Chapter 15:
Harry had vanished behind the newspaper which Lupin had left behind and Alicia was staring at the fireplace. She had no doubt in her mind that, regardless of what she and Harry had said, it was for the best if Lupin returned to Tonks, that was all that mattered. And then there was her thought on Snape. No one knew were he was but he didn't have to hide anymore, the Ministry was with Voldemort, and if that was the case would he do as Dumbledore had wished for after he was gone? Would he go to Hogwarts, and look after those who were now forced to attend?
Alicia frowned, for Severus, he couldn't complete that whole-fully, there was no way he could protest against keeping the muggle-borns out of the school, he could not protect them all. Alicia wondered if he resented that he could not properly serve Dumbledore, even in death, in order to keep up his regime with Voldemort as his number one servant.
There was also the fact that there were two seats then in the school to be filled, two teachers. It seemed likely that no one good would be put upon them… Alicia worried for Ginny, and Neville, and Luna who were all going back to sit under this all. None would be killed, but that didn't mean they weren't in for a highlighted year.
And we're not even there this time. Alicia mumbled.
Ron and Hermione were still exchanging silent looks of communication, hidden and kept from Harry who had disappeared behind the Prophet, engaged soulfully in something, when there was a deafening crack echoing around the kitchen.
Alicia jumped and looked up surprised to find a mass of struggling limbs that had appeared out of thin air right beside Harry's chair. The four all stood surprised and moved around to look more carefully as Kreacher disentangled himself and, bowing low to Harry, croaked, "Kreacher has returned with the thief Mundungus Fletcher, Master."
Mundungus scrambled up and pulled out his wand; Hermione, however, was too quick for him.
"Expelliarmus!"
Mundungus's wand soared into the air, and Hermione caught it. Wild-eyed, Mundungus dived for the stairs: Ron rugby-tackled him and Mundungus hit the stone floor with a muffled crunch.
"What?" he bellowed, writhing in his attempts to free himself from Ron's grip. "Wha've I done? Setting a bleedin' 'ouse-elf on me, what are you playing at, wha've I done, lemme go, lemme go, or —"
"You're not in much of a position to make threats," said Harry. He threw aside the newspaper, crossed the kitchen in a few strides, and dropped to his knees beside Mundungus, who stopped struggling and looked terrified.
"And as for what you've done I'm sure I could list off a whole number of things that will start with Mad-Eye Moody." Alicia snapped at him also approaching.
Ron got up, panting, and watched as Harry pointed his wand deliberately at Mundungus's nose.
"Kreacher apologises for the delay in bringing the thief, Master, Mistress," croaked the elf. "Fletcher knows how to avoid capture, has many hidey-holes and accomplices. Nevertheless, Kreacher cornered the thief in the end."
"You've done really well, Kreacher," said Harry, and the elf bowed low.
"Thank you." Alicia smiled
"Right, we've got a few questions for you," Harry told Mundungus, who shouted at once,
"I panicked, okay? I never wanted to come along, no offence, mate, but I never volunteered to die for you, an' that was bleedin' You-Know-Who come flying at me, anyone woulda got outta there, I said all along I didn't wanna do it —"
"For your information, none of the rest of us Disapparated," said Hermione.
"Well, you're a bunch of bleedin' 'eroes then, aren't you, but I never pretended I was up for killing meself —"
"We're not interested in why you ran out on Mad-Eye," said Harry, moving his wand a little closer to Mundungus's baggy, bloodshot eyes. "We already knew you were an unreliable bit of scum."
"Well then, why the 'ell am I being 'unted down by 'ouse-elves? Or is this about them goblets again? I ain't got none of 'em left, or you could 'ave 'em —"
"It's not about the goblets either, although you're getting warmer," said Harry. "Shut up and listen."
"If you hadn't raided our house Dung you wouldn't be here, so you are now going to pay for such a crime, and we know just what you sentence can be." Alicia said smiling down at him from behind Harry, her wand twirling between her fingers. "You stole from us and you stole something important. And because of that you've made things harder, so seeing as we're frustrated, irritated and you're wandless I'd stop wasting our time and just be silent!" she said snarling.
The thief stared up at her, eyes widened as Harry moved his wand closer to him, making Mundungus move his gaze back to it. Harry's wand was now so close to the bridge of Mundungus's nose that Mundungus had gone cross-eyed trying to keep it in view.
"When you cleaned out this house of anything valuable," Harry began, but Mundungus interrupted him again.
"Sirius never cared about any of the junk —"
There was the sound of pattering feet, a blaze of shining copper, an echoing clang, and a shriek of agony: Kreacher had taken a run at Mundungus and hit him over the head with a saucepan.
"Call 'im off, call 'im off, 'e should be locked up!" screamed Mundungus, cowering as Kreacher raised the heavy-bottomed pan again.
"Kreacher, no!" shouted Harry.
Kreacher's thin arms trembled with the weight of the pan, still held aloft.
"Perhaps just one more, Master Harry, for luck?"
Ron laughed.
"We need him conscious, Kreacher, but if he needs persuading you can do the honours," said Harry.
"Don't see how one more could do any harm." Alicia mumbled
"Thank you very much, Master," said Kreacher with a bow, and he retreated a short distance, his great pale eyes still fixed upon Mundungus with loathing. Alicia turned back to Mundungus as she kneeled beside Harry.
