"So if two people need to find one another, it can work the same way if they love that one enough to have the home connection," Rod asked.
"Yes," Regulus said. "In theory, if the two of you were separated, you could find Bellatrix by focusing on your love for her and Apparating. I do believe there must be a pressing need rather than a simple casual interest to activate it, though. It's driven by emotion...strong emotion. If you're thinking of practicing, I doubt it would work, as it's rather difficult to produce such a strong need on cue."
Rod nodded. "Understood."
"So if you'd known about this home shit way back when Regi had first gone missing, you could've thought hard about him and homed your way right to his ass," Rabastan asked Kreacher.
The elf gritted his teeth and glared at Rabastan. "That is correct," he ground out. "Rabastan is not nice to get Kreacher angry for no reason. The past is gone, frustrating though it is that so much happened, seemingly needlessly."
"It's called hindsight is twenty twenty," Regulus said gently, giving the elf at his side a sad smile. "And Rabastan, do not call me Regi! You know how I hate it."
"Yeah, but it's just more practical," Rabastan said.
"Merlin brought all this up to me when he was explaining how he used the Crom Dubh statue against his enemies," Rodolphus said. "That is about good luck for one side, ours, and bad luck for the side of our enemies, hers. Because the home connection was twisted to form the enslavement bonds for elves to wizards, it is probably how the luck concept is twisted to bring misfortune to the enemy."
Regulus nodded. "That sounds right. When used properly it strengthens us, and when used against the enemy it weakens them just as it weakened the elves."
"Good," Bellatrix said fervently. "Because we certainly aren't playing fair."
Regulus chuckled. "Bloody right we aren't. That wouldn't be very Slytherin of us at all."
"Well, I need to get home to write Grindelwald now that I've gotten what I want from you lot," Rodolphus said, nodding at Kreacher and Regulus as he rose to his feet. "Thanks."
Once back at Raven's Nest, Rodolphus hurried to the library to write Grindelwald. First he spoke of his findings from Merlin, then of the conversation he'd had with Regulus and Kreacher, concluding with a question concerning when they were going to link the crystals to the Crom Dubh statue.
Gellert wrote back saying that Merlin had told him how to do the linking after speaking to him, so he and Blaise had already attended to it before the three smoky quartzes were placed in the Muggle ministries. He thanked Rodolphus for his helpful research.
"It looks like now we're just keeping things together while we wait for her to make a move we can use," he said, speaking to Bellatrix without turning to see her leaning over his shoulder to read Grindelwald's reply. He could feel her nearness and the heat from her slender, perfect body so close to his own. Leaning back slightly, he pressed into her soft warmth, while reaching an arm around to draw her closer against his back.
"Mmm," she murmured as one slender hand came around to caress the muscles of his chest. "Upstairs?"
Turning, he scooped her into his arms before Apparating into their bedroom. "Sounds like a plan," he replied with a grin, before crushing his lips to hers.
For weeks there was no word on Delphini's activities in the crystals. Things at Azkaban were peaceful and Rod settled into a comfortable rhythm. When everyone met at 12 Grimmauld for their shrink sessions, Grindelwald and Zabini gave updates on any progress.
They were working with alchemists, including Severus Snape, on formulating a cream that blocked magic much like sunblock did the sun. The cream was comprised of components of Moopkas, as well as key Murtlap and Fire Crab bits. The stuff wasn't fast to make, and it could not be produced in large batches, so Rod hoped they'd have enough by the time an actual battle happened. He very much liked the idea of being able to kill as many of the enemy as possible while their magic could not touch him. Due to the scarcity of ingredients to make it, the cream would be insanely expensive. As the Lestranges were quite rich, Rodolphus planned to buy a nice supply as soon as possible for those lovely moments when one just wanted to stay alive.
The next bit of interest Zabini was working on alone. While somewhat intriguing, the concept was a bit odd for Rodolphus. Zabini had procured photographs of Delphini from the old Ministry records and was using them rather like voodoo dolls. He literally stuck the photos with pins, claiming the spell he was working when doing so weakened her very essence which in turn would gradually affect her body. This would prime her for Wulfric's strike when the time came. It could also negatively impact her luck, causing inconvenient situations to come to her more times than not. Anything to weaken the enemy was good, but Rodolphus had always thought voodoo pins did physical damage. When he voiced this, Blaise just chuckled.
