Chapter 21
Return To Grimmauld Place
Author's Note: Forgot to mention this at the end of the last chapter. I will probably not be dedicating a chapter to Remus and Tonks' wedding. It will probably be a small description or a discussion with the two of them. However, on the off-chance I do any deleted scenes after this story is said and done, I would consider that becoming one of them.
(Harry's PoV)
At nine-o-clock the next morning, Remus and Tonks returned to the Burrow. Shortly after a brief discussion with Mrs. Weasley, where it was explained that Harry had requested to go to Grimmauld Place, and that Remus, Tonks, Ron and Hermione would accompany him, the five of them made their way up the driveway to where the Apparation Point was located.
"Harry!" a voice yelled behind Harry.
Harry turned around. Ginny was running up to him.
"Where are you going?" Ginny asked him.
"Grimmauld Place," Harry said, "I want to check on a few things. It's my house, remember?"
"Oh," Ginny said.
"I'm sorry," Harry said, "You can't come with us."
"I wouldn't anyway," Ginny said, "Fred, George and I are going back to the shop in a few minutes. I just wanted to say goodbye."
"See you later," Harry said.
"You know I didn't mean that," Ginny said, grinning.
Harry rolled his eyes. Ginny put her arms around him and kissed him softly on the lips. Harry briefly returned the kiss then backed up.
"Have fun," Ginny said, as she backed up down the driveway.
Harry turned around and saw that Ron, Hermione, Remus and Tonks were staring at him. Remus and Tonks looked rather surprised, and Ron and Hermione looked annoyed.
"Can we go now?" Hermione asked.
"Or do you want to snog her again?" Ron asked.
Harry shook his head, grinning. He took hold of Ron and Hermione's hands.
"See you at Grimmauld Place," Remus said.
Harry closed his eyes and felt the familiar feeling of Apparation, as his lungs collapsed for a moment. When he opened his eyes again, he was standing on the doorstep of Number 12 Grimmauld Place, and Ron and Hermione were beside him. Remus and Tonks were at the bottom of the steps, looking around for troublemakers.
"All clear," Tonks said, "We can go in."
Remus walked in front of Harry and the others. He reached for the doorknob, and the door opened by itself.
"That's not a good sign," Ron said.
"Wands out, everyone," Remus said.
They did as was asked and slowly walked inside the house.
"Do you think we're alone?" Ron asked.
"Homenum Revelio!" Hermione whispered, pointing her wand forward.
Two silver balls of light floated from her wand and forward into the house.
"Um... there are two unknown beings in this house," Hermione said, "According to the spell."
Just as she said it, there was a loud banging on a door just feet in front of them. Tonks, Harry, Hermione and Ron pointed their wands at the door. Remus slowly walked over to it, and faced the front of the door. He pointed a wand toward the door and opened it.
"Ruddy thief!" a voice growled.
Kreacher, the house-elf, bolted from the doorway and Remus stuck out a leg and Kreacher fell over it, sprawling to the ground. He growled and tried to stand up.
"Kreacher, calm down!" Harry said.
Kreacher stopped struggling and looked up with wide eyes at Harry.
"Kreacher," Harry said, "What are you doing here? I left you at Hogwarts."
"Kreacher was told to go home by Minerva McGonagall," Kreacher said, " All the house elves at Hogwarts had to leave when Hogwarts closed and Kreacher could come back if it was open. Kreacher hopes the school will open so Kreacher can go back. Kreacher likes the castle."
"Dora," Remus said, "Come with me and we'll find this other unknown guest."
"Be careful," Hermione said.
"Kreacher hopes the Master's do not kill the intruder," Kreacher said, "when the Master's friends find him. Kreacher wishes to lay one on the ruddy sneak-thief!"
"Sneak-thief?" Harry asks, "Is that what you said?"
"Yes, Master," Kreacher said.
Harry looked around at the others, his eyes large as saucers. He had an idea who Kreacher was talking about.
"Mundungus Fletcher is the intruder?" Remus asked.
"That ruddy sneak-thief threw me in the closet!" Kreacher growled, "He keeps coming back here to nick things from my poor Mistress, and Kreacher tried to stop him, but Kreacher couldn't!"
Harry opened his mouth to ask a question, when all of a sudden he heard banging in the kitchen. Remus and Tonks spun around, pointing their wand toward the kitchen.
"He's in there," Hermione said, "Isn't he?"
