Chapter 4 and as before, I hope you liked the previous chapters.

A not so Grim Place

Harry ducked, narrowingly avoiding getting hit by a cutting hex. He quickly erected a shield charm as more hexes were coming his way and gave his previously clean cloak a glare. Bits of plaster and dust clung to his black robe, making it look grey instead.
Moody was duelling a scruffy looking wizard, who'd taken offence at being called a slimy snake by Moody as they'd passed on the street. Harry eyed them tiredly before spotting his chance.

Moody turned and eyed him crossly, as his opponent keeled over for no apparent reason and hit the ground hard.
"I had it under control!" He growled, his glare getting darker as Harry shrugged looking unconcerned.

"You said we had to hurry getting lunch." Harry said, rubbing his growling stomach pointedly. They'd been out since way before people were supposed to be up and Harry had only had a quick piece of toast for breakfast.
"Besides, we have a time to keep, don't we? Where did you say we were meeting your friend?" Harry asked, fishing for an answer Moody had refused to give all morning. Moody gave the stunned man a last disappointed look before stepping over him and continuing down the street.

"Don't make a habit of interrupting my duels boy! Now let's get moving!" Moody barked, heading towards Diagon Alley where they'd been going before Moody got distracted.

Harry eyed the stunned man indecisively before flicking his wand with a sigh, it would be too cruel to leave him to the evil masses eyeing them hungrily. The man raised his wand almost instantly but Harry, who'd anticipated the move, summoned his wand silently.
"Don't tempt me into break it." Harry chided, sticking the wand deep into a pot of wet soil. The man scowled but remained half-seated on the ground, whilst Harry hurried after Moody before anyone else wanted to try their luck.

"You shouldn't show them mercy, lad, they'll give you none back." Moody reproached him, when he caught up to the retired Auror. Harry shrugged, knowing that Moody probably wouldn't have given a rat's ass about what happened to the man, judging by how the past week of interrogations had gone. Harry was the one who'd stunned him though, which meant he was responsible for the man's fate and leaving a man stunned in Knockturn Alley could never end well. For the stunned man, that was.
"You're a softy Peverell and you sure know how to test my patience." Moody muttered, glaring half-heartedly at Harry who tried to hide a grin unsuccessfully.

Harry felt much better, when they stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron, after finally having had lunch. He even went as far as letting Moody side-along apparate him to where ever they were headed. His mood dropped though as they appeared on a very familiar street. Oh, he couldn't see the house he knew had to be there, he couldn't even remember the house's name but he knew where they were. If his dead Godfather opened the door to the hidden house, Harry didn't know how he'd react.
"You alright lad? You're looking decidedly pale." Moody asked, giving him a searching look. Harry shrugged uncomfortably before looking at the ground in silence.
"I told you to stay away from the greens, broccoli is never good for you no matter what anyone else has told you." Moody chided, shaking his head, before checking his timepiece.

"Mr Moody." Harry looked up and fixed his surprised gaze on Narcissa Malfoy, who stood in the doorway of the familiar house he still couldn't name.

"Mrs Malfoy." Moody greeted, his magical eye fixed on the hallway behind her. He pulled, a still silent, Harry towards her. She gave Harry a quick glance but didn't seem to recognise him or think him wordy of attention if her quick dismissal was anything to go by. But Harry wasn't altogether fooled, she'd lied straight to Voldemort's face the last time he'd seen her.

"I was not aware of anyone else partaking in our little tea party, I will of course add another cup to the table. You will of course be held responsible for his actions whilst he is a guest in my home." Mrs Malfoy said as she allowed them into the house. Harry eyed the cream and gold walls in mute silence and stepped uneasily on the lush green carpet under his feet, the house looked polished and refined. Not at all as he remembered leaving it.

"This is Harry, my assistant, he just had lunch so don't bother if it's too difficult for your house-elf to put a cup out for him. He's house trained and shouldn't mess up your pretty house." Moody said gruffly, his magic eye spinning wildly as he no doubt took in every room of the house. Mrs Malfoy smiled politely, her eyes icy cold, as she showed them up the stairs and into the drawing room. Harry eyed the room in disbelief, how in Merlin's name had they made it so white and clean he wondered.
A grand piano stood where a dingy armchair had been before and light was pouring in through the large windows making the room dazzle. Pictures of Draco Malfoy at different ages decorated the walls and Kreacher the house elf stood eyeing Harry intently from under one of the more recent pictures. Harry opened his mouth, before closing it again when no words came out, and cast a look at Mrs Malfoy and Moody who were seated by a small table.

