Once again Harry opened his eyes shortly after Apparating. He looked around and was momentarily snowblinded. Once his vision came back he recognized the main street of Hogsmeade. He couldn't immediately see Ron and Hermione but that wasn't a surprise as he couldn't see very far as it was. It was indeed snowing very hard in hogsmeade, and he was standing in knee deep snow that was piled up in great drifts against the silent buildings.
Craning his neck around he caught sight of a dark shape moving towards him. He thought it was probably Ron or Hermione but to be safe he drew his wand. When the figure moved closer however, he put it away as he realized it was not Ron or Hermione, but Lupin. "Harry!" Lupin spoke in a harsh whisper. "Come, inside, follow me!" Harry realized he had apparated right in front of The Three Broomsticks. He followed Lupin down the road.
"Ron and Hermione are somewhere, we should find them." Harry said, but Lupin continued on. "They're already inside." Harry was a bit puzzled. How had they gotten inside before him? As he entered the relative warmth of the Hog's Head (It was a bit more chilly than he'd have preferred, anyway), Ron and Hermione ran over. "Balls, Harry! Where've you been?" said Ron. Harry noticed that they weren't covered in snow and realized what he had done differently. "We didn't think you'd Apparate outside, Harry, we just figured you'd come directly to the pub itself!"
"Thick, eh Harry?" said Ron with a smile as he rapped Harry on the forehead. "And are you okay?" Harry asked, mock concern on in his voice. "Got both eyebrows with you? Didn't leave a buttock behind?" "Piss off." said Ron, but he was smiling. "Seriously though, Harry" said Hermione "We were worried! We thought you'd gone off somewhere else! Lupin said you might have apparated outside, lucky he was right!"
They found a table and sat down, Lupin came over a bit later with a bottle of Firewhiskey and four very small glasses. As he poured for them, Harry rubbed his hands together and asked "How did you know I'd be outside?" Lupin smiled and said "You learned to apparate from Dumbledore, did you not? I'm sure one of the first things you learned was never to apparate directly into a person's home, and naturally you'd think the same way with a pub. These two gave me quite the startle when they appared.
Suddenly Ron didn't seem so keen on laughing at what he thought was Harry making a funny mistake. Hermione looked abashed. "Don't worry on it though," said Lupin "The Hog's Head isn't exactly a conventional place, you only startledme becuase I'm a bit on edge, as you'd imagine."
Harry took a long draught of firewhiskey, it burned his insides going down, but then he felt a glow in his belly, as though it had been filled with hot coals. He thought to himself that this stuff is a lot better when you're cold and wanting to get warm. "So," began Lupin. "What have you three been up to?"
And they filled Lupin in on everything up to that point. When the tale was done, he leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his prematurely-grey hair. "Well, first I think I should fill you in on a few things. Firstly, as you've probably guessed, we've moved headquarters. We're now operating directly out of hogwarts. As of now it doesn't look like the school will be open for students come this fall, Minerva thought it was the logical place to operate out of, and I daresay I agree. Oh, she's running the Order now, that's another thing. Not quite the same touch that Dumbledore had, but I tend to agree that she's the best choice."
"What about the ministry?" asked Harry "Have they made any progress?" Lupin let out a harsh little laugh. "The ministry is busy chasing their own shadows to do anything real." Harry thought that would be the case. "And what about Professor Dumbledore's Will?"
"Well, Harry, it's definately been discovered, they're going to read it up at the castle. It was his written wish that Ron and Hermione be present." All three of them looked shocked. Ron spluttered his third glass of firewhiskey (not counting however many at Horatio's house) down his front and began clumsily blotting at it with a napkin. Hermione slid the glass away from him and gave him a very clear 'That's quite enough for you' look.
"Ron and Hermione?" asked Harry, bewildered and a bit put-off. "What about me? Why would he ask for them but not me?" He was a bit worried that he might insult his friends, so he tried to keep his tone as light as possible. "Oh, Harry, don't feel hurt by that!" said Lupin "I think the exact wording was 'Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Ronald Weasley, In the stead of Mr. Harry Potter' I think it's to mean that he means to have left you something, but believes you won't be able to attend, but that your friends could fill in for you. I'm certain that it wasn't mean to be an insult, and if you decide that you could find it in your schedule to be there, you certainly won't be barred from attending."
Harry felt a little better, but also a tad confused. "Why did Dumbledore think that I'd be too busy to be there?" he wondered aloud. Obviously thinking he was being asked a direct question, Lupin responded "Well I suppose you'll be looking for that locket, wouldn't you? I don't suppose you'll tell me why you need it?" Harry felt conflicted. He knew he could trust Lupin, but wondered if he should tell Lupin about the Horcruces, thinking he might be able to help out. Before he could decide though, Lupin spoke again. "Nevermind Harry, I'm sure that when the time is right, we'll all know. I have a feeling that this is very important, and I have an idea that might help you find it."
