Secrets, Lies and the Daily Prophet (Alt. Fifth Year Fic)

Chapter Seven - Mundungus Fletcher

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Arabella made a large breakfast of scrambled eggs, kippers, potatoes, tea and toast for herself and Sirius.

After they were finished, she called Albus Dumbledore by the fire on her stove.

"Albus, I accept your new assignment. I've already started training my replacement and working on his assimilation in the neighbourhood. I do have a question for you though."

"And what is that?" asked Dumbledore.

"Doesn't Hagrid offer to procure magical ingredients for Mr. Ollivander? I was planning on going to Diagon Alley soon and wouldn't want to miss seeing my favourite wand maker."

Dumbledore nodded. "Why yes, I believe that Hagrid will probably be helping Mr. Ollivander very soon."

"I also wanted to set up an appointment to see you in person. I think there are many details that we need to discuss regarding my future assignment."

"Why don't you meet me in my office this Friday at eleven. The students will be leaving that morning on the Hogwarts Express and we can discuss things over lunch."

"Thank you, Albus," she replied and watched as his head disappeared from the flames.

Mundungus Fletcher was contacted next. Arabella told him that she needed to speak with him in person because she had dire news for him. Minutes later, Fletcher appeared at her hearth. He was a large, crotchety old wizard with a grizzled beard and large gaps between his teeth. Arabella told him the situation regarding Voldemort's return and then told him of Sirius's innocence. At that point Sirius came out of the kitchen and showed himself. Fletcher was astounded at how Sirius looked and nodded in approval. He then started on a tirade regarding Fudge and how he thought the Ministry of Magic was filled with incompetents, fools, and Death Eaters. He started reminiscing about the war against Grindlewald, but Arabella steered the conversation back to getting Fletcher to agree to watch over the Zone when she needed to take Sirius out for errands. She then made telephone calls to make optical and dental appointments for Sirius that day.

Arabella introduced Sirius to the wonders of Muggle bus transportation and gave him a broad overview of Little Whinging. They went clothes shopping and picked up several bags worth of Muggle clothing for Sirius. They also picked up some travelogues of Australia as well as the movie "A Cry in the Dark" which was set in Australia. While he was at the dentist he had his teeth cleaned, x-rays taken and they made further appointments to fill six cavities. His eye appointment resulted in ordering bifocal extended-wear coloured contact lenses that would be ready in a few days. Arabella had to use a little suggestive magic with both the receptionists at the dentist and optometrist offices that the identification cards shown to them were for Joseph O'Brien. Earlier over the phone she had used some suggestive magic to make available appointments suddenly appear on their schedules.

They arrived home in the late afternoon to find Mundungus Fletcher in an irritable mood. His inability to communicate with the cats made it difficult for him to perform surveillance in the Zone without spending the entire time staring at the monitor hoping to not spot any suspicious activity.

"Mundungus, would you like to stay for dinner?" asked Arabella. "I'm going to make meatloaf."

"Sounds good," he grumbled in reply. "I don't know how your cats sit and look at these monitors all day. Little blips from fairies and pixies were constantly on the screen. Every time I went to the loo, those cats kept taking my seat leaving all their damned hair on it. I hope you get all your errands run soon. I don't really want to do this everyday."

"Why don't you come downstairs and talk with me while I get dinner ready? I've got a little whiskey if you'd care for a nip."

Mundungus got up and stumbled down the stairs complaining about his sore back and legs.

Sirius whispered in Arabella's ear. "Why did you have to invite him to stay? It's been hard enough being near you all day and not being able to touch you, but with him having dinner it'll be hours before we can..."

She gave him a sly smile. "I know, but we need to make sure he'll come here to relieve us for the next week or so. I won't feel safe leaving you here or sending you out in the Muggle world alone until you are properly armed with a wand. Until then we need him to help us out. I want him to feel appreciated, besides we'll have the rest of the night for ourselves."

After dinner and after Fletcher's monologue about his mistrust of the Ministry, Sirius gave a large yawn and stretched his arms. Fletcher seemed to get the hint and grumbled something about needing to get home.

"I'll see you in the morning at ten. Thanks for dinner, Arabella. Good seeing you again, Sirius," he said as he prepared to step in her fireplace. He threw the Floo powder and called, "The Hovel!" and disappeared into the flames.

Arabella waited a few moments, extinguished the flames, closed the flue, and magically disconnected her house from the Floo network.

Sirius pulled her towards him and said softly in her ear, "You need to take that antidote right now or I'm going to start having lewd thoughts about my grandmother."

Arabella pulled a small bottle out of her pocket. She had barely gotten the drops under her tongue when Sirius was already pulling the pins out of her hair. The change wasn't quite complete when he started to open the snaps of her housedress.

"Sirius, I bought something today that I'd like to change into."

He shook his head. "Later. I want you right now, right here and naked." His hands started to unsnap her brassiere and then he stopped. "No one can see in these windows can they?"

"No. I charmed them from Day One," she replied.

"Good," he said as he started kissing the base of her neck.

Arabella found herself responding to the touch of his hands roaming over her body. She started to imagine that they would probably make love in every room of this house by the time she had to leave for Hogwarts. Like that would be a bad thing, she mused. Her hands fumbled with the buttons on his shirt and then they slid down his chest and unzipped his trousers. She found that his aging twenty years had no adverse impact on his virility. Soon they were exploring the depths of their passion on the living room floor.

Author's Note: Next Chapter will be through Harry Potter's POV.