"My son, Draco." Mrs Malfoy said softly, catching Harry's eye.
"He is in his final year at Hogwarts." She added before calmly ordering Kreacher to serve the tea. The elf still eyed Harry closely and only stopped when Mrs Malfoy told him to leave them be.

"Have you seen any recent sightings of Barty Crouch Jr?" Moody asked, ignoring the dainty teacup steaming in front of him. Harry blinked at the straightforwardness before feeling stupid, it was Moody after all.

Mrs Malfoy stiffened and carefully placed her cup down before placing her hands in her lap.
"No." She answered, pursing her lips tightly.
"And I haven't seen my sister either, she is no longer welcome here." She added before Moody opened his mouth again. Harry eyed her in astonishment, her tone indicated that she really meant it.
"I will not have anyone with risk of harming my son's life near him ever again." She said stiffly, glancing towards the pictures on the wall.

"Crouch Jr attacked your boy two years ago, at your former residence, is that right?" Moody inquired, causing Harry to frown.

"That man was under the impression that my husband had something of worth and harmed my son in order to get at it." Mrs Malfoy answered, her blue eyes going cold and dark.
"My son and I moved here shortly after the incident and I have neither heard nor seen from that man again. I wish to keep it that way but will of course aid you in anyway needed in order to bring him to justice." She said coolly, meeting Moody's eyes dead on.

"What did he want from you?" Harry asked, fairly sure he could guess, curious to see if it this cursed reality would follow his logic of how it might have gone.

"A book." Mrs Malfoy said after a moment's silence.
"I am afraid I didn't catch your last name, Mr?" She gave him a pointed stare.

"Peverell, Harry Peverell." Harry introduced, watching as her eyes widened slightly.

"Which branch of the family?" She inquired softly, lifting her teacup to her lips and eyeing him over the rim.

"Ignotus Peverell." Harry answered, not seeing the harm. She nodded and placed her cup back down again, before giving him a valuating look.
"You do have the look about you. That hair is all Potter and you do have a bit of Black refinement about the face too." She stated with a dry tone, apparently not too happy to give him what must have been a compliment coming from a Black.
"I was unaware that the Peverell name was being used again. Who were your parents?" She asked, staring at him intently.

"Who his blasted parents were doesn't bring us closer to catching Crouch!" Moody growled, redirecting Mrs Malfoys attention back on himself and sending Harry a warning glare.
"Does your husband know where the little louse might be hiding out?" Moody asked, making her stiffen in her seat.

"You will have to ask him that yourself, I don't get involved in my husband's affairs." She answered glancing at an old Grandfather clock with bored eyes.
"I'm afraid I have another appointment that suddenly came up. Thank you for the company, Kreacher will show you out." She said standing up, motioning towards the doorway where Kreacher stood waiting.

"You will let me know if you hear anything about Crouch or your sister, for your son's sake if nothing else." Moody stated more than asked, as they moved away from the small table, causing her to nod stiffly.

"I do have something that may be of use." Mrs Malfoy said suddenly, turning around, causing Moody to follow her back into the drawing room.

Harry was left alone in the hallway with Kreacher, who eyed him fixedly.
"Master is the true Master but not the Master now. Kreacher is confused but loyal to Master of Noble Black house." The house elf stuttered, bowing low. Harry eyed him in hope, so the elf did feel that they had a bond, he'd wondered at the look he'd received.

"Do you remember the locket Kreacher?" Harry whispered, glad to have been able to say his name, hoping to jog the elf's memory.

Kreacher's eyes widened comically before he stepped back in fear.
"Master knows of Kreacher's failure!" The elf gasped, pointing a shaking finger at Harry who nodded slowly.
"Can Master destroy it, Kreacher wonders?" He asked, eyeing Harry hopefully.

"You have it here?" Harry asked, looking at the elf's empty neck, before realising that Kreacher must have forgotten that it had been destroyed already.

"Master Regulus ordered Kreacher to destroy it or keep it safe from dark wizards, it is always near Kreacher never far away." Kreacher whispered before disappearing with a quiet pop. Harry cast a searching look at Mrs Malfoy and Moody who stood talking in the drawing room still. Mrs Malfoy was holding a letter in her hands and looked unsure about what to do with it, Moody had both eyes on it.
"Kreacher has brought the locket for Master to destroy." Harry jumped, he'd not heard Kreacher reappear. The elf handed him a small fabric parcel and Harry carefully unfolded the black cloth before closing his hand tightly round it with a shocked gasp. The locked was whole, Harry could feel it! His presence, it was alive.

