Darkened Light

Chapter Two

Behind Blue Eyes

Harry stared at Mundungus Fletcher for a few moments. His eyes were startling, as a gray line outlined his pupils, making them look like tunnels. Harry knew that name rang a bell, but he couldn't exactly remember where he had heard it before. A book, perhaps? He doubted that.

"My hand's getting tired here, Potter," Mundungus said. "Are you still alive there?"

As Harry slowly shook the odd man's hand, he remembered where he had heard that name before.

"...You are to alert Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher- the old crowd."

Dear Harry,

..... just notified Mundungus Fletcher....

Sirius

"I know who you are now!" Harry exclaimed. Mundungus raised an eyebrow.

"Fast one, aren't you?" he said while reaching into his pocket once again. "Alright, we have exactly one minute.,"

"One minute? For what?" Harry asked as Mundungus pulled out a worn business card.

"Portkey," he simply replied. Harry nodded and held onto the card.

"Where are we going?"

"Diagon Alley. Dumbledore told me that you'd needing new dress robes," he replied.

"So that´s why he sent you," Harry replied, his voice crestfallen. Now he would really have to spend the rest of the summer with the Dursleys.

"Oh yes, Dumbledore sent one of his highest commanding soldiers to accompany Harry Potter clothes shopping. Don't be daft. You'll be spending the week with me," Mundungus replied sarcastically. "Hold on."

"Highest commanding-" But Harry was cut off as a familiar tugging sensation took him by violent surprise. He closed his eyes, feeling slightly nauseous as he swept away from the lot magically.

Once he opened them again, he was in a familiar dim lighted pub, the Leaky Cauldron. The doorway to Diagon Alley, in a sense. Tom, the bartender, looked up at Harry and Mundungus as the bar silenced. All eyes were on the two of them. Harry looked at his worn sneakers, which were starting to develop holes at the toes. Mundungus put a firm arm around him and led him outside the bar´s back door to the brick wall that would lead them to Diagon Alley. Harry could almost hear the pub bursting with murmurs and whispers as they left.

"That´s society for you, Harry," Mundungus said while tapping the bricks with his dark wand. "Can't resist gossip, they can't. Come along."

He nodded, though he didn't have much of a choice as the older man was steering him along the cobblestone street. It was a hot and humid day, the sun shining brightly from above. The beautiful day brought many shoppers. Still looking at his shoes, Harry could feel the stares of the passersby´s, and they burned into him. He bit his lip as Mundungus' grip tightened on his shoulder.

The dark haired wizard led Harry into Madam Malkins silently. The store was empty except for Madam Malkin herself, who was sitting on a stool, looking quite bored. Her eyes lit up as she saw Harry.

"Hullo," she said cheerfully. "How may I help you?"

"Er- I'm here to get a black dress robe." Harry replied. Mundungus nodded and went outside, where Harry could see him through the window lighting another cigarette, causing him to frown.

"Well I'll be," Madam Malkin remarked as she pulled the simple black robe over Harry's head. "If it isn't Mundungus Fletcher."

He raised his eyebrow. "You know him then?"

"Well, he was a bit famous in his time dear," she said, taking out her wand and shortening the robe, "terrific Auror, and a great writer, I must say."

Harry watched Mundungus from his stool curiously while Madam Malkin pinned up his robes. He would to question this mysterious man later on.

"Alright, all done," the cheerful seamstress said a few minutes later.

Once Mundungus came back in and Madam Malkin brought the robes to the register, Harry remembered that he didn't have any money on him.

"That will be ten Galleons," she said. Mundungus reached into his pocket and handed her a bunch of golden coins.

"Don't worry," he said as Harry widened his eyes, "that money is from your Gringotts account. Dumbledore withdrew the money for me."

He nodded as they left the shop, the door's bells jingling. Mundungus walked swiftly through the crowds in Diagon Alley, Harry was having a hard time to keeping up. "We'll be Flooing to my home from the Leaky Cauldron," he muttered as they made their way back to the dim pub.

Harry ignored the stares this time, but he couldn't keep from hearing the whispers that shattered the silence of the Leaky Cauldron.

"It's him!" one witch whispered shrilly to the other. "I told you he came in here earlier!"

