Sirius made his way down the stairs and could already see the efforts that the elves were making. The walls were brighter, the brass oil lamps glimmered, and there were no cobwebs in the corners. The pictures were cleaner, and he could now see who was in them. The wallpaper was washed and looked like it needed to be replaced.
He wandered further down the hall and soon came across his mother's painting. It's now clean curtains were open, and she was looking down the scrubbed hall with distaste. The look on her face made it seem that she was not happy with the new elves. Probably because they didn't listen to her. Not even her Kreacher.
"Hello, Mother," he sneered at the crazed woman, who had just opened her mouth to start screeching.
"Disappointment," she sneered back, hate in her painted eyes.
"I've come to tell you; I've reclaimed the House of Black and now I will finally see you off this wall. Don't worry, I'm not going to destroy you, I'm going to put you in your old room, lock you in the portrait frame, and visit you often to tell you how the House is doing," he said with a smirk, loving the confused and angry look on her face. "The only entertainment you will have is the hippogriff. Have fun," he laughed, it would do her good to be locked up in that room with only Buckbeak for company.
He needed to find a way to free the poor beast.
"I disowned you, you little bastard," she whispered disbelievingly. "You can't be the Head of the House. I won't allow it," she finished, almost at a yell.
"I hate to tell you this, Mother, but you're dead. You have no power. Kreacher is mine now and will no longer follow your orders." The joy he felt when she looked at him in horror was petty at best, but long had he wanted to put her in her place. Now, he would finally get his revenge for the horrible childhood she had given him. "Kreacher," he called.
"Master has called Kreacher?" the old elf asked, once more bowing deeply. His pillowcase was clean and had the family emblem on it as well.
"Yes, I did. I want this painting removed. If you feel it would be too painful for you to do it, then have one of the other elves do it. Have her put in her old room, and make sure she can't leave. I want her kept there and undisturbed. Don't talk to her; that's an order, Kreacher," he stated gruffly.
"Yes, Master," the old elf replied, doing his best not to look at Walburga. It was hard, she had been his only company for many years. Crazy though she was, he still felt the pull to listen to her.
"Also, I want the elf heads moved to her room as well. They would be more honored there," Sirius ordered more gently. He knew it would be hard on Kreacher, and if he didn't want the elf to turn on him, he'd give him the option.
"Roper," Kreacher called.
"Roper is being needed?" the youngish elf asked as he popped in.
"Master wants this painting removed. It is to be placed, with the elf heads, in the master bedroom. Make sure it is not leaving that room," Kreacher said in a strained voice.
"Roper will be doing this right now," the young elf said, snapping his fingers and popping away with them.
Sirius turned to Kreacher and knelt to look in his eyes. "Kreacher, I know that was hard on you, and I am sorry I had to do that, but it is for your good. She was not kind to you. You must understand that."
"Master is too kind to Kreacher." And with a snap of his fingers, he popped away.
Sirius stood and continued his trek down the stairs and into the kitchen. He sat at the table and looked around. Elves were fast workers; he hadn't seen the kitchen so clean since he was a lad.
Molly was sitting at the table, fuming. She looked at Sirius and exploded, flinching from the stinging she was getting from the wards. "Sirius Black, just what is going on around here? Some strange elf came into the kitchen and informed me that I was no longer needed! She forced me to leave. How dare you bring elves here. Dumbledore won't like it. You have no right to put the Order at risk!" she yelled at him from across the table.
Sirius sat calmly and let her yell. "No right? No right? This is my house. If I want to bond with elves to get it clean, that is my right," he stated, cocking his head to the side and looked at her like she was an ignorant kid.
"You are putting the children at risk. You don't know the loyalty of those elves. What if they go back to their old family as a spy?" Molly screamed and then winced as the wards gave her an extra hard sting as a warning.
"What are you talking about? Elves can't betray their masters," he said looking at her as if she was speaking Greek.
"You will send those elves away. Give them clothes and get rid of them," she demanded, standing and putting her fist on her hips, flitching when the wards stung her.