While the students were developing their theories about where Hogwarts' elves had gone, the blackboard finished its note-taking on house elf characteristics.
"Copy these down," Erik gestured toward the board before resuming his usual question and answer method of teaching.
"Old wizarding families and people who own old wizarding homes...vhose are vhe people who are house elf masters." Erik repeated this information for anyone who wasn't listening. Good job, Ella.
"Toddles is vhe only Hogwarts elf left in vhe castle."
He wanted them to know that. Any other elves they saw around belonged to professors or students who had brought them from home.
It went without saying that the boy didn't know much about this school. Erik listened to his answer regardless.
"Maybe," he acknowledged the second guess with a tilt of his head.
"Vhat is...plausible," but not correct.
Here was some useful information.
"Good," he gave a nod of approval to Penelope.
"Vell, not good vhat ve house elves had to leave, but I'm glad you're mentioning vhat Toddles told you. Vhy vould only Toddles be left behind? Do you haff a guess?"
Not here...
"How clever of you," the professor commented dryly, just managing not to roll his eyes.
"Vhat is another good point, considering Hogwarts' financial troubles coincided vith vhe disappearance of vhe house elves." Erik raised an eyebrow at the Head Girl.
"I vhink you're right, Ms. Dixon."
Maybe he did that? Maybe
he made the house elves leave?
Well done, well done.
Erik let out a dark rumble of laughter at this Slytherin's presumption.
"Good one, Mr. Katharos..." he chuckled away the boy's answer with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"But I don't vhink vhe house elves left for either of vhose reasons. Sorry." "It's sort ov a different dialect, no?" Erik understood what the boy was grasping at....mostly.
"But no, vhe house elves are not on strike. I believe vhe staff or Board of Governors vould have received a list ov demands by now if vhey were truly striking." His eyes twinkled with mischief at the idea though...just twinkled.
"Good guess, but also incorrect I believe." Erik shook his head solemnly. Didn't this boy know how ineffective his Ministry was? Terrible.
"No one might vant you to know vhat is going on here," Erik replied seriously,
"but I believe education is power. Perhaps vith vhis lesson I can help you all figure out vhat is going on vith vhe house elf situation. It is one vhing I vould like to do as a Governor." To improve the school, out of the kindness of his heart, by helping them relocate their lost house elves. Wasn't that nice of him to do?
No promises of answers though. He knew only slightly more than they did.
Cough. "Vhose are....guesses..." Maybe. Maybe not.
This was useful too.
"Good information, Alexa," Erik gave her a nod.
"I vouldn't assume vhey're somewhere terrible now, but if vhey're somewhere vhey're not used to, somevhere vhat doesn't seem as much of a home as Hogwarts, vhen ve can assume the house elves were reluctantly moved." Heh heh heh.
A sweet elf that helped with cooking and cleaning, good to know. But the guess about house elves staying with family members??
"I believe vhe house elves here are...mostly family? Vith each other?" He wasn't sure what the young Hufflepuff was saying here.
This kid was a riot. Really. Had he been in the last lesson? Heh heh.
"Maybe, rebellion is alvays a possibility," he responded as seriously as the Hufflepuff was being.
"Vhey do vork very hard, but......" dramatic pause,
"....house elves are not free to just leave vhenever vhey want to." He eyed the boy and his classmates to see if they were listening.
"Remember vhat a house elf's highest law is his master's bidding. To break vhat is to bring dishonor and shame to vhe elf and to vhe master he serves."
No, they weren't. This boy was clever....and carefully spoken.
"Yes, you're correct on both points vhere." Erik hoped his classmates were listening. A slow smirk spread on his face as the boy then accused the Headmistress of sending them all away.
"Vhat is vhat it looks like, does it not?" He also paused and waited for his smile to fade.
"Vhe truth is, house elves literally belong to vhe school. Vhey literally belong to whomever holds vhe deed to vhe school. So if vhat is not in posession of vhe school's current Headmaster or Headmistress...." Erik trailed off into a deliberate shrug.
"Vhen vhey could sort ov be stolen." Or elf-jacked right from under the current Head's nose.
"Vhey actually do live at Hogwarts all year round," Erik gently answered the boy's questions.
"Hogwarts is vheir home more vhan any other place." Which was why it was just
so sad that they weren't here right now. Ha.
"Vhat's...a fair guess..." Erik shrugged off her first answer. He certainly wasn't going to defend the evil redhead for her kooky behaviour.
"However, I believe your second guess," he gave her a solid look that said yessss,
"is more on target."
Was he
allowed to tell them the deed to the school was missing? He'd heard it straight from the Headmistress' mouth. Why shouldn't he share this with the people who lived and learned in this school and returned here every year?
It wasn't like they could trace the deed back to him any more... "Vhat's also true," Erik shrugged.
"But I don't vhink Hogwarts' vere sold. It's possible though." "So, theories on vhe missing house elves....vhis is history in vhe making, did you all know?" He turned around to the second blackboard and waved his wand at it lightly.
Why Hogwarts' Elves Are Gone
-they got new jobs
-they were elfnapped
-they had to leave, but didn't want to go
-House Elf Relocation Office moved them
-they're on strike
-Headmistress sent them away
-Headmistress sold them to pay off school debts
-someone stole the castle deed and set them free
-other theories?
"Let's discuss this." Erik returned to his desk and his lean against it, giving the class some very serious looks.
"Vhich theory seems most accurate to you, and vhy?? Vhat can we do about it, to possibly bring vhe elves back?"