YOU WANT WHO?

Chapter 6

Dresden Unleashed

This funny little tale came to me after reading a thread in The Dresden Files group on Facebook. I hope it amuses you as much as it amused me. The characters, places and magic here are the creations of Mr. J. Butcher and Ms J. K. Rowling. I am merely playing from their sandbox, so to speak. I gain nothing but amusement from my stories.

Previous chapter has been proofed and updated. As has this one. Thanks George ;-)

Albus really should have listened to Minerva when she had protested Dresden's appointment. The Soul Gaze with the man had left him a bit off-kilter, and the conversations with him in his office had left Dumbledore with one hell of a headache, and his conscience all but screaming at him. Dresden did not sugarcoat things and had left Albus in no doubt that he could have, should have done much more with all his power and position.

"You have almost one fourth of this school ready to walk into Riddle's arms the minute they graduate, and probably about half of your students will flee Britain first chance they get to gain decent employment."

"You do realize if you don't sit on the mini Death-munchers now, they WILL run afoul of the Wardens and it won't be house points they lose, it'll be their heads!"

Albus massaged his temples and tried to forget Dresden's more colorful commentary on the Horcrux problem.

"Hell's Bells, man! You haven't asked ANYONE for help? Really? You know our kind have had an agreement for centuries, right? Fuck! This is exactly the stuff you're supposed to call a Warden to deal with! Screw secrecy, old man! Stars and stones! No self-respecting Warden would ever go in for black magic. Damn it, I've gotta make some calls."

Then there was the latest disastrous meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. He had thought everyone was over their shock. And for the most part everyone was. What he hadn't counted on was Dresden's particular brand of chaos.

Snape and Sirius had as usual, been circling one another, snapping and snarling like angry wolves. Dresden, seemingly half-asleep in his chair had let out an annoyed puff of air and 'politely' suggested they "either sit down and shut up or get a room". Molly had squeaked in indignation but most of the room had dissolved into giggles. When the two men protested Dresden suddenly 'woke up'. His quiet demeanor changed and he stared hard at both men. "Sit. Down. And. Shut. Up." His eyes locked on Snape, "Yes, he tried to kill you as a kid. Yes, he was, maybe still is, an idiot. But it is past, done and you're fine. Be the bigger man and get over it. You're a free man with a career, he's a wanted fugitive who has to disguise himself as a mangy dog, stuck in this place day-in and day-out. Who do you think has the better deal?"

Snape bowed his head a little watching Dresden's focus to shift to Sirius.

"You... you I don't know about. You say Remus is your friend, right?" Sirius nodded vigorously.

"Hell's Bells man, if that's how you treat a friend, I'd hate to be your enemy. Did you ever consider, even for a minute, what would have happened if Remus had bitten Snape?"

"He'd have gotten sick, that greasy..."

"He'd have died." Dresden snapped, glaring at Sirius. "Did you even consider that? If Remus had bitten Snape, scratched him, turned him - or worse - killed him, he would have been put. To. Death. No trial, no excuses. You would have caused the death of your friend for a foolish prank. Not only that but Dumbledore would probably have been fired and you would have been expelled with your wand snapped. You do know your own laws, don't you?" He stared at Sirius. "And there was something else you did not consider. Had Snape been turned, who do you think he would've hunted down like a dog? Outside whose window would he have waited to transform the first full moon he could find you? He is a Slytherin after all. No matter where you tried to hide, he would have found you." Sirius's eyes slid to Snape who was staring hard at him, a gleam of malicious pleasure in his eye.

"Indeed I would have. Had you cursed me, as Lupin is cursed, I would not have blamed him. Oh no. He would have been your pawn. No, I would have come after you." Sirius shivered and swung guilty eyes to Remus, who was quiet and whey-faced. "I-I'm sorry, Moony.", he whispered. Remus nodded his head and looked away.

For the rest of the meeting everyone seemed to be quietly mulling over the confrontation. Dresden contented himself with slogging off to meet the kids. In hindsight, if he hadn't been lost in thought himself, Dumbledore may have tried to prevent that.

Conversation with Kreacher

As I left the kitchen and the 'adult' members of the Order to digest my last little bombshell, I paused, seeing what looked like an ear on a string disappearing up the stairwell. I grinned. The Weasley twins were high on my list for recruitment against the Pink Terror. Her presence in Hogwarts was highly undesirable, the ancient castle herself seemed to be out to spite the woman. Staircases would move whenever she stepped on them, taking her as far from her chosen destination as they could, doors would refuse to open and well-known passageways would vanish. She was frequently late and frazzled as the Ghosts joined in on the fun and would pop out at her whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, as entertaining as this was it was also annoying as we had to listen to her complain incessantly about it.

