The Search Is Over

Chapter 139

"Here's our bill, if you just sign it, we'll deposit it in Gringotts on our way home," Grub said.

As the goblin spoke, he produced a scroll from a pocket in his inner sleeve and passed it to Regulus who glanced about for a quill.

Spotting one on the desk across the room, Regulus gestured, summoning it to his hand.

"Of course," he murmured, signing his name.

He was still processing that there was actually a tangible reason for the underlying misery he'd suffered even after returning to his family, and that it was finally gone! Any amount of money the goblins wanted for that was more than worth it!

"While you're here, we would like to speak to you about another interesting endeavor," he said, passing the signed bill back to Grub.

"Well this one was certainly a one of a kind experience," Gara said with a brief, dry smile.

"What else do you have brewing?"

Together Kreacher and Regulus explained Kreacher's idea for producing a child for the Black family line to continue, and how Albus Dumbledore had wanted healers present to attend to any inadvertent damage that could be potentially done when transfiguring a sperm into an egg. When the two completed their explanation, the goblin twins exchanged a look.

"Well that's got to be the weirdest thing I've ever heard," Gara said.

"I'm in!"

Grub nodded his agreement.

"When's this happening," he asked.

"We were waiting for you to return, so now that you are here, we'll get in touch with Albus as well as the cousin of his wife who has agreed to carry the child for us," Regulus replied.

"If you give us an address, we'll write you as soon as we hear back. We're eager to get this started, so it shouldn't be long," he said.

As Regulus spoke, he couldn't help smiling over at Kreacher. He was eager...eager now that he was free of the depression that attempted to drag him under as much as any of the bloody Inferi in that lake had. He was eager to continue righting his family wrongs by continuing the line of the Ancient and Noble House Of Black.

If this worked, he may even live to take pride in himself once again. Of course it had been Kreacher's idea, and he'd always give his friend and partner complete credit, but if it allowed him to carry on his family name it was a shared accomplishment. Thanks to Kreacher, he could be, finally in some way, redeemed. The fact that redemption came from...and through Kreacher was no surprise at all.

"Kreacher shall bring Grub a parchment and quill so that he might jot down his address," the elf said, and returning Regulus's eager smile, he hurried across the room to the desk that had once belonged to Orion.

"If this doesn't work," Gara asked Regulus almost hesitantly and he shrugged, giving her a sad smile.

"We will know we tried, and it was still an extremely creative and impressive idea on Kreacher's part. I need to at least know we attempted to do our duty for the continuation of our family name."

Gara nodded.

"Kreacher believes it has a reasonable chance of succeeding, though," the elf said as he returned, passing Grub a quill and parchment.

The goblin hastily scrawled an address, returning the parchment and quill to Kreacher once he had.

Regulus smiled.

"Thank you both very much, and we will be in touch soon."

When the healers were gone, Bellatrix turned to Kreacher, dark eyes narrowing in speculation.

"What makes you so certain it will work."

Kreacher returned her glance shrewdly.

"Kreacher is not so certain that it will work. He is only relatively certain..."

The elf's lips twitched, then he shrugged.

"If magic could craft things as foul as Dementors and Horcruxes, Kreacher believes it can facilitate life as well."

"Sounds good to me," Rodolphus said, giving Kreacher a cavalier smile.

"I, for one, approve of that sort of thinking."

"That makes two of us," Regulus said.

He was pleased to have at least some manner of support from Rod.

"How are you feeling, Regi," Bellatrix asked, glancing worriedly over at him.

"I feel good," Regulus assured with a smile.

"I'm fine, don't worry."

He reached for Kreacher's hand, drawing him closer to include him in the assurances before he moved to give Bella a hug.

"Thank you for being here through all of that...Thank all of you," he added, turning to the other two Lestranges.

"I'd hug the both of you, but I am fully aware that none of us are very into that sort of thing, so I shall spare us all."

"Thanks, mate," Rodolphus said at the same time that Rabastan said,

"Good!"

All three grinned at one another, understanding that this odd male expressiveness or lack there of, was their form of hug.

"We would never leave you to do it alone, you know," Rodolphus said gruffly, then glanced around to Kreacher.

"Neither of you."

Kreacher swallowed and nodded, blinking and pretending to itch his right eye to cover the fact that he was touched.

"Does anyone want a drink," Regulus asked hastily.

He didn't want to risk any of the Lestranges going on about how he'd gotten them out of Azkaban...because to his mind he'd been a part of putting them there even though it was rather round about. And if they recalled what happened, he didn't truly believe they'd agree with that, but still.

"Always," Rabastan grinned.

He wandered over to Orion's liquor cabinet that stood in the corner of the library.

"Anyone else?"

"No, Rabastan," Bellatrix drawled.

"Some of us, you included, must work tomorrow."

"Well I shan't be drunk then, silly," Rabastan said and Kreacher snickered.

As Rabastan mixed himself a drink, Regulus moved across to the desk to write Bera that the healers were in town. He asked if her cousin would like to meet them first or if she would prefer to only meet when the actual procedure was being done.

He also told Bera that her cousin was free to name any price she liked for performing this most valuable of services. As Regulus sat at the desk writing, Mortis left the curtain to land on his shoulder, idly seeming to read as he wrote. When Regulus sealed the letter with the Black family coat of arms wax stamp that lay on the desk, Mortis took it from his hand before he could ask. Regulus gave the black phoenix a fond smile.

"Thank you. You are wonderful," he said, suddenly awash with a deep fondness for the bird.

"Kreacher will have a treat for Mortis when he returns," the elf said, a similar note of fondness in his own voice.

Mortis turned his head to regard Kreacher, a light of eager interest for the promised snack dancing in his bright black eyes. Lifting off Regulus's shoulder he was suddenly gone in a flash of sparks.

"Do you ever ask that bird if he wants a drink," Rabastan wondered, and Regulus sighed.

"I mean he might," Rabastan persisted.

"And if you ask me, it's rude not to check."

Kreacher frowned disapprovingly over at Rabastan.

"Mortis will enjoy his oatmeal cookie treat and sliced fruit when he returns. Rabastan should keep his drinks to himself."

"Indeed," Regulus agreed, but in spite of himself, his lips did give one solitary twitch of amusement.