Harry Potter
Book 7
The Society of Dragons
Chapter 4
The Banshee, The Elf, and the Traitor
It was early the following morning since Harry had arrived at Number 12 Grimmuald Place. The following night had been clear. The order left, leaving Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lupin, The Dursley's, and an unknown set of guests in the upper floors.
Lupin had made it clear to leave them alone.
"I don't care about what you do Harry" He had said "Just don't bother them, they have been through enough tragedy. Ignore that they are here. They are under the Orders protection."
Harry left it alone. Occasionally he saw Kreacher, the House of Black's house elf occasionally go up there with food from time to time.
Once Harry went downstairs for Breakfast, he found Mrs. Weasly making breakfast, with Ron and Hermione already eating with Lupin reading the Daily Prophet. Its headline "Death Eaters Strike in Muggle community."
"Harry dear" Mrs. Weasley said "Come, come, sit and have a nice bowl of porridge and sausage."
Harry sat and ate, loving the cooking of Mrs. Weasley as he always had. The Dursley's had come down to the kitchen, with grim looks on their faces as if they are about to be attacked. Dudley looked pale and Aunt Petunia looked like she had been crying all night. Mrs. Weasley gave them their Breakfast and sat far from Him and the others, at the other end of the table.
Kreacher walked in, carrying a silver platter and returning it to Mrs. Weasley
"Filthy muggles entering the noble house of Black" he said disgustingly under his breath.
Hermione gave him a nudge and he nodded
"Kreacher, wait, we need to talk." Harry said, as the Elf turned around.
Mrs. Weasley looked up from the hot stove, where Lupin glanced up from the paper.
"Ah, Master Potter, how may I be of service" he said softly
"We need to know something about Sirius Brother, Regulus Black." Harry said,
"What does a blood traitor want to do with him?" he said with a mean grin
"We need to know" Hermione said pulling the Fake locket out from her pocket "Did you ever see this before, or one like it"
Kreacher froze, his eyes widened and stared at the locket, shivering
"Kreacher" Ron said "Answer Hermione."
"Why do you want to know" He backed away."
"Kreacher, what do you know" Harry said
Harry starred at the frightened elf, he had never seen Kreacher this way before. He knew something and Harry was going to find out.
"M-master Regulus ordered me to come with him one day" he said in a soft whimper "I obeyed as any house elf would. We journeyed to a cave, long far away. He cut his hand on a rock and a passage opened up. We climbed into a boat, to a small island in the lake in the cave. It was dark, he ordered me not to touch the water. We entered the island, a small basin with a potion lied in the center."
Flashes of Harry's trip to the Cave with Dumbledore slashed through his mind, sending back awful memories.
"He ordered me to keep him drinking, at all costs. I asked him that I do it but he said it would take no effect on me. He drank, and jerked. I kept giving it to him. Finally, the locket was free, I grabbed it. And saw Master Regulus on the ground. He ordered me to take it away, far from here, and destroy it. I wouldn't leave him but he was dragged under the surface. To be forgotten, except for me. I came back here, and tried all means to destroy it, but nothing would break it. I kept it in the attic with all my other belongings. But that traitor came and took it, in the night. Oh how I lost my Masters orders"
"Who took it Kreacher" Harry asked
With an evil grin of disgust he said "Mudungus Fletcher"
Harry stood up. Last year, Harry had caught Mudungus stealing. He had the Locket the whole time.
"Kreacher" Harry said "Find Mudungus and bring him here. Do what ever you need to do, even if it means brining him back in pieces. Alive though"
With a smile, and for the first time obeying willingly he said softly "Yes Master Harry"
With a snap, he vanished.
"What was that all about?" Mrs. Weasley spoke, spatula in hand, burning the porridge
"Our mission" Ron said
Mrs. Weasley grumbled and continued to cook.
"Do you trust him?" Lupin said
"Yes" Harry said "Kreacher has been through a lot, he deserves to be trusted"
"What was that thing" Dudley said
"Dudders" Aunt Petunia said "Remember what I said, ignore everything in this place."
"It was a house elf" Lupin said "They serve and clean and cook for the richest of families in our world."
Aunt Petunia stood up and ordered Dudley to follow her back to their room.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked up to their floor when they heard arguing
"The guests you supposed?" Ron said, biting into a Bernie Bots Every Flavor Beans.
