Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.
Sensing a presence besides that of Hermione, Harry awoke from his slumber.
He disentangled himself from Hermione's relaxed grip and sat up in bed. A shadow was standing across from him. He grabbed his wand from under his pillow and was about to curse the hell out of the intruder when he stepped forward and revealed himself.
'Quietly Harry,' Dumbledore said, 'we have business to attend.'
Harry relaxed slightly. 'What are you doing here?' he asked softly, so as not to awaken his sleeping girlfriend.
Dumbledore motioned for Harry to follow him out into the common room, and then stepped out to let him get dressed. Harry let out a frustrated breath, before getting out of bed, quickly dressing, and following his mentor.
Hermione rolled over in her sleep, but remained unconscious.
Harry closed the door quietly behind him. 'What are you doing here?' he repeated, a little louder this time.
'As I said,' Dumbledore replied, 'we have business to attend.'
'Spit it out already,' Harry growled impatiently.
'Members of the Order of the Phoenix have a special way of communicating. Not long ago I received an urgent message for assistance.'
'And?' Harry prompted.
'The message was from Mundungus Fletcher.'
Mundungus Fletcher. Slytherin's Locket.
'I'll get my wand.'
'I thought you might.'
Two softly muffled cracks heralded the arrival of Harry and Dumbledore.
They stood on a hilltop overlooking a Muggle village in the North East of England. The wind pulled savagely at their robes. Dumbledore ignored this and raised his arm, closing his eyes in concentration.
'We're just outside the Death Eaters Anti-Apparition wards,' he said over the roar of the wind. 'Mundungus is down there in that village.'
'Can you break them?'
'I can do better,' Dumbledore replied, opening his eyes and looking at Harry. 'I'm going to punch a small hole in them that will allow us to come and go as we please. It should be small enough so that the Death Eaters won't even realise until it's too late. A moment.'
He closed his eyes again. Harry watched impatiently. Finally, Dumbledore opened his eyes, and smiled.
'Grab my arm and I will take us to Mundungus' last known location.'
'Sure you're up to it?' Harry asked, arcing an eyebrow at the older wizard.
Dumbledore very nearly glared. 'I just don't want to end up splinched,' Harry explained.
Dumbledore offered his arm as his answer.
'I think I'll just follow you,' Harry said, thinking better of it.
Dumbledore retracted his arm and without another word, Apparated into the village. Harry followed a second later.
They stood together in the middle of a debris-strewn room. Over in the corner were the remains of a Muggle television. It looked like someone had taken a sledgehammer to the screen. The walls were strained with black, burnt marks, and the pictures on the walls were crooked, or fallen and smashed on the floor. Behind them, they took in the broken remains of a bed. The comforter had been split open and was spilling stuffing, the bed frame cracked down the middle.
'Looks like he is in trouble,' Harry observed, wandering over to the only window in the room and peering through the cracked glass.
'It would appear our dear Mundungus has run afoul of Voldemort's Death Eaters,' Dumbledore commented.
'I'd say that's a certainty,' Harry agreed. Looking out of the upstairs window, he watched as a squad of three Death Eaters strolled down the deserted street, pointing wands, and obviously searching for someone. 'Take a look.'
Dumbledore moved up next to him to do just that. 'They appear to be searching for Mundungus.'
'So where is he?'
'Judging from the damage in this room,' Dumbledore said, 'I think it safe to assume he has moved on from here. He will be nearby, awaiting our help.'
'Unless they've already found him and he's dead,' Harry pointed out.
'Ah, Harry, ever the pessimist.'
'It's a possibility.'
'Well, as those Death Eaters are still searching, let us assume otherwise,' Dumbledore announced, turning from the window. 'Mundungus will be in this village somewhere. It will be our job to find him.' Dumbledore gave Harry a compromising look. 'Dead or alive.'
They descended the stairs to the ground floor and stealthily exited the deserted house. The street was devoid of Death Eaters for the moment, so they took the opportunity to look around. All the houses appeared to be vacant. There was no sign of light save for the few street lamps.
'Looks like the Muggles have abandoned ship,' Harry said.
'So it would appear.'
'Unless they're dead,' Harry added jokingly, glancing at Dumbledore.
The old wizard allowed a smile small. 'We'll assume otherwise on that as well.'
'Well, it'll make our job easier. Pick a direction?'
Dumbledore pointed and they set off that way, down the street, staying close to cover. Tall trees lined the street on either side, so it was easy for them to move from tree to tree and stay relatively hidden. They hadn't gone far when Harry reached out and gripped Dumbledore's robes.
'You feel that?'
Dumbledore's face became instantly grave. 'Indeed I do.'
'Dementors.'
