Harry.didn.t.know.whether.to.laugh.or.not..The.elf.straightened.up,.eyeing.them.all.malevolently,.and.apparently.convinced.that.they.could.not.hear.him.as.he.continued.to.mutter..
.….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…..
This.is.Harry,.Kreacher,..said.Herrmone.tentatively...Harry.Potter...
Kreacher.s.pale.eyes.widened.and.he.muttered.faster.and.more.furiously.than.ever..
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.a.Mudblood!..said.Ron.and.Ginny.together,.very.angrily..
.It.doesn.t.matter,..Hermione.whispered,..he.s.not.in.his.right.mind,.he.doesn.t.know.what.he.s.‐..
.Don.t.kid.yourself,.Hermione,.he.knows.exactly.what.he.s.saying,..said.Fred,
.eyeing.Kreacher.with.great.dislike..
Kreacher.was.still.muttering,.his.eyes.on.Harry..
.Is.it.true?.Is.it.Harry.Potter?.Kreacher.can.see.the.scar,.it.must.be.true,.that.s.the.boy.who.stopped.the.Dark.Lord,.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,..he.said.evasively..
.A.likely.story,..said.a.voice.behind.Harry..
Sirius.had.come.back;.he.was.glowering.at.the.elf.from.the.doorway..The.noise.in.the.hall.had.abated;.perhaps.Mrs.Weasley.and.Mundungus.had.moved.their.argument.down.into.the.kitchen..
At.the.sight.of.Sirius,.Kreacher.flung.himself.into.a.ridiculously.low.bow.that.flattened.his.snoutltke.nose.on.the.floor..
.Stand.up.straight,..said.Sirius.impatiently...Now,.what.are.you.up.to?..
.Kreacher.is.cleaning,..the.elf.repeated...Kreacher.lives.to.serve.the.Noble.House.of.Black.‐..
.And.it.s.getting.blacker.every.day,.it.s.filthy,..said.Sirius..
.Master.always.liked.his.little.joke,..said.Kreacher,.bowing.again,.and.continuing.in.an.undertone,..Master.was.a.nasty.ungrateful.swine.who.broke.his.mother.s.heart.‐..
.My.mother.didn.t.have.a.heart,.Kreacher,..snapped.Sirius...She.kept.herself.alive.out.of.pure.spite...
Kreacher.bowed.again.as.he.spoke..
.Whatever.Master.says,..he.muttered.furiously...Master.is.not.fit.to.wipe.slime.from.his.mother.s.boots,.oh,.my.poor.mistress,.what.would.she.say.if.she.saw.Kreacher.serving.him,.how.she.hated.him,.what.a.disappointment.he.was.‐..
.1.asked.you.what.you.were.up.to,..said.Sirius.coldly...Every.time.you.show.up.pretending.to.be.cleaning,.you.sneak.something.off.to.your.room.so.we.can.t.throw.it.out...
.Kreacher.would.never.move.anything.from.its.proper.place.in.Master.s.house,.
.said.the.elf,.then.muttered.very.fast,..Mistress.would.never.forgive.Kreacher.if.the.tapestry.was.thrown.out,.seven.centuries.it.s.been.in.the.family,.Kreacher.must.save.it,.Kreacher.will.not.let.Master.and.the.blood.traitors.and.the.brats.destroy.it.‐..