Diane listened and watched as other student took the podium stating their reasoning. Since none of the options reflected what she herself thought, maybe she should choose the one that came the closest. After all, it was not a subject she had any intention of being parcial about. Plus, few of them had seemed to share it; that made her choice all the more original.

Thus, when no one took the podium for a while, Diane rose up and, moved to the front. She had no notes with her, and did not seem nervous. "Ehem," she cleared her throat, in the way people usually did when they wanted to get people's attention. Her doing it, though, sounded like mocking those people.

"My group," she began, "S.P.E.W.," she clarified, "has taken the wrong steps in the past. It is as you say, we have not been mindful of what house-elves alledgely want. But we wonder if you are in a position to say you know what their desires are. We wonder what are the undelying intentions in wanting to keep the status quo. We wonder if maybe you are a bit too comfortable with the current accomodations. In other words, we question your good intentions.

"Yes, we have been criticized in the past," she went on, "But it's, nonetheless, a group that has no personal sinister agenda to change social order," again, she put a mock sort of grim tone when she spoke, "but merely wishes to provide for their best interest. Our stand is simple. If you want to take care of your elves, then serve them back."

Cue plain and cute smile.

"Oh yes," she added, turning to one of the house-elf-happy-the-way-things-are student, Vanessa. "You said something... ah, what was it... still have a roof to live under... yes, that if they were left to be, they would be "living out in the wild" was it?" She tilted her head. "I was wondering what would lead you to believe that. It is true that in a wizard-dominated magic world, it is almost impossible to live without human interference -- giants being a good exemption to quote. But what service do we really provide? With the house-elves' evident intelligence, skill with magic and gentle nature, wouldn't they be able to coexist with us existing within their own civilized culture?"


ooc: Continues in another post.