'This way Harry,' Dumbledore said, leading him up the path to another small house. The door was open, so they let themselves in. Harry shut the door behind him and sealed it with a locking spell. 'That won't stop them.'
'I know,' Harry said, 'but it'll slow them down.'
They moved into the next room and ducked down below the windowsill. They could just about see over the top, and watched as another squad of Death Eaters bore down on them. This one consisted of two wizards and one Dementor.
'Looks like they're using the Dementors to search for Fletcher,' Harry theorized. Even as he said the words, the Dementor stopped outside the house they currently hidden within and turned its robed head towards them. 'And, incidentally, us. Wonderful.'
The Dementor began its gliding way up the path towards the house, followed shortly by the two Death Eaters. 'Harry,' Dumbledore said, getting his attention, 'you banish the Dementor. I will deal with those others.'
>'Sure you can handle them?' Harry asked.
'I am Albus Dumbledore,' he replied sharply, 'not some cripple.'
'Fair enough.' Harry glanced around quickly. 'We've got the defensible position, so let's take the fight to them. Ready?'
'I am ready.'
'Alright.'
Harry suddenly got to his feet and pointed his wand at the window.
'Reducto!' The window before him shattered and sent flying shards of glass out at the Death Eaters and the Dementor. The Dementor was unaffected, but the Death Eaters had to fling themselves to the ground to avoid being struck. The Dementor moved on unafraid, closing in on them rapidly. Harry gripped his wand firmly and thought of Hermione's face. 'Expecto Patronum!'
The Dementor was almost upon Harry when his silvery stag burst to life and slammed into it. It was like watching someone get run over by a bike. The Dementor was trammelled underfoot and left reeling on the ground only long enough for the stag to turn and ram it one more time. The Dementor didn't stick around for much more punishment.
In the time it took for Harry's Patronus to do its job, Dumbledore had already immobilised his opponents, and was in the process of magically tying them up. Harry jumped through the now broken window and wandered over to where Dumbledore now stood.
'You didn't kill them?'
'I would prefer not to,' Dumbledore replied, finishing the job, and kneeling between the two unconscious Death Eaters. He made sure to touch both of them with his stumped arms. 'Back in a jiffy.'
Dumbledore and his two captives disappeared. Harry examined his shoes for a moment, until Dumbledore magically appeared at his side once again, sans captives.
'There,' Dumbledore said, 'now we can proceed with our search.'
'I'm assuming you delivered them to your European friend - the one with the nice prison?'
'You assume correctly,' Dumbledore said, a twinkle in his eye.
If Harry wasn't mistaken, he thought Dumbledore might just be enjoying this a little.
They hadn't gone much further when an explosion rocked the village. It came from a few streets over, lighting up the night with a brilliant orange glow. Multi-coloured lights shot into the air as some kind of battle ensued.
Harry and Dumbledore exchanged a quick look before dashing towards the scene of commotion. When Dumbledore lagged behind, Harry turned as he ran, and called back, 'I'll go on ahead! Catch up!'
That being said, and ignoring Dumbledore's protests, Harry picked up speed. He ran up the lawn of one of the houses and then down the side of the house. A fence blocked his way, but he easily vaulted over it. He crossed the next street without incident.
Now crouched behind the bins of the latest house, he looked across the street at the ruins of its neighbour. A huge hole had been blown in its side, explaining the explosion, and the house's upper floor leaned precariously. In the street, a gang of four Death Eaters stood firing spells up at the exposed upper floor, where Harry just about spotted Mundungus seeking cover behind a bed that was thankfully lodged against the wall.
He was in trouble. One of the Death Eaters, evidently smarter than the others, began firing destructive spells at the house, further weakening its structural integrity. Harry had to act quickly if he was to save the renegade member of the Order of the Phoenix.
Getting to his feet, Harry aimed his wand towards the Death Eater.
'Humus sepulchrum!'
Before the Death Eaters even knew what was happening, the street around them cracked in a huge circle, and earth rose up to enclose them in a dome like coffin. It would only hold them for so long.
Harry ran into the street. 'Fletcher, get your ass down here quick!'
Mundungus peered out from behind the bed and looked down on him, eyes going wide. ''Arry Potter?'
'No, it's the tooth fairy, hurry up!'
'What? Tooth - oh!' Mundungus practically slid his way over to the edge, before dropping to the ground. He ran over to Harry, stopped with his hands on his knees, panting, and asked, 'Dumbledore sent you?'
Harry was about to answer when the dome of earth behind Mundungus exploded outwards, showering them with clumps of mud. Harry inserted himself between Mundungus and the Death Eaters.