Harry edged his chair closer, keen to hear whatever Lupin had to say about the matter. "Although it seems likely from what you've told me that this locket has indeed fallen into the hands of the enemy, you're not factoring in two key figures that might have derailed that already. If you remember, there are two individuals who were quite eager to get their hands on the many posessions of that house, for differing reasons."
It struck him like a blow, Kreacher! The wretch of a house-elf was constantly sneaking off with Black family heirlooms, trying to save them from the bin. They had tried to wrest as many as possible back from him, but it was indeed entirely possible that he had snuck off with that locket. "So you think Kreacher might have stolen the locket?" If that was the case, Harry thought, then it would be no problem! As Harry now owned Kreacher, he would simply order him to give it back.
"It's certainly possible Harry, but he's not the only one who could have stolen it." Harry thought for a bit, and then it came to him. "Mundungus Fletcher." Lupin nodded.
"It's a bit of a longshot, but it's possible that one of them stole that locket. If it was Kreacher, all you have to do is get it back, which should be easy. However if Mundungus took it, which I hate to say is more likely, then you'll have to track him down, which might not be easy."
"But isn't he in the Order?" Ron blurted out. Hermione punched him in the arm "Quiet, Ronald!" Ron looked embarrassed and rubbed his arm absently. Lupin lowered his head and his voice and spoke very low to Harry. "He's not anymore, Minerva expelled him after he stopped coming to meetings. He was useful in the past but he hasn't done anything lately but steal, so he's out." Harry hung his head. It did seem more likely that Mungdungus had stolen the locket, which might even mean that he had sold it to somebody. It could literally be anywhere. However, there was only one way to make sure.
"Kreacher!" Harry called, and before he knew it, the house elf had appeared, standing on the table, making a rude hand gesture apparently at no one. Seemingly disorientated by finding himself in a different place, he looked around wildly. "Master calls for Kreacher?"
"Yes Kreacher, I need to ask you something."
"Kreacher will answer any question that master asks him, filthy ungrateful master that he is..."
"Nevermind that!" said Harry.
"Who was this for?" Ron blurted out, demonstrating the hand gesture. Hermione grabbed his hand and stowed it under the table, giving him a rather severe look. "Sorry" ron muttered.
"The filthy blood traitor is asking Kreacher a question, Kreacher will prtend not to hear." Kreacher muttered to himself.
This incensed Harry, he was sick of this house elf, who was supposed to be his servant, insulting his friends. "No, you won't." He snapped at Kreacher.
Kreacher bowed low and muttered "Master tells Kreacher that he musn't ignore the blood traitor, filthy red headed scum that he is."
"You'll also not insult my friends anymore Kreacher...or anybody else! As a matter of fact, the only people you're allowed to insult is...is yourself!" Harry felt satisfied as Kreacher immediately stopped muttering under his breath and gave Harry a look of deepest loathing. He glanced over at Hermione, who he thought might look reproachful, as she had always stood up for house elves. Hermione, however, looked as though she was barely suppressing a smirk.
"Right." said Harry "And another thing, Kreacher. You are to follow any orders given to you by Ron or Hermione, as if they came from me, do you understand?" Kreacher flapped his head in a nod, looking angrier every second. "And if I hear that you've been insulting them, or refusing to listen, then it'll mean clothes, Kreacher." Presenting a house elf with proper clothes was the only way to free them, and most house elves considered this akin to being sacked.
"Master will do as master wishes." Kreacher said "But Kreacher knows oh so much..." He had used this same tactic once on Sirius, whom Harry had inherited the elf from. However, Harry felt that Kreacher could no longer tell any Death Eaters anything they didn't already know.
"I know a few things too, Kreacher" said Harry. "Spells, for instance. A few hexes...a jinx or two. Some curses, of the unforgiveable variety." He glanced over at Hermione, wondering if she might object to Harry clandestinly threatening a house elf with the Cruciatus curse, however she seemed to have momentarily gone deaf.
Kreacher didn't seem to have an answer to this, he stomped his foot petulantly and asked "What does master want of Kreacher?"
"Back when were cleaning out Sirius'...I mean...when we were cleaning out my house, there was a locket we found in the drawing room. It had Salazar Slytherin's mark on it and would not open. Do you remember this locket?"
"Kreacher remembers this locket, a pricless heirloom of the great Slytherin."
Harry didn't care for Kreacher's commentary, but pressed on. "Did you take this locket Kreacher? We were throwing all that dark stuff out, as you well know. And as I know, you stole quite a lot of it to try and save. Did you take this locket, Kreacher? Don't lie to me, now."