"Well let's get moving lad, no need to keep Mrs Malfoy from her appointment." Moody ordered, pushing past the dazed Harry.

"Mr Peverell, it was a pleasure." Mrs Malfoy said in parting when Harry went to follow Moody down the stairs. He gave her a small nod before following Kreacher, who had taken the lead, to the open door and out of the house he'd lived in before.

"We've got her now!" Moody growled, eyes sparkling wildly.

"Who? Mrs Malfoy?" Harry asked puzzled, getting an annoyed look from Moody.

"Bellatrix Lestrange, boy! Weren't you paying any attention?" Moody barked crossly, waving the letter in Harry's face.
"Ha, ha! Never get between a mother and her only son!" Moody crowed looking excited, which didn't happen often.
"Why don't you apparate us back home lad, impress me." Moody ordered, making Harry gape before he took the chance. They appeared on the front step of Moody's house in the same state they'd left, much to Moody's approval after a thorough inspection to make sure no body parts were missing, other than those that were supposed to be.
"You've got the rest of the day off." Moody informed Harry, who perked up as he needed time alone with the locket.

Harry had also been trying to read up on history and the way it differed from what he remembered. Moody had handed him folders upon folders on people of interest, when he'd gathered that Harry was interested in Voldemort's downfall. The old Auror was the most paranoid person alive, Harry was almost sure that the man had pretty much every witch or wizard in Britain under surveillance. It was all good of course but really paranoid and he wondered if the man had started a new one on him, Harry.

Making sure his room was closed, Harry moved to the desk intent on bringing the locket out for another look before stopping. It was probably best to wait until Moody was out before he brought it out, the Auror usually went out for a short inspection of the neighbourhood before bed. Settling in for a long wait Harry dragged one of the folder over and snorted.
Bellatrix Lestrange, dangerous! Was written on the front in bold letters. Sounded about right, Harry mused as he flicked through it half-heartedly his thoughts still firmly on the locket.
He jumped at the sudden knock on his door.
"I'm heading out for a few hours, we're starting early tomorrow. Be ready!" Moody said ominously, making Harry groan. They'd left the house early this morning and Moody hadn't felt the need to warn him yesterday, which meant tomorrow would start in the middle of the night using Moody's logic.
"We're leaving at dawn, you hear me!" Moody called, already halfway down the stairs.

"I hear you!" Harry answered, rolling his eyes when the front door slammed shut with an echoing bang.
"Stupid dawn…" Harry grumbled, standing from the chair. He looked out the window to make sure Moody wasn't spying on him from the street, not that he'd done that since Harry had spotted him on his second day as a houseguest. When all seemed clear he quickly moved to the bed, where he pulled out the small black parcel he'd been given. He drew a deep breath before shaking the locket out onto the bed.
"Damn." Harry cursed, eying it in confusion. Why was it whole again?
He knew that he hadn't time travelled, the dates were right. But perhaps someone else had done it, travelled back in time and changed the future. But then why would Harry remember the previous timeline if he hadn't been part of travelling? Harry's head spun in different direction.
Perhaps they hadn't destroyed all the Horcruxes after all and one of them had done this, caused this curse or whatever it was to happen. But it didn't explain why people who were supposed to be dead appeared to live.

Harry froze, eyes suddenly locked on the Horcrux lying on his bed. What about the other ones? Crouch Jr had been wanting a book from the Malfoy's, the Diary Harry guessed. Had they given it to him?
"Kreacher!" Harry called, surprised when the elf appeared with a soft pop.

"Kreacher hears Masters call and comes." Kreacher said, bowing low before stiffening at the sight of the locket.

"Kreacher, I need you to ask Mrs Malfoy if Barty Crouch Jr got the book he wanted. Can you do that?" Harry asked.
"It's very important and will help me bring honour to Master Regulus quest to end Vol…The Dark lord." Harry said, pausing at Voldemort's name, when the elf didn't take his eyes of the locket.