'Stay low,' Harry said, and once again brandishing his wand, he performed another complex transfiguration spell. This time, all of the broken up earth shifted and rose in flight, now as a legion of large bats. The bats flew into the air and then came back down, aiming at the Death Eaters, who broke apart and ran in all directions. Some fired spells, attempting to fight the bats off, but the sheer number of them soon overwhelmed them. 'Come on.'
Harry grabbed Mundungus by the scruff of his neck and dragged him along as he ran back the way he had come. They met Dumbledore halfway. The aged wizard looked first at Mundungus, who cowered before the disappointment in Dumbledore's eyes.
'You've caused us more trouble than you realise.'
Mundungus went to reply, but Harry didn't let him.
'We can catch up later,' he said. 'Right now, I think we'd best vacate the area before more Death Eaters arrive. They no doubt saw that explosion as well.'
'Quite right Harry,' Dumbledore agreed.
''Ow…?' Mundungus went to ask, but his words were cut short as Harry and Dumbledore Apparated away, Harry bringing the shady wizard along with him.
As they arrived back outside the gates of Hogwarts, Mundungus continued, as if uninterrupted, '…are we sup - Oh.' He looked around in surprise.
'Let's get inside,' Dumbledore announced, and proceeded to wave his arm before the gates, which moved aside by his command. Harry forced a reluctant Mundungus to follow as they were led all the way up the Headmaster's office.
'Sit down,' Harry said, shoving Mundungus into the nearest chair.
Dumbledore took his usual seat and stared across his desk. Mundungus withered under his stare, cast a nervous glance back at Harry, who loomed over his shoulder, and then returned his gaze to Dumbledore.
'As I said,' the Headmaster began, 'your actions have caused us a great deal of trouble, and certainly more than you realise. I know, in your heart, that you hold no love for Voldemort. However, your actions have prolonged his life, and caused a great deal of misery to others. Unwittingly, I am sure. You know of what I speak?'
'Erm,' Mundungus hemmed anxiously. 'The locket?'
'Maybe you do have a brain,' Harry said, flicking the back of Mundungus' head. 'At least a little one.'
'Harry,' Dumbledore chastised.
Harry nodded his head, a silent promise that he wouldn't gaud the other wizard, or mock him, anymore.
Mundungus cast another fearful glance at Harry. After seeing the young wizard take on four Death Eaters without breaking a sweat, he was certainly afraid of him.
'While you cannot undo what has already been done,' Dumbledore continued, 'you can, however, help stop further atrocities.'
''Ere!' Mundungus leaped to his feet, rifling in his long overcoat, before producing the locket in question and throwing it on the desk before Dumbledore. 'You can 'ave it! It's caused me nothing but trouble! Whatever it is - I don't want to know - I just want shut of it!'
He attempted to leave, but Harry got in his way. Behind them, Dumbledore spoke, 'before you go.'
Mundungus turned to look at him questioningly.
'Ease an old man's curiosity and tell me, why were the Death Eaters pursuing you?'
'What d'you think!' Mundungus gestured at the locket angrily. 'That! I… you know I… borrowed a few things from Sirius' 'ouse - '
'Stole,' Harry corrected.
' - and that thing was one of 'em. I didn't like it. It made me feel uneasy just looking at it. So I left it alone. But then times got 'ard. I knew I couldn't return to the Order. So I tried to pawn it. I took it to Knockturn Alley - where else to sell something so obviously dark - and then the next thing I know I'm being chased by Death Eaters! Someone must 'ave tipped 'em off that I was sellin' it. You-Know-Oo - 'e must want that thing - and I don't care why - but 'e wants it badly. They chased me for over a week. I managed to avoid 'em, but then… well, you know what 'appened then. I was trapped. I 'ad to summon you.'
'He knows what we're doing,' Harry said to Dumbledore, 'so he was trying to gather the only one left besides Nagini.'
'So it would appear.'
'Can I go? I don't care for this business,' Mundungus said uneasily.
'You can go,' Dumbledore granted.
Mundungus didn't waste time rushing from the office, leaving the door wide open.
'That guy's a real sleaze,' Harry remarked disdainfully.
'I must agree. Now then,' Dumbledore pointed a stub at the locket, 'how do we proceed?'
'I'll do it.'
'Harry…'
'My magic will protect me,' Harry said surely.
'I would prefer a less risky course of action.'
'Unfortunately, we don't have time for that,' Harry argued. 'You might want to leave the room.'
Dumbledore looked long and hard at Harry, who stood before his gaze, resolved. Finally, with a deep, tired sigh, Dumbledore walked towards the open door. He stopped in the entrance. 'Go carefully. Good luck.'
Harry nodded his thanks, and as Dumbledore left, the door shutting behind him, Harry reached for the sword of Gryffindor.