SURPRISES | Draco Malfoy

75

We found ourselves in a house later. There wasn't anyone there. I was standing in a room. Ron was in the door opening. Harry and Hermione were somewhere upstairs.

"Hey! I found something!" I yelled.

Harry and Hermione came downstairs.

"There are two death eaters outside. They can't see us, but we have to be careful when we leave." Ron said.

"Come check this out." I said. I closed the door. I read the text on it out loud.

Do Not Enter
Without the Express Permission of
Regulus Arcturus Black

"Regulus Arcturus Black. R.A.B." I then said.

Hermione gasped. Ron nodded.

"R.A.B. was Sirius' brother." Ron said.

"Yes. Question is, did he actually destroy the real Horcrux?" Hermione said.

Harry nodded. "Stop! I order you!" He then yelled.

"Kreacher..." Ron said.

"Been spying on us, have you?" Harry asked.

"Kreacher has been... watching. Kreacher always watches." The elf said.

"Maybe he knows." I said.

Harry took the locket and dangles it before Kreacher's eyes.

"Ever seen this before?" Harry asked.

Kreacher grumbled.

"Kreacher, I own this place. Sirius left it to me. Which means I own you too." Harry said.

"That was Master Regulus' locket." Kreacher said.

"That's right. But there were two, weren't there?" Harry said.

Kreacher nodded.

"Where's the other one?" I asked.

"Kreacher doesn't know where the other locket is." He replied.

"But was it here? Did you ever see it?" Hermione asked.

Kreacher spun around. "Filthy Mudblood, the death eaters will soon be coming for you!"

Ron snatched Kreacher by the neck. "Blood-traitor Weasley." Kreacher managed to say.

"Ron. Ron!" Hermione said. Ron realeased the elf.

"Answer her." Harry said.

"Yes. It was here, in this house. A most evil object." Kreacher said.

"How do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Before he died, Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to destroy it. It was the last thing he asked of Kreacher. But no matter how Kreacher tried, he could not." Kreacher explained.

"Where is it now? Did someone take it, Kreacher?" I asked.

He nodded. "He came in the night. He took many things, including the locket."

"Who, Kreacher? Who was it?" Harry asked.

"Mundungus. Mundungus Fletcher." He replied.

We exchanged a look.

"Find him." Harry said.

With that, Kreacher disappeared.

. . .

That night we were still sitting in the kitchen. We were looking at newspapers.

"Harry Potter! So long it's been-" Another house elf, I recognized to be Dobby, said as they appeared in the kitchen. I let out a soft scream.

"Dobby?" I asked.

"Miss Snape!" He said in a happy voice. I knew him from the Malfoy Manor.

Kreacher's hand pushed Dobby away. Mundungus rolled to his feet.

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione said.

Mundungus' wand flew into the air, into Hermione's hand.

"As requested, Kreacher has returned with the thief Mundungus Fletcher!" Kreacher said.

"Dobby has also returned with the thief Mundungus Fletcher!" Dobby said.

"What are you playing at, setting a pair of bleeding house-elves on me!" Mundungus said.

"Dobby was only trying to help! Dobby saw Kreacher in Diagon Alley, which Dobby thought was curious. And then Dobby heard Kreacher mention Harry Potter's name, which Dobby thought was very curious. And then Dobby saw that Kreacher was talking to the thief Mundungus Fletcher, which Dobby thought was very, very-" Dobby explained.

"I'm no thief, you foul little git. I'm a purveyer of rare and wondrous objects." Mundungus cut him off.

"You're a thief, Dung. Everyone knows it." Ron said.

We turned around, seeing Ron stand in the doorway.

"Master Weasley! So good to see you again!" Donny said, happily.

Ron nodded.

"Wicked trainers." Ron said. Dobby smiled.

"Listen, I panicked that night, all right? I never volunteered to die for you, mate. Can I help it if Mad-Eye fell off his broom." Mundungus said.

"Stop lying!" Hermione said.

Hermione began to move toward Mundungus. Ron reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders. He gave Mundungus a look.

"Piece of advice. Let's not rehash old times. Got it... mate?" Ron said.

"When you turned this place over, don't deny it, you found a locket, am I right?" Harry asked.

"Why? Was it valuable?" Mundungus asked.

"You've still got it." Hermione said.

"No. He's worried he should have got more money for it." I concluded.

"Wouldn't be difficult, would it? Bleeding gave it away, didn't I? There I was, pitching me wares in Diagon Alley when some ministry hag comes up and asks to see my license. Says she's of a mind to lock me up and would've, too, she hadn't taken a fancy to that locket." Mundungus said.

"Who was she, this witch?" Harry asked.

"Well, she's right there, in't she?" He answered. He pointed to a Prophet where a woman blinks from the front page:
Dolores Umbridge.

[a/n] lets go and visit our favorite professor 😎