The Search Is Over

Chapter 49

The door to the library opened and Wolfgang's Kobold ushered Gellert Grindelwald in. The blonde took in the fact that Regulus and Kreacher were present with interest that he didn't bother to conceal.

"Hello," he greeted the room with a friendly enough smile.

"Hello," Wolfgang replied, giving the other German a friendly nod. "Regulus was interested in helping us out if he can see a way to do so." The half giant spread his hands. "You know me, the more the better I always say."

"Nice," Gellert said, nodding and giving Regulus a smile, though his blue eyes were sharp and calculating. His mental shields were still as tight as ever, but Regulus could read clearly on his face that the blonde was attempting to sum him up. He seemed interested in working with Regulus if only to see what he could do.

As Grindelwald moved to the nearest empty chair, Wolfgang turned to his kobold.

"Another cup of tea for Mr. Grindelwald please." The little blue creature nodded and left.

"Kreacher shall be assisting us as well, if he sees an area he feels he can expand upon or improve," Wolfgang continued to Grindelwald.

Gellert regarded Kreacher with a lively and curious interest as he nodded.

"Good. My elf is brilliant, but he's more comfortable attending to the family home and wasting his abilities," he complained, a mildly resentful frown briefly crossing the sharp features of his face.

"You mean Bramble," Millicent asked, speaking up for the first time since Grindelwald had entered the room.

He nodded. "I suppose I shouldn't call him mine, but he does seem to have a particularly special spot in his heart for me," Gellert said with a laugh.

"I didn't think he liked you," Millicent drawled, obviously struggling not to smile.

"Oh I think he considers killing me in my sleep," Gellert agreed readily. As he spoke, his lively blue eyes danced with amusement.

"Blaise used to be the only thorn in Bramble's side, but now Gellert shares the job," Millicent explained to Regulus and Kreacher. "Bramble is the Zabini family elf. He basically just wants to be left the fuck alone to do whatever he feels that his job is while Blaise and now Gellert are always wanting something that he considers trifling."

"What sorts of things does Bramble consider to be trifling," Kreacher asked curiously.

Millicent shrugged. "Blaise always made him apparate him to Knockturn Alley to hang with me and Kereston during the summers when his parents told him to stay home. You know, because Voldemort. Bramble was not directly told to keep Blaise home so Blaise could order Bramble to take him out. This all went down before we were old enough to apparate ourselves. I'm talking fourth and fifth year," Millicent explained.

Regulus and Kreacher exchanged a glance. Back in the day both would've relished slipping out together and browsing the darker shops of Knockturn Alley had it occurred to Regulus to have Kreacher apparate him. Apparently Bramble wasn't as interested in Knockturn alley or socializing with Blaise. It made Regulus's friendship with Kreacher feel all the more special even before it had turned to something deeper.

"And Gellert also wishes Bramble to take him to Knockturn Alley," Kreacher asked curiously.

Grindelwald shook his head. "No, nothing like that. I think I offended him once when I forgot to eat."

Regulus blinked. "Oh?"

"Indeed. He kindly offered to prepare some German food for me so I requested one of my old favorites. He researched the preparation and made it. I ate it and loved it, complimenting him highly, of course. Only I did not eat it for dinner as he intended because...Well I was occupied and did not come down to dinner, so he was very offended, taking it personally."