The Search Is Over

Chapter 96

"We just bought a building for our shop!"
Blaise gave Kreacher the exciting news as soon as the elf opened the door to 12 Grimmauld Place at nearly ten the next morning.

Kreacher felt his eyes widening in surprise and Blaise gave his usual slow, lazy grin.
"It turns out it's rather quick and painless buying a building."
"At least when you're as rich as we are," Gellert said with a smirk.

Things were certainly happening faster than Kreacher expected, but that was not a bad thing.
"That is fantastic news! Kreacher didn't know Blaise and Gellert were ready to buy the building already."

Blaise smiled as he and Gellert followed the elf inside.
"We weren't planning to, but we were so jazzed up after working with you yesterday that it just felt like the right thing to do. We were sort of taking our time with the whole thing, but we've got a lot of items made up. With those artifacts we picked up on our travels as well as the pillows we're making with you, it seems we have enough inventory."

"Speaking of the pillows, Kereston tried one out last night and said it worked perfectly. She remained asleep for the entire eight hours and said that she woke refreshed! She loved it so much that Kreacher told her to keep it for trying it out for us."

"Of course," Gellert nodded.

Beaming, Kreacher continued.
"Master Regulus was so proud of Kreacher for having the idea and for his work with Blaise and Gellert!"

In truth, Kreacher was as pleased by Regulus's pride in him as he was about the pillow actually working as it should.

"Kreacher only wishes Master Regulus would pursue an interest of his own," he couldn't help lamenting.

"He is the most brilliant wizard Kreacher has ever known and he is doing nothing with it."
He gave a sigh of frustration as he opened the door to the library where they'd worked yesterday.

"Why is he doing nothing with it," Gellert asked curiously.

"Kreacher doesn't know. Kreacher believes perhaps he's too depressed. Though one would think that being with Kreacher again would make him happy," the elf complained bitterly.

To his slight surprise, Kreacher found he enjoyed having friends to vent to. Regulus was the only friend he'd ever wanted for so long. There was never a need for anyone else, yet others, beginning with Dora, had come into his life and yes, added to it with their presence. Regulus was always there for him, and Kreacher could always vent to him...Though doing so about him to him somehow felt less satisfying.

"He seems happy when he's with you," Blaise observed casually.

"Kreacher supposes he is...but he can fall into moods...Somber moods where he basically blames himself for every dreadful thing that has ever happened in the world."

Yes, venting felt quite good!

"What would he have been doing if he never left," Gellert asked.

Kreacher shrugged as the three of them settled down at the reading table.

"Kreacher and Master Regulus were planning to travel, but after that we hadn't decided. Once Voldemort was dead we were free to do as we liked and we did travel. We left around the time the two of you were also away, only we returned sooner. We very much enjoyed our travels. They were amazing in many ways. Kreacher and Master Regulus enjoyed exploring interesting parts of the world together just as much as we expected we would in the past before he...left."

"Did your travels not serve to cheer him, then," Blaise asked and Kreacher nodded, then shrugged, feeling himself growing frustrated.

This bit was tricky, and thus difficult to explain.
"Yes but once we returned, it did not take him long to return to his melancholic state, Kreacher is afraid."
"It sounds as though you could use another trip, then," Gellert said cheerfully.