Halfway up the stairs to where the kids were hiding out I overheard the muttering old house elf as it bustled about the Black library. Ooh... more books, drool... focus, Dresden.

Sirius had dismissed the elf as somewhat evil and a sycophant to the old ways but I was curious so I stopped and Listened.

At first the old elf was simply bemoaning the fate of the House of Black and lamenting how "his poor Mistress" would never have stood for "blood traitors and Mudbloods" desecrating her home. I learned a few interesting insults before the elf's lament changed.

"Kreacher has failed his mistress, he has, just like he failed brave Master Regulus. Bad Kreacher.", he moaned. "Master commanded Kreacher to destroy the locket, to keep it secret, to tell no one in the family what he had done. Oh, poor Kreacher. He promised his master! Kreacher tried but Kreacher failed. Kreacher punished himself, oh yes. Kreacher tries and tries, but Kreacher fails.", the bullfrog voice moaned.

I stood there, mouth open. The old Elf had the locket. The one Dumbledore believed to be in an Inferi-infested cave. Now to obtain the locket without upsetting the old elf.

I quietly entered the library and moved to one of the recliners by the heavily-curtained windows. I sat and waited for the elf to acknowledge me. His mutterings sped up as he mulled over my appearance.

"This tall one is new... his magic smells different. They call him a Warden.. Kreacher wonders why he is here, yes he does."

I studied the elf silently, Lash murmuring softly in my head. "The Elf's bond pains him. He has been unable to fulfill his Master's last command. They are a curious creature, the House Elf. Their magic is symbiotic with that of the family they bond with. Those who do not treat them with love, or at least respect are doing themselves a great disservice. A House Elf's magic is strongest when it is cared for and needed in return." I didn't react to Lash's words, simply sitting forward, studying the Elf, my wrists dangling over my knees.

"Do you know what a Warden is? What they do?" I asked, keeping my tone mild. The wizened old elf rubbed twisted fingers into his grubby pillowslip. "Kreacher heard stories when he was a little elfling. Wardens don't bothers with us much."

I nodded, "Wardens do a lot of things. But mostly we uphold the Seven Laws and deal with warlocks." I watched the old elf carefully. "Voldemort is what we'd class as a Warlock, Kreacher." The old elf twitched at the use of his name before his bulbous eyes seemed to widen even further and suddenly he had prostrated himself across my feet!

"You'se would help Kreacher? Help destroy the Dark One who killed Good Master Regulus? Help Kreacher with his Master's last order?" Tears and snot flowed freely down Kreacher's face.

"Yes Kreacher, The Wizard Dumbledore and I seek his destruction." I intoned solemnly, thinking that name-dropping the old wizard would garner me more trust.

Kreacher frowned. "Kreacher does not trust the old whiskered goat. He left Kreacher's disappointment of a Master to rot. Kreacher does not like his Master but he is Kreacher's Master. Now the old whiskered goat uses the great and noble House of Black as his own and stops Bad Disappointment of a Master from claiming his Heir. He brings the loud blood traitors and those... un-natural ones here. Oh, what would Kreacher's Mistress say?! No. Kreacher does not trust too many names Dumblee-dore."

The old Elf folded his arms and glared at me. I rubbed a hand over my mouth to hide my smile. When Kreacher had called Dumbledore the old whiskered goat his usually bullfrog voice took on much of Sirius's tones and inflections. It seemed, despite his dislike for Sirius, Kreacher was offended at Dumbledore's high-handed treatment of his Master.

"Fair enough, Kreacher. I give you my word, if you entrust me with your secrets, I will help you to fulfill Master Regulus's last command." The old Elf gazed up at me for a moment, silver eyes shining with unshed tears. Then he popped away. I blinked but before I could move the old Elf popped back into existence before me, a heavy square lead box in his gnarled hands. I took the box and carefully opened it. An ancient silver locket, ornately carved with serpents lay innocently within on a bed of white cloth. Lash hissed at me not to touch it, a useless warning as I had no desire to touch something containing the shard of a Madman's soul. I closed the box carefully, tucking it into a pocket of my duster. "I will see to its destruction. When it is done I will return here and show you proof." The old Elf nodded and seemed to straighten a little more, as though a great burden had been lifted. I nodded back to him and resumed my search for my new students.

To Be Continued.. Mwah-haha...