"I say we surprise him," Ron said, "He's the reason Mad-Eye's dead and my brother lost an ear. Neither would have happened if he had been around to lift that spell from Privet Drive. He deserves anything we give him."
"He might know information," Harry said. "He might know where the – er – what we're looking for is."
"Harry, you come with me," Remus said, "Dora, stay back here. We have no idea what Mundungus will do. I will not allow you to get hurt in the process."
Harry thought Tonks might argue, but she only nodded.
"Be careful," she said.
Remus and Harry crept down the hall. When they reached the door, Remus slowly opened it. Mundungus turned around as soon as they stepped foot into the room and he raised his wand.
"Expelliarmus!" Remus yelled.
Mundungus' wand left his hand, and Remus caught it.
"Okay!" Mundungus sputtered, "You got me – you got me - I didn' mean nothin' by it – nothin' at all! They made me do it!"
"What are you talking about?" Remus asked.
"Them damned Death Eaters!" Mundungus said, "Two of 'em – captured me after I left Surrey the day I saw ya, Potter. They say they won' kill me if I keep the Anti-Disapparation Charm aroun' Potter's house and ask me if I know how to break the charm 'round Potter's house. I say no. I tell them – and I'm sorry Potter, they made me do it, I wouldn' have – they made me tell them when the charm would go away, an' I say your birthday, Potter. S'all I know, I swear! They let me go, but made me promise I wouldn' go back to the Order an' tell 'em what happened to me. They didn' kill me because I guess they were too cowardly. Or I guess they were happy I helped 'em. I'm sorry."
"Why didn't they just wipe your memory?" Remus asked.
"Guess they couldn'," Mundungus said. "Guess they were dim."
"That is why they had look-outs over my house," Harry said. "They were waiting for you to come pick me up. They just didn't know when you'd do it."
"So I come back here figurin' I could hide out," Mundungus said, "Only safe place see. They made me promise I wouldn' contact ya, see? An' that damned house-elf tries to attack me, calls me a sneak-thief. So I hex 'im and throw 'im in the closet where he belongs. Good-for-nothin' elf."
"I could see why you would come back here," Harry said, "Try to steal more of Sirius' things – of my things. This house is mine, remember? Sirius gave it to me."
"I haven' stole stuff from here!" Mundungus said, then frowned, "in a while."
Harry stared at Mundungus. Mundungus' expression softened.
"Remus," Harry said, "I need a word with Dung in private. Ron and Hermione can come in here too."
Remus looked from Mundungus to Harry. He studied him for a moment, then nodded.
"Dora and I will guard the door in case intruders come in," Remus said.
"Thank you," Harry said.
Remus left the room and Harry grabbed R.A.B's locket from his mokeskin bag. The door opened behind him again and Ron, Hermione and Kreacher entered.
"Thievin' ruddy sneak!" Kreacher growled, running toward Mundungus, who backed away into a corner, "Kreacher will –!"
Kreacher stopped in his tracks and rounded on Harry. His eyes went wide.
"Where you get that, Master?" Kreacher asked, pointing a hand to R.A.B's locket.
Harry's eyes widened and he looked at Ron and Hermione. They were looking at Kreacher. He turned back to Kreacher.
"You've seen this before?" Harry asked him.
"That is Master Regulus' locket!" Kreacher said, "Where did Master Harry get that? Is Master Harry the sneak-theif now?"
"I found this in a cave," Harry said, holding the locket in front of Kreacher. "While looking for its twin."
"A cave," Kreacher said, looking from the locket to Harry, "A cave – with crystals?"
"Yeah, Kreacher," Harry said, "Exactly."
Kreacher's fists suddenly shook. He ran over to the table and banged his head against one of the table's legs.
"Oh, Master Regulus, Kreacher failed you!" he said, sobbing, "Kreacher failed you!"
"Harry, make him stop!" Hermione cried.
"Ruddy house elf's insane!" Mundungus said, staring at the house-elf, from a corner, in horror.
"Kreacher, I order you to stop!" Harry commanded.
Kreacher froze inches before the table. He turned to Harry and sank to the floor, breathing hard.
"Kreacher failed his Master Regulus," Kreacher sobbed, "Oh, my poor Regulus."
"How did you fail him, Kreacher?" Harry asked.
