i really loved him

chapter 24

Friday, 26th March, 22:30 – Still unsure whether this was a terrible idea, Regulus crossed the basement, approached the oak-framed fruit bowl and tickled the pear in the centre. Instantly, it began squealing with laughter and protruding out from the painting as it gradually molded out of shape. Once the giggling pear had settled into its secondary form of a large green doorhandle, Regulus pulled the frame open to reveal the passage to the kitchens.

Inside, the elves were still cleaning up after dinner, scurrying around surrounded by floating silver tableware, arms covered up to the elbows with soap suds. Many of them called out and waved as they spotted him; Plodd got so excited that he accidentally sent a brass pot falling to the floor with a resonant clang. Smiling, Regulus flicked his wand and the pot soared back into the air, settling down on far shelf amongst the other cauldrons and pans.

For a few more minutes, he sat on the bench at the long table and waited for the elves to finish, occasionally stepping in to clear split puddles of dishwater or charm tea towels to dry goblets by themselves. They chided him for helping, but he refused to sit idle whilst the elves worked themselves to the bone. Especially when he was about to ask a favour of them.

Before long, the kitchen was spotless with every piece of cutlery polished to perfection and every gleaming dish stacked precariously on the wooden racks around the edges of the room. It was then that the elves gathered around him as usual, setting a cup of tea in his lap and eagerly asking if there was anything more they could do for him.

"Yes, if you don't mind," Regulus said, wrapping his hands around the steaming mug in an attempt to warm them. "Do you remember the friend I've told you about, James?"

In actual fact, what he had told them about James was very limited, namely that his name was James, and that he existed. But the elves nodded enthusiastically all the same, knowing who he was referring to because Regulus didn't really have any other friends to tell them about.

"It's his birthday tomorrow," he went on. "And I was wondering if you all could help me."

Before he had even finished speaking, Nolk and Beany had pattered away into a little store cupboard to the side of the fireplace and emerged carrying heavy sacks of flour, boxes of eggs and an assortment of other ingredients piled so high in their arms that they almost fell over whilst tottering back towards the table.

Regulus hurried forwards and took some of the items off of each of them, allowing them to regain their balance.

"Is this what you had in mind, Master Regulus?" Beany squeaked, round eyes just visible over a large bag of sugar.

"Precisely," he smiled.

* * *

23:38 – Just over an hour later, Regulus was kneeling up on the bench, leaning over a freshly baked sponge cake and deciding whether to address the birthday message to 'James' or 'Idiot'. In the end, he went with 'James', and added the bright yellow writing as neatly as possible on top of the existing crimson red. Gryffindor colours were a safe way to go, he had decided.

He thanked the elves earnestly for their help, then cast a hovering charm on the cake and made to leave the kitchens. Before exiting through the portrait, however, Regulus remembered something and turned around.

"Puck?" he said, scanning the horde of elves for his cunning friend.

"Yes, Master Regulus?" Puck croaked, and stepped forwards.

"What's the Gryffindor password?" Regulus asked him.

"Ah, good question," the elf replied.

With a sharp crack, he vanished and, a few seconds later, re-appeared once more with another. Drawing himself up to his full, still very low height, Puck announced,