alchemical blurb

[mswoods]

The following day, Sadde has Transfiguration in the morning.

She is all over it at lunch.

"Okay, so, Transfig is just about the coolest thing," she says first thing to the Ravenclaws as soon as she sits at the table.

Comments

[chanuphis]

"They're sentient, and they can talk and everything, and I have no idea how they raise their children but I guess they must train them - probably the parents, not the wizards."

[mswoods]

"Huh. It sounds- kinda weird, that a whole sapient species is used for domestic tasks?"

[chanuphis]

"Yeah, it's very weird, but I've met a couple of them and they are very emphatic that it's what they want to do. I mean, they could be lying but following up on that doesn't seem like the highest priority since they'd need some reason to lie about it, like 'not wanting me to butt in'."

[mswoods]

"I guess," she says uncertainly.

[pleating]

"Hogwarts has elves," Karen says. "I'm not sure how you'd find one, but you could maybe do it and then talk to them if you want."

[mswoods]

"Alright, I guess. I'll go by your words that they're happy."

[pleating]

"There was a scandal when I was little that my cousin's elf thinks is really funny where an elf did want to be freed and got it - his owner had to be tricked though - but he died in the war. The elf not the owner."

[msmaxwell]

"...that doesn't sound very funny," Willow opines.

[pleating]

"Well, my cousin usually leaves out the part where the elf dies later."

[msmaxwell]

"Erm, yeah, still not seeing it."

[mswoods]

Sadde nods.

[pleating]

"I'm probably telling it wrong."

[chanuphis]

"Purebloods are probably more likely to find the concept of free elves inherently hilarious."

[mswoods]

"Alright."

[chanuphis]

"You might be able to meet an elf if it would make you feel better by leaving a note with your laundry."

[mswoods]

She nods. "That might help, yes."

[chanuphis]

"Um, and I could look it over for you so you don't accidentally insult them or something."

[mswoods]

"That might also help."

[chanuphis]

"Although Karen has more house elf experience than I do."

[pleating]

"It's not like we have one, but we might know more people who have them, I guess."

[mswoods]

"I think it's probably faster to talk to Hogwarts' elves, but if that's a dead end I'll ask."

[chanuphis]

"I meant she might also be good for consulting about the notes."

[mswoods]

"Oh. Yes, that'd be very good. Any suggestions? I mean, any reason why just going with 'Hey I'd like to talk about potentially unpleasant topics with a House Elf, I am a muggleborn and therefore likely to accidentally offend you so send someone with a tough skin' or the like wouldn't work?"

[chanuphis]

"It's... not the most diplomatic."

[pleating]

"Maybe something like 'I've never met an elf before and want to ask some questions, if there is anyone who isn't too busy' and let them fill in the blanks."