"Master Regulus came to Kreacher one day saying he needed Kreacher's help," Kreacher said, "Kreacher said he would help his Master Regulus. Master Regulus said he had found a location where one of the Dark Lord's deepest secrets was and Kreacher was going to go with him to find it. Kreacher would even die for Master Regulus. Kreacher went with Master Regulus to the cave with crystals. The cave door required a blood passage, Master said. Master cut his own hand. Kreacher remembers the blood. Kreacher and Master Regulus went into the cave. There was a boat..."
Of course there was a boat. Harry could see it as he described Kreacher and Master Regulus going toward the island.
"In the middle of the island was a basin," Kreacher drawled on, "There was a potion. Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to feed him the potion. Master Regulus said that if anything happened, Kreacher was to get out. He was to go back home and speak of nothing that happened there. And then – and then – Kreacher fed Master Regulus the potion – and Master moaned and cried and Kreacher could bare to listen, but Kreacher had to do as Master ordered. When the potion was gone and Master had drunk it all. Kreacher saw a locket – the twin locket Master Harry mentioned."
"The twin?" Harry asked, "You saw it?"
Kreacher drawled on. He didn't seem to hear Harry.
"Master Regulus congratulated Kreacher," Kreacher said, "said Kreacher is a good elf – the best elf – the best elf Master Regulus has ever known. Master Regulus took another locket – the locket Master Harry has in his hand right now – Master Kreacher took it from his robes and put it in the basin, and the bad potion filled back up. Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to go home. Master Regulus gave Kreacher the twin locket and ordered Kreacher to go home and hide it and never speak of it. Never speak of it, Kreacher – and – and – oh! Kreacher failed you Master Regulus! Kreacher spoke of it!"
"And then what Kreacher?" Harry asked, before Kreacher could harm himself again.
"And then – and then," Kreacher said, "Regulus was captured by monsters – horrible monsters Kreacher has ever seen – and – and they Master Regulus under – and – Kreacher was forced to leave because Master Regulus said so and Kreacher could not help as – as – oh! Master Regulus – Kreacher failed Master Regulus Somebody found the fake locket that Master Regulus wanted the Dark Lord to find!"
"Oh, Kreacher," Hermione said, a sob escaping her throat, "I'm – I'm sorry."
"Bloody Mudblood insults Kreacher by talking to Kreacher!" Kreacher growled up at Hermione.
"Don't call her Mudblood!" Ron snarled, "You just leave her alone, you hear!
"Kreacher!" Harry said, "The twin locket that Master Regulus gave to you. Where is it?"
Kreacher lifted a hand.
"Yes, Kreacher," Harry said, "Where is it?"
Kreacher pointed his hand to Mundungus Fletcher. Mundungus' eyes raised.
"The bloody sneak-thief took it from Master Regulus' house!" Kreacher growled.
"What?" Mundungus asked, "I-I well – well obviously the ruddy elf is lying!"
"Kreacher would not lie to his Master!" Hermione said.
"Kreacher does not lie!" Kreacher yelled.
He stood up and ran toward Mundungus, attempting to bite and grab at any part of Mundungus he could find.
""Call 'im off, call 'im off, 'e should be locked up!" screamed Mundungus, "All righ', I lied!"
"Kreacher, stop!" Harry ordered.
Kreacher paused, his fist raised in mid-air.
"Perhaps one more, Master Harry, for luck?" Kreacher asked.
Ron laughed.
"If Mundungus lies again, you can hit him again," Harry said.
"And if Mundungus is honest?" Kreacher asked.
Harry looked down at the locket in his hand.
"This was Master Regulus', right?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Master Harry," Kreacher said.
"It's yours now," Harry said, "In his memory."
He threw the locket to Kreacher, who caught it. Kreacher looked as if he was trying his best not to cry.
"Thank you, Master Harry," Kreacher said.
Kreacher backed away, muttering as he looked at Mundungus.
"The locket, Dung," Harry said, "Where is it?"
"I ain' got it anymore!" Mundungus said, "I gave it away!"
"You gave it away?" Harry asked.
"I jus' said it, didn't I?" Mundungus said, "Gave it away. I wish I didn', now. Could've been worth somethin', looks like it. But a bloomin' hag comes to me in Knockturn Alley where I'm sellin' me wares. An' she orders me to give it to her, or she have me arrested. I say 'ok' but on one condition. I ask her why she wants it. She says she wants to give it so someone as a gift. I ask who, she doesn' tell me. She jus' grabs the locket from me an' strolls off."
"Who was this witch?" Harry asked.
"I dunno, some Ministry hag." Mundungus said.
