The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 53- Answers

Sabrina was very nervous over the next few days, as she waited for Kreacher to find Mundungus Fletcher.
Since so many things could go wrong, she was incredibly anxious, because without the Horcrux, Voldemort would never be defeated.
Eventually Kreacher returned from his mission, and immediately came to fetch Sabrina, after dropping Mundungus off at Grimmauld Place first.
Sabrina and Kreacher then travelled back there, to confront the thief, and find the Horcrux.

When they arrived, they saw Mundungus sitting on a chair, with Harry pointing his wand at the thief's face.
"Keep her away from me" shouted Mundungus, when he saw Sabrina step into the kitchen.
"Surely you're not still afraid of little old me" mocked Sabrina.
"You're supposed to be dead. I didn't recognise you properly last time, because everything happened so fast. But now I know who you are, and you are meant to be dead" replied Mundungus.
"Yes, well I've been going through a bit of a rebellious streak"
"You're a murderer!"
"True. But you haven't exactly got a clean record either"
"I never killed no one. Look, I panicked that night, it's not my fault Mad-Eye fell of his broom".

"What are you talking about?" Questioned Sabrina.
"The night I was moved to the Burrow a few weeks ago, Mundungus was supposed to have Mad-Eye Moody's back. But he disapparated like a coward, and Moody was killed" explained Harry.
"That wasn't my fault. I just got scared, and I didn't want to die. I didn't know Mad-Eye was gonna end up dead" insisted Mundungus.
"Yeah, well no one else disapparated" replied Ron coldly.
"Well, you're all just a bunch of bloody heroes then" murmured Mundungus.

"Look, we didn't bring you here to talk about your cowardice that night" admitted Harry.
"Then why did you send some lunatic house-elf after me? If it's about them goblets, I haven't got any left" replied Mundungus.
"It's not about the goblets either, although you are getting warmer. Now, shut up and listen. When you stole everything of value from this house, you took something that we would like back"
"Sirius never cared about any of his junk. I didn't think he'd mind".
Kreacher didn't take this comment well, and he charged at Mundungus, carrying a saucepan above his head, which he then used to hit Mundungus with.

"Call him off! That mental thing should be locked up!" Screamed Mundungus, as he pointed at the elf.
"Nice one Kreacher" praised Sabrina.
Kreacher grinned, and raised the saucepan again.
"Kreacher no" commanded Harry.
"Perhaps just one more, Master Harry, for luck" suggested Kreacher.
"We need him conscious. But if he needs persuading to hand over the answers we need, you can do the honours" promised Harry.
"Thank you very much, Master" replied Kreacher, as he bowed and took a few steps away from Mundungus.
"I'll give you whatever you want if you don't hurt me" promised Mundungus.

"Good. Well, we are looking for a locket that you stole. We would like you to return it" announced Harry.
"What kind of locket?" Questioned Mundungus.
Sabrina moved forward, and stared down at Mundungus.
"It is a locket that you stole from me. It fell out of my pocket when we were fighting. You took it and disapparated before I could stop you. It looked similar to this" said Sabrina, as she pulled out Regulus's locket from under her clothes, and showed it to Mundungus.
"I never would have stolen from you if I knew who you were... Was it valuable?" Asked Mundungus curiously.
"You've still got it?" Questioned Hermione excitedly.
"No, he's just wondering if he should've asked for more money for it" replied Ron.

"More? That wouldn't have been flaming difficult. I had to bleeding give it away" revealed Mundungus.
Sabrina felt her stomach drop.
They had been so close to getting the Horcrux back, but once again it alluded them.
"Why?" Questioned Harry.
"I was selling my stuff in Diagon Alley, when some Ministry hag came up and asked if I've got a license for trading in magical items. Bleeding snoop. She was gonna fine me, but she took a fancy to that locket. She told me that if I gave it to her for free, she would look the other way and let me off this time" answered Mundungus.
"Who was this woman?"
"I dunno. Just some Ministry hag. Little woman, with a silly pink bow on the top of her head. She also looked rather like a toad".

Harry gasped, and sparks exploded from his wand, setting Mundungus's eyebrows on fire, which Hermione had to quickly put out with water.
"You know who has the locket?" Questioned Sabrina.
Harry clenched his right hand, "I wish I didn't".
"If you know who has it, then we can dispose of this git, and get on with finding it" admitted Sabrina, as she pointed her wand at Mundungus.
"Please don't kill me" he begged.
"Don't be silly. We aren't going to kill you" reassured Hermione.
"She's right. They won't kill you, but I will" informed Sabrina.

Harry approached Sabrina with a stern look on his face.
"You can't kill him" insisted Harry.
"I've killed before. Really, it's not that big of a deal" lied Sabrina.
She knew that every time she killed someone, she ripped her soul apart. And she was not looking forward to doing it again.
"I know he's a scumbag and a thief, but he doesn't deserve to die" admitted Harry.
"I'm not going to kill him because he stole from me. I'm going to end his life, to save ours, and keep us hidden from those who would harm us" informed Sabrina.
"Would placing a memory charm on him be enough to please you?" Asked Hermione.

Sabrina shook her head, "Even powerful spells and memory charms can be broken. I know about Bertha Jorkins and the charm Barty Crouch placed on her, until it was broken by the dark lord. The dark lord is good at getting people to reveal things, and I can't risk him finding me. If Mundungus tells anyone that he saw us, our lives are over. We can't take that risk. You are the only one who can stop the dark lord, so we can't risk the Ministry or the Death Eaters getting their hands on you. Which is why we have to kill him".
Harry placed his hand onto Sabrina's arm, and pushed it down.
"It's a risk I am willing to take" informed Harry.

"You might be willing to risk your own life. But I'm not... The last time the Ministry found out about me, and my whereabouts, they killed my son. I will not go through pain like that ever again. After everything I've been through, I'm not about to be arrested, killed or tortured, because of a low life like Mundungus Fletcher" announced Sabrina.
"I won't tell anyone that I saw you" promised Mundungus.
"As if I believe anything you say. You're a liar and a thief" spat Sabrina.
"I am. But you are scary. And I wouldn't want to risk doing anything that would upset or anger you, now that I know who you are".

Sabrina sighed, "Fine. I'll let you live, because Harry here doesn't want you dead. But listen to me very carefully. If you tell anyone that you saw us, I will torture you until you die. Understand?".
Mundungus nodded his head, as he was too afraid to speak.
Harry then handed him back his wand, which he had taken from Mundungus before Sabrina had arrived.
Mundungus gripped his wand tightly, but made no attempt to attack them.
"Good. Now, get out of my sight, you worthless piece of filth" continued Sabrina.
Mundungus got up from his chair and ran out of the room as fast as his shaky legs could carry him.