The rest of the day was spent continuing the disinfection of the house. They tackled the curtains in the drawing room, which were full of Doxies. Calliope noted Fred and George pocketing a few of the stunned doxies, no doubt for use in one of their products.

After the doxies were all gone, it was past midday, "I think we'll tackle those after lunch," Molly gestured at the dusty glass-fronted cabinets standing either side of the cabinet, Calliope glanced in the direction that Molly gestured, and shuddered slightly as a cold feeling passed through her. Whatever was in those cabinets was nothing good.

"You lot stay here, I'll go and get some sandwiches," Molly got to her feet, the doorbell rang and Mrs Black's screeches filled the house once more, as the door closed behind Molly, everyone hurried over to the window to get a peek at who the newcomer was, everyone apart from Calliope, whom was still staring at the cabinet.

"Mundungus!" said Hermione, who had the best view of the street, "what's he bought those cauldrons for?"

"Probably looking for a safe place to keep them," said Harry, "I bet they're stolen."

"Blimey, Mum will not like that," said George.

Fred and George crossed the room to listen at the door, trying to gauge what was being said to Mundungus, Calliope pulled herself away from the cabinet to join them, still shivering slightly. 

"Mundungus is talking to Sirius and Kingsley," Fred muttered, "can't hear properly... d'you reckon we can risk extendable ears?"

"Might be worth it," said George, "I could-"

The use of extendable ears was rendered unnecessary at that moment due to the explosion of sound downstairs.

"WE ARE NOT RUNNING A HIDEOUT FOR STOLEN GOODS!"

"I love hearing Mum shouting at someone else," said George with a satisfied smile, as he pulled open the door a bit so we could hear better, "it makes such a change."

"-COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE, AS IF WE HAVEN'T GOT ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT WITHOUT YOU DRAGGING STOLEN CAULDRONS INTO THE HOUSE-"

"The idiots are letter her get into her stride," Fred shook his head, "you've got to head her off early or she'll build up a head of steam and go on for hours! Plus she's been dying to have a go at Dung since he sneaked off when he was supposed to be watching you, Harry- well there goes Sirius' mum again."

"HALFBREEDS, BLOOD TRAITORS, DISGUSTING-" Molly's voice was lost among the screams of Walburga Black as she berated anyone and anything in the house for its impurity.

George made to shut the door to drown out the deafening din from below, but before he could Kreacher edged into the room.

"...smells like a drain and a criminal to boot, but she's no better, nasty old blood traitor with her brats messing up my mistress's house, oh, my poor mistress, if she knew, if she knew the scum they've let into her house, what would she say to old Kreacher, oh, the shame of it, Mudbloods and werewolves and traitors and thieves, disgusting filthy halfbreeds-" 

"Hello Kreacher," Calliope interrupted the elf as he mentioned her, as Fred closed the door with a snap.

"Kreacher did not see young mistress," Kreacher turned and bowed at Calliope. Still facing the carpet, he added perfectly audibly, "Nasty little brad, disgusting halfbreed."

"I'm sorry," Fred said very loudly, "I didn't catch that last bit."

"Kreacher said nothing," said the elf, with a second bow he added, "and there's its other, disgusting halfwit."

"...and it's twin, unnatural little beasts they are. Oh, and the Mudblood, standing there bold as brass, oh, if my mistress knew, oh, how she'd cry, and there's that boy, Kreacher doesn't know his name. What is he doing here? Kreacher doesn't know..."

"This is Harry Potter Kreacher," Hermione said tentatively. 

Kreacher's eyes widened, and he continued to  mutter, "the Mudblood is talking to Kreacher as though she is my friend, if Kreacher's mistress saw him in such company, oh, what would she say-"

"Don't call her Mudblood!" Ron and Ginny said together angrily.

"It doesn't matter," Hermione whispered, "he's not in his right mind, he doesn't know what he's-"

"He knows exactly what he's saying," Fred eyed the elf.

"Is it true? Is it Harry Potter? Kreacher can see the scar, it must be true, that's the boy who stopped the Dark, Kreacher wonders how he did it-"

"Don't we all Kreacher," said Fred.

"What do you want, anyway?" George asked.

Kreacher's huge eyes darted towards George, "Kreacher is cleaning."

"A likely story," said Sirius, who had entered the room. His mother had stopped screaming, and they could no longer hear Molly and Mundungus, who had perhaps moved their argument to the basement kitchen.

At the sight of Sirius, Kreacher flung himself into a very low bow.

"Stand up straight," said Sirius, impatient with the elf, "Now, what are you up to?"

"Kreacher is cleaning," the elf repeated, "Kreacher lives to serve to serve the Noble House of Black-"

"And it's getting blacker every day, it's filthy," said Sirius.