Mundungus glared at the pub before turning to Harry. "You'll be going first," he murmured as he grabbed some dirt from the pot that sat on the mantlepiece of the large fireplace. "Say Garlyus loud and clear."

Harry nodded as the flames turned green. He quickly stepped into them, shutting his eyes tightly. "Garlyus!"

He chocked as his mouth filled with ash, and immediately snapped his mouth shut. His stomach churned unpleasantly as Harry whirled around through the Floo network.

Just as he thought he might throw up his measly lunch of bread and cheese, Harry tumbled out of the network, onto the carpeted floor of a small living room.

He got up slowly, wiping his glasses with the end of his green sweater, given to him by Molly Weasley the year before. Luckily when he wore it at the Dursleys they didn't take enough time to notice that there was a dragon on it.

Harry observed the room he was in. It was cluttered and messy, dimly lit by two candles suspended in thin air. Parchments were stacked high on an old, weathered blue armchair. The walls were a dark shade of blue as well, covered with various photos of unfamiliar people, intricate clocks, a coffee stain here and there. The floor, which was made of a dark shade of gray carpet, was covered with various books, parchments, and quills. The couch which clashed with the living room being a bright shade of putrid green, one that reminded Harry of old Mrs. Figg's windshield, splattered with bugs, was in the same state of disorganization. The couch was so bright it caused him to wince.

Mundungus crashed into the living room at that moment. He got up and dusted himself off, scanning the room for Harry. "Ah, there you are," he said as he looked out the window. "Seem like we're going to have a noisy night, eh?"

Just then a loud rumble of thunder was heard. Even though it was only five in the afternoon, the storm clouds outside gave the illusion of night.

"I guess so sir, but I was wondering, all my belongings are at the-" Harry said, but was cut off by Mundungus. "Yes, I know, prior to our meeting at the parking lot I picked up your trunk and owl from the Dursleys'," he said, reaching into his pocket. "Ah yes, here they are."

Mundungus pulled out a tiny trunk and a miniature birdcage, tapping them with his wand. Back to her normal size, Hedwig looked extremely displeased and shaken. She hooted furiously at him, causing Harry to snort a bit.

"Mind if I let her outside?" he asked.

"Do it if it'll make her shut up!" Mundungus exclaimed, covering his ears as Hedwig's hoots loudened. Harry grinned and opened the window after opening the door to her cage. She flew off haughtily. He looked up at the sky with a worried expression.

"Do you think it's alright to let her out in this weather?" Harry asked. Mundungus waved his hand dismissively as he began walking into another room.

"She'll be fine, post owls know how to take care of themselves," he said swiftly. "Come, I'll make some tea."

Harry nodded and followed after him into a small kitchen. Plates were stacked sky high in the sink, and the whole room seemed to be made of wood. A table with two chairs, one of them with a leg that was too short, sat in the middle of the kitchen. Mundungus waved his wand at the plates, and they began washing themselves. "I keep on forgetting to wash those," he told Harry. "I've never been much of a housekeeper."

Harry sat down awkwardly in the chair with the shortened leg. He put his chin in his hands while watching Mundungus make tea magically. He turned his head towards the window, watching the tree outside sway with the fierce wind. Rain pelted the window as the storm began, lightning filled the sky.

"Earth to Harry!" He swiveled around and saw Mundungus smirking slightly with two tea cups in his hands. "Awfully quiet, you are," he said as he took a sip of his tea, sitting down in the other chair.

"Well, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't know much about you." Harry replied hesitantly.

Mundungus smiled wryly.

"Alright then, since there's not much else to do, I'll tell you my boring biography," he said, his blue eyes smiling as well.

"I was born June fifteenth, 1932, in London. I came from an old dark family, my mother and father being in Grindelwald´s Inner Circle. Being so respectable, they were never put into Azkaban. I was an only child, spoiled rotten by my parents. I was raised to be a servant of Grindelwald by my father. I never loved my him. Always thought he was a bastard, yet I idolized him. I remember the summer before my first year at Hogwarts as if it were yesterday- I was a nervous wreck. What if I didn't get into Slytherin? What if, horror of horrors, I got into Hufflepuff? My father would think I was a failure.

