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

[mrwoods]

He blinks. "Can you elaborate on that?"

[alicornucopia]

"What does Mr. Sadde mean, please?" the elf asks, tilting her head.

[mrwoods]

"Well, erm, what exactly does it mean for it be your nature? What parts of you make you all do that as opposed to something else? What would happen if you did in fact do something else? I don't think humans have any, er, behavioural traits that are 'in our nature' so I'm having trouble conceptualising, here. Even reproduction's kinda optional."

[alicornucopia]

"Turvy is not sure what you is meaning, still, Mr. Sadde, Turvy apologizes. Elves is doing chores because chores is what elves is for."

[mrwoods]

He blinks. "So the very idea of not doing chores is, what, unthinkable?"

[alicornucopia]

"We is not doing chores every minute of every day, sir, we is resting sometimes, and Hogwarts elves has summers with not much to be doing unless families is borrowing us, but elves is not quitting."

[mrwoods]

He nods. "Okay, then, I change my question to quitting being unthinkable. Erm, I'm sorry if I'm being offensive or something, I'm just really curious and really muggleborn. Er. What I mean is, what do you feel, inside, when you think about quitting?"

[alicornucopia]

"Turvy does not want to quit, sir, Turvy is a good elf."

[mrwoods]

He nods, slowly. "So... doing chores makes you happy...?" he concludes tentatively.

[alicornucopia]

Turvy does not look like this is quite correct, but she nods anyway.

[mrwoods]

Sadde is paying enough attention to notice. "What would you describe as your... emotions... around the concept of doing chores?"

[alicornucopia]

"Turvy is not being sure how to answer, sir."

[mrwoods]

"Can you try anyway? Even an uncertain answer with lots of qualifiers is better than my utter and complete confusion. You don't need to, though, if you don't want, or if it's too difficult."

[alicornucopia]

Turvy bites her lip thoughtfully, then says, "The most important thing for an elf is being a good elf, Mr. Sadde, and that means chores."

[mrwoods]

Okay, that's something. "How do you know that being a good elf means chores?"

[alicornucopia]

"That is how elves are, sir."

[mrwoods]

"Right, I know, but like. Is this something your parents told you? Something wizards told you? Something you've observed around and learnt? Or something you just feel inside or know instinctively? Or maybe something completely different?"

[alicornucopia]

"All of those things," Turvy concludes after a moment's thought.

[mrwoods]

He thinks about it some. "Do you think you could describe the instinctive feeling a bit more? I understand the other parts, but this one is more novel to me."

[alicornucopia]

"Turvy is not so good at describing feelings like that, sir, Turvy is sorry."

[mrwoods]

He nods. "It's okay, I already got a lot of information from that, you were very helpful! My other questions are mostly cultural and I should probably go grab breakfast before class starts, but one last question: do you know another elf who would be better at describing feelings like that, and if so, do you think they'd be willing to talk to me about them? It's totally okay to say no."

[alicornucopia]

"...Turvy is not knowing if Winky is being good at talking about feelings but Winky is certainly doing it very much," Turvy says. "Turvy can be asking her if Mr. Sadde likes."

[mrwoods]

He nods enthusiastically. "Yes, that'd be great, thank you, Turvy!"

One of the other Slytherin firsties walks into the dorm right about then and blinks. "Blimey, Woods, what are you doing talking to a House Elf?"

[alicornucopia]

Turvy stands up on Sadde's pillow, bows deeply to the other boy, and then vanishes with a loud CRACK.

[mrwoods]

Sadde was looking over his shoulder at the other boy and is quite startled by the crack. In fact, he even jumps a little, and blinks at the spot where Turvy disappeared from.

"Er..." He blinks a couple of times before turning to the other boy. "I was asking her questions. About House Elves, in general, you know."