The Search Is Over

Chapter 64

Kreacher got a letter regarding weekend plans from Millicent the next day while Master Regulus was sleeping. An owl tapped on the bedroom window, startling both elf and phoenix a bit after lunch. At the sound, Mortis's head came up quickly from where it was bent to his chest, preening the thick feathers there. Kreacher lowered the book he was reading on the magical characteristics of various woods as he glanced suspiciously at the window.

"Who ever could that be, Kreacher wonders," he murmured to the bird, slowly inching toward the window.

In spite of his much improved health and good spirits, he caught himself walking in that old familiar hunched fashion his body had adopted over the years from weariness and emotional pain. It seemed that uncertainty could regress him back to that state, at least to an extent.

Sensing his concern, Mortis launched off the bed, black wings spread wide as he coasted toward Kreacher to hover just behind him. The presence of the black phoenix was comforting in case there was an issue of any sort. After Master Regulus was gone, Kreacher always felt alone and without backup. Even when the Mistress still lived, Kreacher felt alone and vulnerable without Master Regulus's reassuring existence that had always given him the inherent sense of true companionship and the security that went along with it.

With Mortis present, though, Kreacher felt far less alone even if the bird could not directly communicate with him.

"Whatever it is, we must protect Master Regulus," Kreacher continued in the same low murmur. As he leaned to peak around the curtain in an attempt to identify the persistent tapping sound at the window, Mortis drew even closer in an obvious show of support.

"It's an owl," Kreacher said, and hastily opened the window.

They did get mail, just not often. If Albus, Wolfgang or Severus wrote, it came through Elphias Doge's mail drop and the man gave it to them. Rarely did they get mail at their own window. Kreacher knew it was silly, but a tiny part of him, or perhaps the part was not so tiny, dreaded to see a note from The Dark Lord, perhaps written in blood, stating that they were done for.

When the letter was only from Millicent instead, the elf gave a sigh of relief. How could he have forgotten that the girls had promised to get in touch regarding weekend plans, Kreacher wondered, feeling a little silly for his initial trepidation. The letter was brief and to the point, which seemed to be Millicent's way.

Kreacher,

During the summer, a lot of us in our group met at Hogwarts to practice dueling and such for protection. We learned a lot from Grindelwald, Professor Flitwick and Wolfgang among others. Kereston thought you may like seeing some of the spells we learned in case you run into trouble so if you want to do that Saturday, we can do that. If you aren't interested, we'll come up with something else. Just let me know.

Millicent

Kreacher considered for a moment, because he'd never really studied wizarding spells. Elf magic was so different. But as Millicent said, he may be in danger soon, considering Potter would surely drag him into the fight with The Dark Lord, and in some ways, he was ready. Being even more prepared, though, could only help. Nodding to himself he left the window open so that the owl would know he planned to respond to the letter, and as such remain where it was perched on the sill. He hurried over to the small desk in the corner of the room that he shared with Master Regulus to write Millicent back that the idea was a good one.

When Master Regulus woke at sunset a few hours later, Kreacher showed him the letter as soon as he'd had a moment to rise and get dressed.

"I could tell you were excited about something," Regulus said, giving the elf a fond smile as Mortis sprang to his shoulder. The bird's glossy black feathers stood out like living night against the potion green robe Regulus had chosen for the evening.