"So September first comes, and I'm so nervous I puked on Gerby, one of our house-elves," he said, causing Harry to scrunch up his face in mild disgust and amusement. "Father called me a coward and a fool, pushing me roughly through the barrier of Platform 9 and 3/4. Nearly caused me to vomit again.

"So I waited in line to be sorted, and I remember looking up to Albus Dumbledore for the first time- of course, I had been raised to hate him as he killed my parent's master. The old Transfiguration teacher gave me a reassuring smile and a wink. I shrugged it off, but it really did calm my nerves. I was sorted after Arabella Figg, Gryffindor of course. The Figgs and Fletchers were old rivals. That darned Sorting Hat stayed on me for nearly fifteen minutes. Didn't know where to put me. Told me I was cunning enough to make Slytherin proud, yet I had the heart of a Gryffindor. I begged it to put me into Slytherin, but what did that hat do? Put me in Gryffindor.

"I had bever been more miserable in my life Harry. My father never responded to my letter telling him that I'd been put in Gryffindor. He never wrote to me while I was at Hogwarts. I had hardly any friends. The Slytherins thought that I was a traitor, while most Gryffindors thought I was little more than pond scum. I made a few Ravenclaw friends, but that was about it. I was tied at the top of my class with Bilius Weasley, who I detested at the time. We were both in the same year and house, along with George Wood, Ben Longbottom, Molly Finkle, Jenny Rawb, and Arabella of course. My father always used to mock me during the summer holidays. 'You're so stupid you can't even compare to a Weasley!'

"During my first year, Grindelwald was defeated by Dumbledore. I was quite dissapointed, as I had been looking up to serving him. But when I look back, I wouldn't have changed a thing.

"Then, one day in sixth year, Bill and I got into a tremendous argument over Muggles. I thought they were the filthiest thing on the planet, while he adored them. We both ended up in the Hospital Wing. We were friends from then on. Ahh, I always got on the Weasley's nerves. I remember a couple of years ago when I was helping young Arther Weasley on a raid he got me so mad I cursed him from behind!" Mundungus said with a chuckle. "I fell in love with Arabella Figg in my seventh year. Completely insane, I tell you. We kept our relationship secret. After Hogwarts I got a job as an Auror," Mundungus took a long breath, causing Harry to grin. "My father didn't know, of course. I don't really think he would've cared if I was dead or alive," he said bitterly, his eyes darkening.

"Bill died that year after seeing a Grim. I was devastated, could hardly believe it. We were very close friends... but one day he just saw the Death Omen. I told him he was being silly, not believing in Divination. The next day he was gone..." Mundungus gulped slowly and continued him story.

"I asked Arabella to marry me a year later. I told my father at his fiftieth birthday party. I told him everything- how I was an Auror, I was marrying Arabella Figg, and I had been friends with a Weasley," Mundungus said as he drained the rest of his tea, "I don't think I had ever seen my father so mad. I embarrassed him in front of all his Dark sympathizer friends and family. We started yelling and screaming at each other, I told him how much I hated him and everyone there, and he told me never to step foot in that house again. Told me I was nothing but a worthless piece of, well, I won't tell you or Sirius'll have my head.

"Aurors then didn't have much to do since the wizarding world was mostly at peace. Our wages went down, so I got a tutoring job for two nine year olds. James Potter and Sirius Black."

Harry's jaw dropped. "You knew my father?" he asked in disbelieve. Mundungus waved his wand at his tea cup which went soaring into the sink.

"Indeed I did. Great boy, he was. Very clever and wise. I was surprised he didn't make it into Ravenclaw. Sirius- well, thats a whole different story by itself. But I'll tell you this Harry," he said, leaning on the back two legs of his chair, "James would be so proud if he could see you now- I kept in touch with his family over the years as Arabella was distantly related to them. Great people.

"When James and Sirius went to Hogwarts, my job as an Auror was starting to pick up its pace. There was a new dark wizard in town, though most Aurors didn't think much of it. Went by the name of Lord... V-v-voldemort," Mundungus said slowly, wincing. "Our jobs got harder and harder through the years. I was almost never home, and when I was, Arabella and I fought constantly.

