. When he saw that it was still a third full, he frowned, snatching it up and downing it hastily so that Regulus did not have to wait for him.
Rabastan grinned. "Damn right, slam it back, Mate!""
When Kreacher and Regulus headed up to the bar to grab seconds for everyone, Heather watched them with a fond smile on her face. "I think it's great that Regulus treats Kreacher so well. Elves are powerful, and I never understood why they weren't treated as equals by more wizards."
"Yeah, Kreach is alright," Rabastan said. "He and Regi can both be annoying, but they're ours. Not all elves are as smart as Kreach, though."
"Good to know,"Heather murmured.
"Then there is our family elf, Jackey. He's plenty smart, but he hangs with our parents. He's older than Kreach," Rabastan continued, seemingly quite willing to share. "Jackey does not fuck around, you know? He says do something, and you better get it done, or he's in Mum's ear and she makes us sorry." He chuckled and Rod nodded in agreement.
Heather smiled, leaning forward in her chair, clearly intrigued by the conversation. "I can't relate, but I'll take your word for it. It would be interesting to have an elf in the family, but we don't. Perhaps none would wish to traipse all over as my parents insist upon doing." She made a face.
"I doubt Jackey would like a lot of travel," Rabastan said, nodding sagely. "His name is really Jackdaw," he opined. "But Mum always calls him Jackey so the rest of us do too." Regulus and Kreacher returned then with a full tray of drinks floating ahead of them.
"What'd we miss," Regulus asked.
"Nothing," Rabastan replied."Just talking about Jackey."
Kreacher frowned as he settled himself back into his chair at Regulus's side. "Jackdaw will never allow Kreacher into his kitchen to help make improvements," he complained.
Bellatrix smirked. "Are you planning to allow him into yours to do the same?"
Kreacher drew back in horror, shaking his head. "Of course not! Kreacher's kitchen does not need it."
"Well I am certain that Jackey thinks the same of his kitchen," Bellatrix replied reasonably.
"But he is incorrect," Kreacher explained, almost patiently. That was when Raislen choked on his hard Butterbeer, then burst into a fit of coughing that sounded suspiciously like laughter. Biting her lips to keep from smiling, Heather pounded him on the back.
"Are you going to live, Raislen," she asked in mock concern.
"Probably," Raislen managed. A sound of disgust from Bellatrix caused everyone to follow her gaze to the bar where Sirius stood with the other three Gryffindor gits. The four glared at their table, and Bellatrix glared back. Of course everyone else joined her in glaring, and as the Gryffindor Gits were able to count high enough to see that they were out numbered, they were the ones to glance away first. Though Severus wondered what they would do next, he refused to glance around to find out. It would likely annoy James and Sirius more to feel ignored, and currently annoying them felt more important than satisfying his curiosity. "I could've done without having to lay eyes on him until the holidays," Bellatrix huffed. "A true embarrassment to the family if there ever was one."
"I swear, he gets more difficult by the year," Regulus complained. "He thrives on enraging my parents! It's... well it's rather eerie, as odd as that probably sounds."
Kreacher bit at his lower lip as he nodded. "Kreacher never considered that word for it before, but it fits." His expression turned fond as he smiled at Regulus. "Master Regulus is always most wise."
Regulus grinned back. "You are even more observant, so that makes us even."
"How about you're both idiots," Bellatrix said distractedly. "I don't think Sirius is going to grow out of it, so I can't imagine what he shall do as he ages."
"Probably marry a Muggle or something," Rabastan predicted and Bella's eyes flew wide in horror.
"I shouldn't be surprised," she drawled. "I may be, but I should not be. I put nothing past him."
"I don't think he would marry a Muggle, even if he would love the idea of giving our parents a heart attack if he did," Regulus said. "He enjoys toying with Muggles nearly as much as he enjoys toying with those in the magical world whom he dislikes. Only the Muggles can't fight back so perhaps he enjoys that more. He isn't as mean spirited to them, but he does get kicks out of pulling the wool over their eyes as it were, and treating their world as his playground."
"How do you know that," Bellatrix asked. "That is I believe you, but how are you aware of his doings among the Muggles?"
"Oh I've listened in on him making plans with his friends in the fire during the summers," Regulus replied casually.
"Nothing we can use against him, I assume, or you would have already said," Bellatrix said and Regulus nodded.
"Unfortunately nothing as of yet."
"Perhaps he would enjoy marrying a Muggle, though," Rodolphus said, returning to the former topic. "He could dominate her and always be the big cheese in charge or whatever. I mean I enjoy having my equal in Bellatrix, but Sirius fails to strike me as the type who would enjoy an equal. I think he may just be too insecure for that."
Raislen nodded thoughtfully as he finished his drink. "I've come to notice that all bullies are insecure without their little gang of helpers, so that makes sense." He glanced down at the glasses on the table. Some were half full, and some empty. "Drink up, everyone who hasn't finished yet. The next round is on me!"
Severus shook his head. "I'm good." He was carefully nursing his second drink, not wanting it to go to his head. He had to be careful. He had too much to hide to risk drink giving him a loose tongue. He was surprised that Regulus had brought back hard drinks, but then again he likely wanted to keep up with the older lot. Severus never cared about keeping up with anyone, but Heather and Raislen weren't nearly as fast and wild as the Lestranges, to be fair. He saw the doubtful look on Raislen's face at his refusal and understood at once that his friend worried that he was embarrassed to accept another free drink. "I cannot risk a headache with all the studying I shall have to do tomorrow," he explained hastily.
Raislen shrugged. "If you're sure. If you change your mind later, I'll owe you one." Severus shrugged, nodding. "Sure, thanks." He would not be changing his mind, but protesting too much would only gain him unwanted attention from the Lestranges or Regulus. He could always explain to Heather and Raislen later.