Raised By Wolfstar: Slytherin Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

Chapter Ten: The Bribe

(Some heavy topics this chapter, including emotional abuse and mental health, just letting you all know.)

If Kreacher could escape a lake full of Inferi, Harry was confident that the capture of Mundungus would take a few hours at most, and he prowled the house all morning in a state of high anticipation. However, Kreacher did not return that morning or even that afternoon. By nightfall, Harry felt discouraged and anxious, and a supper composed largely of overcooked Baxters Vegetarian Carrot and Coriander soup from a couple cans Tracey had packed in her purse did nothing to help.

Kreacher did not return the following day, nor the day after that. However, two cloaked men had appeared in the square outside number twelve, and they remained there into the night, gazing in the direction of the house that they cannot see.

'They're Death Eaters, I'm sure of it,' said Theodore, as he, Harry, Allison, and Tracey watched from the drawing room windows. 'Do you think they know we're inside?'

'There is no way to be absolutely certain, but I don't believe they do,' said Allison, trying to remain stoic but Harry could tell she was scared. 'If they knew we were inside they'd send Snape after us, jinx's or not.'

'Do you guys think he's been in here and Moody's tongue-tie curse worked?' asked Tracey.

Harry thought back to the spill ink and how that mess and a few others couldn't have been caused by Mundungus over a year ago, they were much more fresh.

'Yeah, I think we here,' admitted Harry. 'Sometime within the past couple weeks, but I think the curses, hexes, and jinxes worked otherwise all the Death Eaters would be able to get in.'

'So they don't know we're here, they just know that this general area is somewhere we may potentially show up,' concluded Theodore.

'How do they know here is a potential place to be? Even the Blacks before Sirius didn't want people knowing about this place,' asked Harry.

'Dumbledore intercepted the will at the time, but it's Wizarding law that copies of wills are kept at the Ministry. Normally only very few people are allowed to see that will, but now that they have control obviously they've taken a peak,' explained Tracey.

The presence of the Death Eaters outside increased the ominous mood inside number twelves. They had not heard a word from anyone beyond Grimmauld Place since Remus' Patronus, and the strain was starting to tell. Restless and irritable, Allison had developed an annoying habit of playing with the Deluminator in her pocket. This was starting to get on the nerves of Theodore and Tracey who were trying to study The Tales of Beedle the Bard and One Minute Feasts - It's Magic! respectively.

'Harry, you have to distract her, mate,' begged Theodore on the third evening of Kreacher's absence when Harry came to see how the polyjuice potion was coming. He was holding The Tales of Beedle the Bard in one hand and Allison's copy of Rune Dictionary in the other. 'Dumbledore left me this book for a reason and I intend to find out why, but I can't read it in the dark. I also can't safely brew this potion with the lights out either.'

'She's just stressed about people she cares about and what's going to happen when Kreacher brings Mundungus here,' retorted Harry in defence of his girlfriend.

'I know Harry, I'm not blaming her, but this can't go on. Just talk to her, I think she's in the drawing room.'

'Yeah, alright,' Harry agreed as he got up and walked up the first flight of stairs.

When he entered the drawing room he found Allison sitting by the window, absentmindedly clicking the Deluminator as she stared at the Death Eater's bellow.

'Is it a pleasant view?' Harry asked to announce his presence.

'No, but someone has to keep watch,' she said solemnly, subconsciously still clicking the Deluminator.