"Her spirit is what I want to go after because for her to truly die, we need to kill her the right way. If she simply gets herself crushed under a building, she could return in an unforeseen way that none of us would enjoy."
Rodolphus nodded, unable to not shudder at the recollection of how the Dark Lord had returned...both times.
At their next shrink session it was Regi who at last had findings to report on the wands from Merlin's cave.
"Basically they're just good, strong wands, each with its own personality or feel," Regulus reported as he returned the wands to Gellert. "What makes them special, though, is that they are all linked to one another. This seems to allow the users to communicate with one another more rapidly than with a Patronus and to share magical strength if casting the same spell at once even from different locations."
Gellert frowned thoughtfully. "Interesting," he said slowly. "They would be very useful for Aurors...or even for our close group of friends."
It felt nice to be included in that group, Rod admitted to himself. "Were you able to see how the link between the wands was done, Regi," he asked. "In other words, is it one basic link or is the link for the communication separate from the spell sharing one?"
"It is one link that branches off into two functions, so it is two in one," Regulus replied. "And don't call me Regi! Is it that bloody hard?"
Rod grinned, exchanging a brief look with Bella and Rab. "In fact, it is," he drawled, feeling his grin widening. He couldn't help it. Regi just made it too fun and easy to vex him. If he would only loosen up a little…
"Did you discover exactly how the link is done, or are you just aware of it without having discovered the actual mechanics," Gellert asked Regulus.
"I believe I can replicate it," Regulus said thoughtfully.
"Without altering how our wands already operate," Blaise asked, concern in his voice.
Regulus nodded. "Of course," he assured.
"Said by the prat who has never actually attempted the link on any wands at all," Bellatrix drawled, and Regulus shot her an annoyed glare.
"I am certain I could reverse any process I attempted on any wand, Bella. So even if the method I have in mind doesn't work, the wand will remain as it was. That is what I meant."
"Do you know how they activated the wands for communication or linking spells," Gellert asked. "Meaning are the functions triggered by a spell?"
Regulus nodded. "Yes. I could not tell what spell, so perhaps you can ask Merlin and Nimue. I attempted to do so but was unsuccessful. Either they don't remember, or they didn't hear me." Regulus shrugged. "I understand the concept, so I could invent my own spell when setting up the functions if necessary."
Rodolphus closed his eyes, because that helped his focus, and silently reached out to Merlin, asking him about the wands.
"Oh, those. Yes. We didn't remember at first when Regulus asked, but now I do. Those wands were very beneficial in battle. One belonged to me, one to Nimue, one to Taliesin, one to Morgana, and another to a druidic Healer whose name you would not recognize."
As he listened to Merlin, the conversation flowing around him faded into the background.
"The spell on the wands is comprised of runes. I did much of my crafting with runes. Basic and simple but it bloody works wonders! Begin with the rune Tir, the rune for victory. This allows the various bits of the linking spell to work together without interference, and without interfering with the wand itself.
"Next comes the rune Rad, for the communication aspect. In a sense, this rune not only allows for communication, but it allows the spells to communicate in such a way that they can actually develop memory and learn from one another. Much like a Muggle computer's programs, or neural networks in the brain, would."
"And the sharing of magic," Rodolphus asked.
"You don't require another rune for that, because you're already communicating and the Rad rune is enhancing all," Merlin replied peevishly.
"Rod, are you even listening," Bellatrix asked, poking him sharply in the ribs with an elbow.
"Actually, no I wasn't," Rodolphus said proudly. "I was asking Merlin how the spells on the wands were done. Now would you like me to finish that?"
"Yes, of course," Gellert said. "Everyone else shut up."
Rod gave a satisfied smirk as Grindelwald spoke.
"Thank you," he thought to the druid. "Now how do we activate these runes when they're needed?"
"With any word for Victory," Merlin replied. "The language does not matter when the intention and understanding of the meaning is there."
"Which did you use," Rod wondered.
"Usually the Cornish Viktori, but at times the Welsh Buddugoliaeth," Merlin replied.
"Sweet," Rod said. "The more the better. We need a ton of victory after all, and words have power."
Rod felt the druid's nod of agreement in a way he couldn't quite explain.
"And it's soon, Rod," he warned.