"Ignore them remember" Hermione said "Lets focus on the mission."
Harry went for the door knob when the guests got louder, to the point where they heard it all.
"I'm sorry mum, but we have to do something. They killed Father!" said a familiar boy.
"No Draco, we must stay put, the Order shall protect us. It will keep us safe. No more discussions." Narcissa Malfoy said.
They all stared at each other. The Malfoy's where here?
Harry ran up the stairs Wand out and ready.
"Harry wait!" Hermione said, trying to pass Ron, who was backing up Harry with his wand drawn as well "We should talk to Lupin. Wait!"
Harry burst into the room, wand raised to find Narcissa sitting in a sofa, and Draco walking past the mirror. Him and Ron's wands pointed at each of them
"Potter!" Malfoy said with disgust.
"Harry put your wands down!" Lupin said bursting past Harry and Ron, standing between the Malfoy's and Harry. "There here under the Orders protection."
Harry lowered his wand "Protection!" Harry couldn't believe they would need it.
"He tried to kill Dumbledore! And She is married to Voldemort's right hand man!" Harry argued.
"Was" Narcissa rose as she spoke "The Dark Lord killed my Husband a month ago, and we escaped. We are no longer in his grasp. We wanted peace Werewolf, I thought this place of all would be perfect obviously I was wrong."
"Dumbledore ensured your protection here" Lupin said "I am here to guard you, your son, and the three of them. Harry, Ron, Hermione, out! And I don't ever want you to come up here again!"
Lupin shooed them down to their room and walked away.
"The Malfoy's?" Ron said "Blimey, who would have thought."
Harry spent the rest of the day, pacing the room, waiting for the slightest chance that Kreacher would return with Mudungus. By nightfall, Harry had decided to check downstairs before turning in. He walked passed the second landing when he heard sobs.
He entered the Dursley's room. His Aunt was looking out the window, crying.
He had never once questions how the Dursley's felt but something in him decided to try.
"Aunt Petunia" Harry struggled to talk. "Are…You fine?"
She turned with a snotty look on he face
"Boy, never you mind, go back to your own friends and leave me" She said
Harry turned to leave but he refaced her "You had a magical wand from my mum and you never gave it to me or threw it out. You and Uncle Vernon hated Magic. Why did you keep it?"
"I kept it because….because " She sobbed again "It reminded me of her. Your mother. She gave it to me for protection. I couldn't let it go.
"You do care for her" Harry said "After all you said about hating her and treating her like she was scum, you really were jealous?"
"You didn't loose a mother that night boy, " she said " I lost a sister, a friend."
She turned to face him
"Me and Dudley are leaving tomorrow morning, were headed to Marge's House. The Order will protect us there." she said "You must win Harry. You must defeat the man who took her Away from me. From….us. Make sure you win."
She turned back to the window, sobbing. For the first time, Harry had seen the good in her. He smiled and turned to leave
"You can visit any time you want boy" she spoke her final words to him "Just make sure you win"
Harry left, not knowing if that was the last time he would ever see her. He bumped into Dudley on the way down, making him drop his eggs and sausage.
"Oh sorry Dudley" Harry said, walking past him
"Hey" Dudley said "Make sure you pay for my father"
Harry turned around and smiled "I plan on it."
"Avenge him Harry" Dudley said, extending out his hand "sorry for all the times I was mean."
They shook hands. He and Aunt Petunia couldn't erase the horrible memories from the past, but they could start working on a new future.
Harry left Dudley to his eating and arrived in the kitchen, where Ron and Hermione were at the Piano, Hermione teaching Ron how to play. Ron however, was horrible.
"Ah Harry dear" Mrs. Weasley said "Listen we must talk, direct message from Dumbledore. You, Ron, and Hermione aren't allowed to go to the wedding. Strict security reasons."
"What?" Ron said getting up from the piano "I cant attend my brothers wedding. This is bull."
"Watch your language Ronald" she said "I wish it were the other way but Dumbledore said to continue on your mission."
She then apparated out, leaving the three of them alone.
Harry eventually went to bed, hoping Kreacher to return soon, for the Locket was the next part of their plan. Once with that in his possession, Harry would destroy it somehow, then the Cup of Hufflepuff would be next.