Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"R.A.B. is Sirius's brother?" Ron asked, all of them sat around the table in the kitchen, staring at the fake Horcrux in front of them.
"Yes," Hermione nodded, "question is, did he actually destroy the real Horcrux?"
A clattering in the pantry attracted all their attention, Cedric quietly rising from his chair and moving to the door, his wand drawn at his side. His hand pulled the door open, grabbing a protesting Kreacher out into the kitchen.
"You've been spying on us, have you?" Harry spat as the house elf hid behind a pile of books.
"Kreacher has been watching." he replied simply.
"Maybe he knows where the real locket is?" Hermione suggested.
Harry grabbed the fake one from the table and dangling it by the chain, "Have you ever seen this before? Kreacher?"
He stuttered, "It's Master Regulus's locket."
"But there were two, weren't there? Where's the other one?"
"Kreacher doesn't know where the other locket is.
Hermione piped up, "Yes, but did you ever see it? Was it in this house?"
"Filthy mudblood!" Kreacher roared, cowering back, "Death Eaters are coming for you!" Ron stepped on front of Hermione as the elf raced forward, "Blood traitor, Weasley!"
"Answer her." Harry demanded.
"Yes," the elf stumbled back, "it was here in this house. A most evil object."
"How do you mean?"
"Before Master Regulus died, he ordered Kreacher to destroy it, but no matter how hard Kreacher tried, he could not do it."
"Well, where is it now? Did someone take it?"
"He came in the night. He took many things, including the locket."
"Who did? Who was it, Kreacher?"
"Mundungus. Mundungus Fletcher."
"Find him." Harry ordered, the elf bowing his head slightly and disappearing with a crack.
Lori winced as heat seared through her leg, her fingers wrapping around her galleon, "It's a message from Katie, she's on the train."
"The train?" Hermione asked, confused, "But she left school last year."
"Apparently they were all made to come back, Ced's year too," she looked at them sadly, "Death Eaters were searching for us."
*
The Snitch hovered in the front room, Ron playing an off-key rendition of Für Elise on the piano, Hermione smiling beside him.