"Kreacher will ask Mistress, Master will not be disappointed in Kreacher." Kreacher promised before disappearing, leaving Harry feeling nauseated. He could not do it again, go hunting for the Horcruxes, not alone. He didn't even know if they still were in the same place as before.
The rest of the evening was spent in quiet contemplation as he waited for Kreacher to return. He'd hidden the locket in his money pouch, intending to drop it off at Gringotts at some point tomorrow, to keep Moody from catching wind of it.

"Get up! You lazy bag of teenage bones!" Moody barked, jolting Harry from the dream he'd had.

"Um ready." Harry mumbled rubbing sleep from his eyes. He'd gone to bed fully clothed, not sure what time dawn would make its appearance. He had a brownie laid out on the desk, which he grabbed as he stumbled after Moody.
"Where are we going?" He asked, blinking tiredly at Moody who stood battle ready by the front door eyeing him with a funny look.

"You're alright lad, you're alright." Moody mumbled, grabbing Harry's shoulder and pulling him out of the house before apparating them away.

"I really wish you'd warn me before you do that." Harry muttered, eyeing the deserted Diagon Alley they'd appeared at.

"Keeps you on your toes." Moody said cheerfully.
"Here's your Apparition license, I collected a favour from someone who didn't want to owe me anymore." Moody said, looking away when Harry stared at him in wonder.
"Well! Do you want it or not!" He barked, holding the small card out for Harry to take. He waved Harry's attempt at thanking him with a gruff snort before stalking off up the street leaving Harry to follow.
"Do you know how to cast the Disillusionment Charm?" Moody asked, when Harry caught up, looking happy to see Harry nod.
"Do it, we're staking out the bank. Lestrange might show up, I want her caught." Moody whispered, leaning closer giving Harry a pointed stare.
"We will catch her, got it lad. We will." He said, pulling out an invisibility cloak from his pocket. Harry quickly cast the charm before seating himself against the wall next to the bank. This was going to be a long day, Harry was sure of it.
Moody shushed him, when he sighed too loudly and then silence descended.

Harry counted the stones before him on the ground again, bored out of his mind after just a few hour of stakeout.
"Go get us a sandwich each lad." Moody ordered suddenly, his hand appearing from nothing to hand him a few coins.
"No eggs!" He ordered when Harry hurried to flee, in case Moody changed his mind about letting him leave.

Harry didn't dare take too long and was soon walking back up the street again, taking bites of his sandwich with relish.
Tom, the barkeep at the Leaky Cauldron, hadn't been too impressed when Harry nearly gave him a heart attack by asking for two sandwiches whilst still under the Disillusionment Charm. The pub hadn't really been open for business but as Harry had been seen with Moody enough times, Tom had muttered something about crazy Aurors before getting the order sorted. Harry had apologised profusely about both the scare and the early time. The clock had just been creeping up to six o'clock when he'd left the bar, which meant it was about six fifteen now, Moody was crazy Harry thought shaking his head.
"Took your sweet time didn't you." The Invisible Moody growled, snatching his sandwich from Harry's hand, making him jump.
"Sit here and don't move, I'm going to check Knockturn Alley for any signs. If you see or hear anything you send up a green flare. And make yourself less noticeable!" Moody ordered before the sound of him stomping off could be heard.

Harry took another bite of his sandwich before sticking the rest into a pocket for later. He'd been alone for just a few minutes, time enough to cast the Disillusionment Charm on himself again, when he saw her. Bellatrix Black, her hood raised to hide her face. She looked more haggard than he'd ever seen her, but more alive than after Mrs Weasley got hold of her.
Bellatrix eyed the bank with tired looking eyes before making for the entrance doors and the hidden Harry.

Harry raised his wand to stun her when he remembered the Horcrux in her vault, he wouldn't get another chance if she was caught and sent back to Azkaban. He held his breath for a second as she climbed the steps towards the doors and then quickly flicked his wand at her.

"Madam Lestrange." A Goblin greeted, one of the few by a till at this early hour. He eyed the sneering Bellatrix with indifferent eyes and gave the space where the disillusioned Harry was, a quick look before accepting the wand held out by a shaking hand.

"Take us to my vault." She ordered in a clipped tone, hand held out to accept her wand back.