"It doesn't matter what Sirius thought you still had absolutely no right to take any of it!" she hissed at him.
"When you stripped this house of all the valuables you could find," Harry began again, "you took a bunch of stuff from the kitchen cupboard. There was a locket there. What did you do with it?"
"Why?" asked Mundungus. "Is it valuable?"
"You've still got it!" cried Hermione.
"No, he hasn't," said Ron shrewdly. "He's wondering whether he should have asked more money for it."
"More?" said Mundungus. "That wouldn't have been effing difficult… bleedin' gave it away, di'n' I? No choice."
"Oh well it'll be a serious sting to the heart when I tell you it was Slytherin's locket and it's priceless." Alicia grinned. He stared at her before she continued. "Why'd you give it away?"
"I was selling in Diagon Alley and she come up to me and asks if I've got a license for trading in magical artefacts. Bleedin' snoop. She was gonna fine me, but she took a fancy to the locket an' told me she'd take it and let me off that time, and to fink meself lucky."
"Who was this woman?" asked Harry.
"I dunno, some Ministry hag."
Mundungus considered for a moment, brow wrinkled.
"Little woman. Bow on top of 'er head." Alicia's eyes widened as he frowned and then added, "Looked like a toad."
Alicia's mouth dropped open and Harry dropped his wand. It hit Mundungus on the nose and shot red sparks into his eyebrows, which ignited.
"Aguamenti!" 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 Alicia's, Ron's and Hermione's faces.
"Of all the people…" Alicia mumbled looking exasperated but then she grinned slightly "Well guess this is our chance to pay her back in full." she said but the three didn't seem to share her enthusiasm.
"Alicia, we have to get to the Undersecretary of the Minister of Magic." Hermione whispered. Alicia however turned to Mundungus.
"Thanks for that you were a great help but also a disgrace and caused us unnecessary trouble now!" she snapped and pointed her wand. Mundungus made to move but she stunned him instantly, causing the man to flop onto the stone floor and lay still.
"What are you doing?" Hermione demanded.
"Like you're complaining." Alicia said but she kept her eyes on Mundungus and looked in high concentration as she continued to point her wand.
"That should do it." she mumbled. "Kreacher," he ran forwards instantly with his pot. "Can you take Mundungus back to where you last found him, and give him a good enough clonk on the head so that when he wakes up, he feels it. But only one, and then come right back."
"What did you do?" Hermione demanded as Kreacher disappeared with both Mundungus and his copper pot looking absolutely delighted.
"What? You want Mundungus of all people telling everyone we're at Grimmuald Place and were asking questions about Slytherin's locket which is in the Ministry of Magic?" Alicia asked as she stood to her feet. "I erased his memory of the last hour. That way he never knows Kreacher even got him." she said smiling and the three looked at her.
"Brilliant." Ron grinned and she bowed.
"Now the question is, what do we do about Umbridge?" Alicia sighed "Anyone know where she lives?"
None of them answered this question but Harry had a different idea,
"We're gonna break into the Ministry." Hermione gasped and Ron stared shocked.
"You realise we can't just break in, right?" Alicia said "Last time was the middle of the night and Voldemort had made it so there was no one there, so we could get to the Department of Mysteries. This time we have to go during the day to find Umbridge, we'll need disguises and information, we don't even know what floor Umbridge's office is on, or if she's still even got it—"
"We'll need to plan." Harry nodded "But it's our only option, we can't just leave it, we need the Horcrux, it's what this whole things about." Alicia stared at him
"It's weird to think we've been away from the Burrow, seventeen and starting our mission for a week and seem to be succeeding so well, I can see this entire plan failing, before it's already thought of, just so the world can put the balance back together." she admitted
"We've all been to the Ministry, we know the general layout—"
"We used the visitors entrance." Alicia reminded him, "We cant just walk in, disguised or not." Alicia cut him off.
"So we use the offical entrance." Ron had finally spoken up. "I know where it is." Harry waved an arm in his direction as a motion for Alicia to prove his point.
"I thought people apparated?" Alicia said
"There's still an entrance for the employees, like those who live close enough to not apparate." Ron shrugged.
"Alright, that doesn't help us get inside and then know what to do?" Alicia said "This is the ministry. It's over run by Death Eaters." she said the words slowly so they understood.
"We'll need to stake out the entrance." Hermione said though she did not at all sound confident. "Ears drop, see what we can find out, learn information."
"Alicia, Harry and I can use the cloak, take it in turns to listen and watch." Ron said and Hermione and Alicia looked at him
"Why not Hermione?" Alicia said "She'll see and hear more than anyone else?"
"She's on the Muggle Registration." Ron said
"Oh honestly!" Hermione snapped
"And Harry's the most wanted." Alicia shrugged
"So you and I can go." Ron shrugged
"Right cause I'm not wanted too. And you Ron, are supposed to be at home sick. You get seen and your whole families in danger." Alicia said. "The four of us will take it in turns to learn and then… figure out where to go from there."
"Are we seriously going to break into the Ministry?" Hermione whispered
"Yep… and all hells gonna break loose." Alicia believed.