"The darkest days were during the late seventies. The Dark Lord had risen to his climax, and no one could feel safe, not even Albus Dumbledore. The things I saw as an Auror... things that no man should ever experience. So many were killed fighting against the dark side. Crouch began to let us kill back though, to the point that we killed as many people every day as the Death Eaters did.

"Then, one August evening in Hogsmeade, my fellow Auror Cory Bones and I were on duty to supervise the village's outskirts. We sat on large rock at the edge of a small forest. He was a young lad, about twenty years old. We heard a noise- whispering from the forest. I told him to stay quiet as I slowly crept near the trees. Then, at that moment, ten Death Eaters jumped out, their wands pointed at us. We dueled them fiercely, killing three of them, Rosier and Wilkes, and another man I had never met. We'd been after Rosier and Wilkes for awhile," Mundungus continued. Harry nodded. His story reminded him of what Sirius had told him last year of Snape's friends.

"Then... then, there was a shot of green light, heading towards Cory. He shouted something to me before he died, but I never heard it as the Death Curse causes a roaring sound that can burst your eardrums. I Stupified the Death Eater who had killed Cory, leaving one left...

"... the man pulled off his mask. You know the feeling that you know something bad is going to happen before it does? Well, that feeling filled my veins as my father stood there, his eyes boring through with unearthly coldness... I felt like I'd entered Azkaban..." Mundungus said, his hands trembling.

"You don't have to continue if you don't want to," Harry suggested. Mundungus shook his head.

"No, I want to tell you. So he stood there, his wand at his side, him wearing black robes, while I was wearing robes of white. 'So we meet again Mundy,' he said. Mundy was my old nickname. Father used to use it when I was young. 'Never looked good in white, you didn't." he sneered. I wanted to break his neck for making my life miserable... I wanted to kill him for all the words that cut through me like a knife... I lunged at him. We fought for a few minutes, until I disarmed him.

"He lay on the grass, his lips bloody with a black eye. 'So this is it Mundy? You're going to kill me?' my father asked me softly, his words quivering. He looked like such a coward I could've gagged. 'Kill me Mundungus, but remember. You're a Fletcher. You're a dark wizard, deep down. Even if you cover it up with your little white lies..' he said, smirking at his own pun. 'You're just as bad as I am, do you know that? Just as bad as I am. We're both murderers.' I screamed out in fury and killed him. His face stayed with a permanent smirk. I left them there, and Apparated with Cory's corpse to the Ministry. Ministry officials went there a few minutes later, collecting all of the Death Eaters.

"That´s when I hit rock bottom. I resigned from my Auror position. I couldn't take it anymore. Arabella filed for divorce against me. She left me, retrieving her maiden name as all female witches do. My mother died a couple of months later. I lived in a small, tiny apartment as Arabella had taken our house. I had no money, no wife, nothing.. I got a job at the Daily Prophet or else I would've starved. I was fired from that job though, after writing a very controversial piece on Barty Crouch.

"A month before Voldemort's downfall, Dumbledore came to me with a proposition. He asked me to join the Order, but it's not my place to tell you about that. So, would you rather have chicken or turkey for dinner?"

Harry stared at him with wide eyes.

"No wonder your name's Potter, your eyes look like bloody plates. Now what'll it be, chicken or turkey?"

"Chicken, I guess," Harry replied. He was astonished. This man had just old him the most depressing life story he had ever heard and was now talking about dinner?

They ate in near silence, a few remarks made on Qudditch. Mundungus seemed to like the Falmouth Falcons, while Harry preferred the Chudley Cannons, being influenced by Ron. After dinner was over, Mundungus got up and walked out of the kitchen. "Come, I'll show you where you'll be sleeping."

He and Harry carried his trunk upstairs. There were three doors, one he guessed was a bathroom, the other two bedrooms. Mundungus opened the door to the left, revealing a room that was slightly messy, a few instrument cases scattered around. There was a hastily made bed in the center, and the room, along with the rest of the house, had the uncanny scent of dust. Mundungus set his trunk down and eyed the instrument cases.

"Yes, I forgot to tell you- I tutored your father and Sirius in music. Brilliant violinist, I must say," he explained. He lowered his voice. "Sirius will hex me if he knew that I told you, but he played the flute." Harry snorted, but was cut off by a loud crash. The window at the far right exploded.