"If you follow me." The Goblin said, after a minute look at the wand, leading her and Harry towards the doors leading off the hall. They entered a cart and Harry only then remembered what had happened the last time he'd Imperiused someone here at the bank. He expected to be hit by the waterfall at any time but it never came, instead they got out of the cart in front of the Lestrange Vault. Harry glanced back once, towards the darkness where the Dragon had been last time but didn't see anything move. Perhaps they hadn't found another one to replace it with, he mused.
Bellatrix entered her vault and scooped up some Galleons into a pouch and then stood waiting for Harry to direct her. She collected the cup easily, without setting off any protective spells and Harry obliviated her as soon as she handed him the cup. He opted out of going past his own vault until he could come back on his own and soon they were standing in the morning sunshine again.

Harry quickly stunned her and bound her in several binding spells, glad to have had Hermione as his friend, before sending up a thin green flare. There were a few people milling about on the street and they all stopped to stare at the sudden sight.
"There's nothing to see here! Auror business, so mind your own!" Moody's voice called out loudly before the man himself threw his cloak off.
"Merlin's beard boy, grab my arm now." Moody hissed at the still hidden Harry, who made sure to keep Bellatrix in a firm grip even though Moody grabbed her arm roughly himself. They disappeared with an echoing pop.

"We've got her! Bring the Veritaserum! Bring the shackles! Call for the Dementors! "Moody screamed as they appeared in what had to be a Ministry room, Harry calmly undid the charm on himself. Five people came running towards them ready for battle before they spotted the deranged looking Moody and a tired Harry in the apparition area.

"Looks like a definitive he to me, Mad-eye. Maybe you need to have the eye checked again." One of the Aurors said, causing the others to guffaw.

"Not him you moron! Her!" Moody exclaimed glaring at the Auror as Harry, who figured they'd want to get Bellatrix under heavier protection, undid the Disillusionment Charm.
Several of the Aurors shouted things at the same time, making Harry wince.

"What in Merlin's name is going on here!? I don't come in early for you…You!" A voice barked, causing blessed silence to descend into the room.
"Moody, you are retired. I've told you once and I will tell you…" The man trailed off at the sight of the stunned Bellatrix Lestrange lying on the floor behind Moody.
"My office, now!" Rufus Scrimgeour ordered, glaring daggers at a smug looking Moody.
"Get her out of here and somewhere secure! And don't let her out of your sight!" He ordered, making the Aurors jump into action.
"You are not authorised to apprehend fugitives anymore!" Scrimgeour all but screamed at Moody as they both limped towards the man's office.

"I didn't." Moody said calmly, causing Scrimgeour to stop.
"My assistant did." He added, turning to eye Harry smugly.

"Erm, here's her wand." Harry offered, handing it to the nearest Auror who stared at him dumbfounded before quickly grasping hold of Bellatrix wand.

"He, caught her?" Scrimgeour asked, giving Harry a once over. Eyes resting on the half eaten sandwich sticking out of his pocket, where he'd put it for later thinking it was going to be a long day.
"Who the hell is he!?" He asked, turning to eye Moody angrily.
"I'm not having you building your own army Alastor! There are procedures to follow, laws to be upheld, Auror training to be done!" He added furiously before he was interrupted.

"Harry? What are you doing…Sir! Good morning sir! Mr Moody Sir!" Cadet Jones exclaimed, dropping the folder he'd been carrying in his excitement at the sight of Moody. Scrimgeour looked scandalised at the behaviour.
"Sorry Mr Scrimgeour." Jones muttered bending down to collect the loose papers scattered on the floor, face going red. Harry moved to help him but was stopped by the furious glare Scrimgeour sent him.

"You, will stay away from Auror business if you know what's good for you, boy! I will not have Moody's little lap dogs running interference!" Scrimgeour spat looking between the still smug looking Moody and the rather put out Harry.

"Oh, don't worry! I have no intention of ever working for you." Harry sneered, before giving Moody a pointed look and turning on his heel intending to go back home and go back to sleep.

"Where do you think you're going boy! We are not done here!" Scrimgeour called out furiously behind him.

"Oh but we are Rufus. I'm sure you'll be very busy explaining how a seventeen year old lad caught a high security fugitive on his own, when your own Aurors haven't had any headway at even finding her." Moody said, before following in Harry's footsteps.
"Good luck Rufus." He said, before apparating himself and the waiting Harry out of the building.
"Good lord lad but you're alright." Moody chortled, patting Harry's shoulder. He started laughing as they headed up the steps to the house and didn't stop until he'd pulled out a bottle of whiskey from the liquor cabinet for a celebratory shot. Harry eyed him worriedly before shrugging and heading for the stairs, he was going to bed and staying there.

So what is the verdict on this one?
E