𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗻, cedric diggory

˗ˋ 10

CHAPTER TEN
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-: seventh year :-

── IN WHICH KREACHER ARRIVES

. . .

"Mundungus!" said Hermione. "What's he brought all those cauldrons for?" Rosie walked over, acting as if she hadn't just taken a good portion of the doxy eggs. Being pulled in between the twins, she got a good view of the street below. All she could see was the top of an unkempt gingery head and a stack of precariously balanced cauldrons.

"Probably looking for a safe place to keep them," Harry suggested. "Isn't that what he was doing the night he was supposed to be tailing me? Picking up dodgy cauldrons?"

"Yeah, you're right!" said Fred, as the front door opened; Mundungus heaved his cauldrons through it and disappeared from view. "Blimey, Mum won't like that..."

And just like how she had been dragged inbetween them to look out of the wind, the twins pulled her over with them to the door, pressing an ear too the wood. 

Mrs Black's screaming had subsided, but any actually conversation was muffled and practically inaudible, the only thing they could actually tell was who was speaking. 

"Mundungus is talking to Sirius and Kingsley," Fred muttered, frowning with concentration. "Can't hear properly... d'you reckon we can risk the Extendable Ears?"

"Might be worth it," George replied. "I could sneak upstairs and get a pair-" 

"I should go, my pockets are stuffed." Rosie interrupted, voice too quiet for any of the others to hear. "I need to figure out what to do with them any-"

"We are not running a hideout for stolen goods!" It seemed that Extendable Ears were unecessary, and that the teens within the Drawing Room could hear plenty without them, all of them could hear exactly what Mrs Weasley was shouting at the top of her voice.

"I love hearing Mum shouting at someone else," Fred commented, with a satisfied smile on his face as the three of them moved away from the door as he opened the door an inch or so to allow Mrs Weasley's voice to permeate the room better. "It makes such a nice change."

"-Completely irresponsible, as if we haven't got enough to worry about without you dragging stolen cauldrons into the house-" Mrs Weasley continued to shout. 

"The idiots are letting her get into her stride," George shook his head, his clear knowledge on the subject showing. "You've got to head her off early, otherwise she builds up a head of steam and goes on for hours. And she's been dying to have a go at Mundungus ever since he sneaked off when he was supposed to be following you, Harry— and there goes Sirius's mum again —"

Mrs Weasley's voice was lost amid fresh shrieks andscreams from the portraits in the hall. George made to shut the door to drown the noise, but before he could do so, the house-elf edged into the room.  

"Oh lovely." Rosie muttered, watching as Kreacher continued to shuffle in, still dressed in his filthy loincloth. 

The elf took absolutely no notice of the group.Acting as though it could not see them, it shuffled hunchbacked, slowly and doggedly, toward the far end of the room, muttering under its breath all the while in a hoarse, deep voice like a bullfrog's, "...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 in her house, what would she say to old Kreacher, oh the shame of it, Mudbloods and werewolves and traitors and thieves and halfbreeds, poor old Kreacher, what can he do..." 

"Hello, Kreacher," Fred said very loudly, closing the door with a snap.The house-elf froze in his tracks, stopped muttering, and then gave a very pronounced and very unconvincing start of surprise. 

"Kreacher did not see Young Master," he said, turning around and bowing to Fred. Still facing the carpet, he added, perfectly audibly, "Nasty little brat of a blood traitor it is."

"Sorry?" George asked, leaning slightly towards the elf in mock interest. "Didn't catch that last bit." 

"Kreacher said nothing," said the elf, with a second bow to George, adding in a clear undertone, "and there's its twin, unnatural little beasts they are." 

"It's like watching a bloody documentary." Rosie shook her head in disbelief. "A muggle programme, some talk a lot about animals." She explained to Fred and George, who nodded. 

Kreacher's eyes flickered over to the Kersey girl, not looking anymore pleased. "..The halfbreed." He didn't say much else, look of disgust enough. "....and there's the Mudblood, standing there bold as brass,oh if my Mistress knew, oh how she'd cry, and there's a new boy, Kreacher doesn't know his name, what is he doing here, Kreacher doesn't know..."

Hermione made a face, but stepped forward slightly. "This is Harry, Kreacher," said Hermione tentatively. "Harry Potter."

The way Kreacher's eyes widened spoke for himself, the shock clouding his face as he stared over at Harry. Rosie could only roll her eyes.

A foul little creature, Kreacher was.

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