The Search Is Over

Chapter 109

Ariana's compliment to his cooking somehow served to calm Kreacher's outrage over filthy Muggle ghosts potentially spying on his every move. This calmer state of mind allowed him to process the rest of what she had said about Muggle ghosts requiring someone powerful to keep them out.

"Can Ariana prevent Muggle ghosts from entering Kreacher's home," he wondered.

She shrugged.

"I could, but then wizarding ghosts could not enter it either. Granted most wizarding ghosts are bound to a particular spot, but if you wished to summon one, my wards would prevent that. When Regulus speaks to his parents, in other words, were I to place wards up for you, we could not do it here."

Kreacher huffed a sigh of exasperation at being momentarily thwarted on the matter.

"After we speak to Master Regulus's parents then. Kreacher would pay Ariana to keep ghosts out of his home after if she will do this for him."

She nodded.

"I shall even do it for free, because you allowed me to stay here and gave me a wonderful breakfast."

Kreacher smiled, now completely mollified.

"Kreacher thanks Ariana."

After breakfast, Kreacher offered to take Ariana to see Aberforth as soon as she was ready. She promised to be ready in five minutes, and rushed up stairs to collect her belongings while Kreacher cleared away from the meal.

The two met in the front hall and walked out of the manor together. Placing a hand on Ariana's arm, Kreacher apparated them to just outside the Hog's Head Inn. Ariana nervously drew in a deep breath and let it out as Kreacher pushed open the door. The red head was just as eager as she was anxious, though, for she hurried inside at once. For his part, on the other end of the emotional spectrum, Kreacher was feeling a bit of trepidation over Aberforth Dumbledore's potential reaction. Ah well, it would be over soon enough, he thought as Ariana called out.

"Hello? Hello!"

The place was dark and dingy which was nothing new. Oddly, or not so oddly perhaps, it hadn't seemed to change one bit since Kreacher had come here in the nineteen-seventies with his Dearest Regulus and the three Lestranges. Glancing around he could practically still see Rabastan slumped casually on one of the bar stools while Rodolphus and Bellatrix took a drunken twirl around the middle of the floor as if it were meant for dancing. At those times, Regulus and Kreacher would sip at their spiked butterbeer while bemusedly watching on.

"It ain't time for lunch yet, so shut your yellin' trap, why don't you," the voice of Aberforth Dumbledore grumbled loudly from somewhere over head.

At that, Ariana turned to give Kreacher a look that fell somewhere between confused and amused.

"I wasn't wanting food," she called back just as loudly in way of explanation.

"I would like to speak to Aberforth Dumbledore on a bit of a family matter."

There was a long silence before Aberforth spoke.

"I don't wish to speak of Albus anymore, and that's that."

"Gretchen is dead," Ariana stated simply.

There followed a sound of something heavy dropping overhead.

Kreacher hoped it wasn't Aberforth's own body, but the swearing that followed sounded too self aware for that, so the old man had likely dropped something that he'd been holding instead.

After another slightly shorter pause, they could hear the sound of Aberforth's booted feet stomping down the rickety stairs that led from the upstairs inn to the downstairs tavern in which they now stood.

"Who killed her," he asked.

"She died of an illness," Ariana replied flatly.

"I am her daughter. She would never tell me who my father was. The very thought of you enraged her, but she left me your name in her will."

"That sounds like her," Aberforth snorted.

As he spoke, the dirty room suddenly filled with light. For several long seconds, Aberforth and Ariana merely stood staring at one another. The family resemblance showed at once in their matching expressions of shock.

"I...Suppose I didn't expect you to be so much older," Ariana managed.

Aberforth snorted again.

"Though Gretchen was a bit younger than me, she was always quite good at hiding her age. She was likely older than you believed her to be. She lied about her age all the time so she probably lied to you about that along with everyone else. She had more pride than anything," he grumbled.

His bespectacled gaze grew suddenly intent on Ariana.

"You...You look just like my baby sister. It's plain to see that you're mine. She was telling you the truth about that. I can't believe she was evil enough to keep my own child from me out of spite! Why if she weren't already dead...but I am sorry...you must be grieving," he said, angry tone softening with an obvious effort.

Ariana shrugged.

"She made sure we weren't very close," she said tightly.

Something about her seemed fragile in that moment, and Kreacher felt uncomfortable being there in a way he could not exactly explain. As it seemed Aberforth and Ariana were going to accept one another long enough to have a conversation without Kreacher's help, he figured he could go home feeling he'd done the task he'd promised to do. That decided, he cleared his throat.

"That your family elf," Aberforth grunted before he could speak.

"Oh no, he is a friend," Ariana said.

"He and a very nice vampire helped me to find you in exchange for my services."

"Your services?"

"Yes, I am a necromancer. I wonder is that something I inherited from you?"

She tilted her head inquiringly to the side, blue gaze hungry for knowledge. The gesture made Kreacher suddenly miss his own parents, recalling them sharply for the first time in ages.

"Not that I am aware of," Aberforth answered.

"If I could talk to the dead, I'd have spoken to my dear sister Ariana long ago. Gretchen named you after her, I see though I have no idea why. In the end, she hated my guts after all, so I can't see her paying me any sort of honor."

"It seems that she did all the same though," Ariana observed.

"I take it your relationship was complicated.

Aberforth laughed, the sound nearly goat like.

"That it was!"

Kreacher cleared his throat again and Ariana gave him an apologetic look.

"If Kreacher is no longer required," he began and Ariana nodded hastily.

"Of course. Thank you, Kreacher. Tell Regulus I will return tomorrow evening. Have you a particular time preference for my visit?"

Kreacher frowned in thought.

"Perhaps around eight in the evening. We shall all have had time to have our respective dinners by then."

Ariana nodded.

"Sounds good. I will see you then, and thank you again, Kreacher. You and Regulus have been very kind to me."

"Kreacher! I didn't recognize you," Aberforth said, in a tone that, for him, was warm.

"You're looking well. Tell Regulus it is nice to see someone made it out of that mess."

Kreacher nodded, murmuring his thanks before apparating away.