Kreacher answered almost immediately "No, master. Kreacher wishes he had taken the locket, but it was taken by another." He seemed to be choosing his words carefully.
Harry was rather disappointed. This seemed to confirm that Mungdungus had taken the locket.
"We should be sure." Said Hermione suddenly. Harry looked up at her quizzically. "We should be sure it was actually Mungdungus that took the locket."
"Who else would?" asked Ron.
"Well, although it seems that Mungdungus is our most likely suspect, there's also Snape. Although he wasn't around the house that day, we should make sure we aren't chasing the wrong man."
Harry was rather taken aback. He hadn't considered that Snape would have taken the locket, as Snape hadn't at that point revealed his true colors. "Well, it does seem unlikely" he said, "being that he wasn't around the headquarters much, and he definately wasn't there that day..." He turned to Kreacher "Who took the locket?"
Kreacher stomped his foot petulantly again and seemed to be thinking fast of a way to get out of answering. Finally, he said "A member of the Order, Master."
"That's not good enough! I want to know the person's name!"
There was another long pause as Kreacher wracked his brain, probably trying to find a way out of inplicating whoever had liberated Slytherin's locket from the bin.
"Kreacher does not know, master. Kreacher is so sorry to not be able to tell master..."
Harry knew that was a load, and reacted quickly. "If you're lying, you have to punish yourself!" he said. Suddenly Kreacher ran accross the table, grabbed Ron's empty glass of firewhiskey and smashed it over his head. He looked angry and panicked, it had clearly been a very long time since he had punished himself.
"Now tell me the truth!" Harry shouted. Kreacher suddenly grinned at Harry and balled both of his fists together, punching himself in the groin.
"Ouch!" said Ron, looking a bit green.
Kreacher was obviously in a lot of pain, but grinned again. It was clear that he would rather hurt himself than help Harry out.
Harry looked around for an idea, when he saw Lupin, who had remained quiet for some time.
"You see this bloke here?" he said to Kreacher, jerking his thumb at Lupin. "Do you know who he is?" Kreacher flapped his head in a nod. It was clear that speaking would be difficult for him right now. "Very good, Kreacher. Do you know what he is?"
Hermione suddenly looked scandalized. "Harry! Shh, we're in public!" Lupin turned to her and said "Don't worry, this is the Hog's Head."
Nevertheless, Harry leaned forward, closer to Kreacher, who shied away from him slightly, and lowered his voice so that only the residents of this table could hear. "He's a werewolf, Kreacher. You know all about them, Kreacher?" Kreacher flapped an angry nod again. "Now, I don't know if he's quite developed a taste for house elf yet, but with the right sauces, I suppose..." He let himself trail off. He could see a slight smile on Lupin's face.
Kreacher grunted and spoke painfully "Master will do as master wishes." Great. It was clear that threatening Kreacher with being devoured by a werewolf wasn't going to do the trick, Kreacher was either willing to die, or didn't believe Harry would follow through on his threat.
Suddenly Hermione stood up and leaned accross the table, grabbing Kreacher by his loincloth and dragging him towards her. He gave out a yelp and tried to scramble away, but she held him tight. Then she lowered her head towards one of his filthy ears and whispered something. Harry couldn't hear it, but he saw Kreacher's eyes bulge out.
"Mungungus took the locket!" he said, and quickly disappeared with a crack.
There was silence for a while, which Ron eventually broke. "Hermione!" he croaked "What did you tell him?"
"Oh!" she said, "Just exactly what I would do to him if he didn't answer right then.
Ron and Harry exchanged a look. It was abundantly clear that Hermione had softened her stance on elf-rights in this case.
"And what was that?" asked Ron, a grin spreading accross his face.
"I might tell you..." she said "...when you're a bit older."
Ron raised his eyebrows and said "You're mad!" but there was admiration in his voice. Hermione looked pleased. Harry, also was relieved that they finally had a solid lead on the locket, but at the same time felt dimly crushed. He wondered if it was at all possible that Mungdungus had sold the locket.
"Well!" said Lupin suddenly. "It looks like you have a bit to go on Harry, and don't worry. If you catch up with Mundungus and he has sold it, I'm sure you could persuade him to tell you to whom it went. And If you can't, I'm sure Miss Granger could! Now I'm off to bed, I reccomend you three do the same, it's been a long day and you need your rest.
Lupin staggered off upstairs, looking careworn and tired. Hermione got up and strode over to the wizened bartender, whom Harry got the feeling yet again that he somehow knew. She came back a bit later and said "I've got us rooms, Numbers six and nine." She passed Harry a key with a six on it.
Harry didn't feel much like sleeping, but got up anyway and headed upstairs, hoping that Professer Trelawny had been wrong about the cleanliness of the beds at the Hog's Head Inn.