Announced by a faint popping sound, Bellatrix appeared in the basement of #2 Privet Drive and withdrew a small box from her pocket. Setting the box on the floor, Bellatrix waved her wand, and a quick enlarging charm transformed the box into a large trunk. Some more wand work opened the box and summoned from its seemingly bottomless depths a couple of dozen boxes of ceramic tiles along with a number of other construction supplies.
Just as Bellatrix finished unloading the trunk, the doorbell rang. Hastily, she shut the trunk and pushed it into a corner before running upstairs, casting glamour charms on herself with practiced ease. She opened her front door to find a Muggle contractor and his six employees standing on her porch.
"Mrs. White?" he asked.
"Yes," Bellatrix admitted, the timbre of her voice a little bit brighter than was normal.
"We're here for the work on your house," the contractor said, his eyes peering past Bellatrix at the inside of the house.
"Of course," Bellatrix said, swinging the door wide open and motioning for the contractor and his workers to come in. "I will show you everything, explain what I need, and then get out of your way for the rest of the day." She proceeded toward the basement, the contractor following her only after directing his workers to start unloading their equipment.
"I already explained to you what it is I want done in the kitchen, bedrooms, and living area," Bellatrix said as she stepped down the stairs, the contractor following her. "If you are faced with a decision regarding décor, use your judgment and know that I will reimburse you accordingly. I am not going to be very fussy about those parts of the house."
"Right," the contractor said gruffly, his voice reflecting a happy medium between being pleased at having free rein and annoyed at having to do more than follow precise design instructions.
"However, as I mentioned on the phone, I am going to be demanding when it comes to the basement's corner storage room over there," Bellatrix said as they reached the place where she had deposited the ceramic tiles and construction supplies.
"As long as your instructions are specific and make sense, there should not be a problem," the contractor declared as he tilted his head to catch a view of the room through the partially open door.
"Indeed," Bellatrix said, making a great show of ripping open one of the boxes of ceramic tiles. "I want you to cover the floor, walls, and ceiling with these tiles." She picked one up. "I understand that the normal practice is to allow plenty of room for grout. I do not want that. I want no space whatsoever between each tile. If the tiles are not even enough, cut, sand, or grind down the edge."
The contractor was nodding, though looking at Bellatrix slightly askance.
"However," Bellatrix continued, flipping over the sample tile, "you must not install any tile that does not have this design in its entirety on the back."
The contractor stepped closer to Bellatrix and looked down at the tile. An extremely complicated design of symbols and lines had been etched into the back of the tile near the center. "Very well," he said.
"Understand," Bellatrix said, "I will have a way of testing whether you have done this properly. If you have not done it properly, I will not be pleased."
"Never fear, ma'am," the contractor said, taking the tile away from her hands. "My boys can do a fine job of this. However," he said as he flipped over the tile and looked at the marble pattern, "if we focus on making sure your back symbol is proper, we're likely to have trouble with getting the top design lined up with each tile."
Bellatrix looked at the wavy marble design on the ceramic tile with a conniving smile. "That is perfectly all right with me. After all, it is just a storage room. It is not as if I have to stare at the walls all day."
"Of course, ma'am," the contractor said, returning the tile to the package from which Bellatrix had retrieved it.
Bellatrix nodded and motioned to several buckets near the boxes of tile. "I would also prefer if you used that material to glue the tiles in place."
"As you wish," said the contractor, looking at the buckets dubiously.
Bellatrix proceeded upstairs alone and made her exit, leaving the workers to their job. As she departed from her front yard, she noted that Petunia Dursley was watching the workers unload materials and equipment from one of the contractor's trucks. Bellatrix caught Petunia's eye and waved smarmily, knowing full well that Harry's pseudo-aunt would be embarrassed at being spotted and simultaneously jealous that she was not getting a new kitchen, bath, and basement dungeon.
.....
"Your husband has been slothful!" Voldemort hissed, his pincer-like fingers wrapping around Narcissa Malfoy's throat and lightly squeezing. Her eyes bugged out as she tried in vain to take a breath of air. Eventually, wanting an answer, Voldemort loosened his grip slightly.
Narcissa let out a very loud gasp. Resisting the urge the hyperventilate, she spoke. "He has diligently been searching, my lord, I swear."
"He should have brought Pettigrew back by now," Voldemort intoned. "Instead, he sits and waits."