He considered for a moment, brow wrinkled.
"Little woman," he said, "Bow on top of 'er head." He frowned and then added, "Looked like a toad."
Harry dropped his wand: It hit Mundungus on the nose and shot red sparks into his eyebrows, which ignited.
"Aquamenti!" screamed Hermione, and a jet of water streamed from her wand, engulfing a spluttering and choking Mundungus.
Harry looked up and saw his own shock reflected in Ron's and Hermione's faces. Suddenly, the door behind Harry opened. Remus and Tonks rushed in. Remus' robes seemed singed.
"We need to go now!" Remus said, gasping, "We have company!"
"Death Eaters?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Remus said.
"Harry, we can't keep Kreacher here!" Hermione said, "They'll kill him!"
"I – I – Kreacher! I order you to go to the Burrow now!" Harry said.
Kreacher bowed and he disappeared with a crack!
"Can we apparate?" Harry asked.
"Sorry, Harry," Remus said, "Anti-Disapparation spell."
"But Kreacher apparated out of here!" Ron said.
"House-elves can apparate where wizards can't," Harry said, "It is how Kreacher got away from the -"
BOOM. Everyone spun around toward the door.
"That came from the other end of the hallway!" Tonks said.
"They're in here?" Harry asked, "How?"
"I went outside to check the perimeter," Remus said, "and a Death Eater jumped me from behind, and we both fell into the house."
"I shot a spell at the Death Eater," Tonks said, "ejecting him from the house, but -"
"They can get in here now!" Hermione said.
"We have go now," Remus said, "Mundungus, do you want to live or die?"
"Live, of course!" Mundungus said, "You mad?"
"Then come on!" Remus said, "We have to get underground! The spell doesn't reach sub-par levels! We can apparate to the Burrow!"
Remus turned and opened the door.
"Stupefy!" Remus yelled.
Harry heard a thud, as a body hit the floor.
"Follow me!" Remus said.
Harry and the others followed Remus out the door and toward another door a few feet away. Remus opened it, Tonks, Hermione, Ron, and Mundungus went through it."
"Harry, go!" Remus yelled.
Harry nodded, and saw another Death Eater coming in through the door. He lifted his wand over Remus's shoulder.
"Stupefy!" Harry yelled.
His spell was so powerful, the Death Eater tumbled out the front door when he got hit with the spell.
"Go!" Remus said again.
Harry went through the doorway and Remus followed him. At the end of the next hallway, Ron was standing there.
"Basement is down there!" Ron said, "Hermione, Dung and Tonks are already down there!"
Harry nodded and Ron disappeared through the doorway. Harry and Remus hurried down the hallway. When they reached it, a spell flew over both their heads, and collided the basement door, sending it smashing against the wall. Harry turned around, and Remus ducked.
"Stupefy!" Harry yelled again.
His aim hit true, and the Death Eater at the end of the hall fell to the ground. Harry hurried through the doorway and Remus followed him.
"Duro!" Remus said.
Harry went down the stairs and looked behind him. The doorway had been replaced with a brick wall.
"That will give us time, Harry," Remus said, "But not much! Go!"
Harry ran down a short hallway and into a room where Tonks, Mundungus, Hermione and Ron were waiting for them. Tonks was pinning Mundungus to a wall.
"He tried to escape early," Tonks said, "Figured we needed to take him to the Burrow, and he tried to escape."
"Let me go now!" Mundungus yelled, "I can go without you!"
"I have your wand, Dung," Remus said, "You can't go without it."
"Then give me it!" Mundungus roared, "Death Eaters are comin'!
"We're going now," Remus said.
Harry grabbed Hermione's free hand; her other hand was holding Ron's. Remus grabbed Tonks' hand, and she backed up with Mundungus. Remus threw Mundungus his wand.
"Three," Remus said.
Harry faced forward, looking down the hallway.
"Two," Remus said.
Suddenly, Harry heard a bang as bricks hit the wall in front of the stairs.
"One," Remus said.
Harry, once again, felt the familiar signs of Apparation, as everything went black.
-
Whew! That's like two of the book's chapters combined into one, with my own story for Kreacher's Tale, and action added in the end to top it off. Intense! I'm very proud of this chapter! I hope you liked it too!
My eyes were a little wet while writing Kreacher's Tale. It was kind of sad.
Hmm... so who was the hag? Sort of obvious right? But who was the hag sending the gift to...? Aha! Did I stump you there? That answer will come soon!