Finn stood his ground, but would not speak again. He had already cost his house much. But his fury would not be dimmed so quickly. Bunching his fists, he stood aside and looked pitifully to Shmoop.

Finn relaxed somewhat as Bore gave Shmoop a choice. Though a terrible choice it was, it would allow him to remain as he desired.

A wave of relief shot through Shel - instantly marred as he realized exactly what the elf would have to do, to save himself from being freed. If he had been a house-elf, Shel was sure he would have preferred freedom to serving Borr. All the same, at least the house-elf would be relieved. A little.

"Excellent idea, sir," he said out loud. "You truly are most ingenious. None except your Lordship could have formulated so fantastic a plan."

Kingston stood there, frozen in spot, not wearing a shirt. Dear Lord why was this happening to him?! WHY?! What did he do so he could deserve such punishment?! Lord have mercy on him! Kingston wrapped his arms around himself to try to at least cover himself. This must be the most humiliating thing he had ever done as a student.

He looked at the Ravenclaw boy that offered him a shirt. He shook his head at the offer even though he wanted it to take it badly. "I don't think Borr would be happy with this," he told him, shaking his head once more. "But, thank you for the offer."

Looking back at Borr, Kingston nodded as he thanked him. Now, at this very moment, he wished that he could crawl into a hole and merely die.

Kingston exhaled once the fat man demanded that the elf would be bound to him. He didn't know he was holding his breath until that moment the Lord Borr said those words. Merlins'.

"Well done, Sir." Kingston murmured, tightening the hold on himself.

Iggy eyed Kingston's shirt, and then eyed Kingston. He was way too pretty to be shirtless. He slowly averted his eyes from the boy, and watched Borr.

He should've offered his own shirt, but then again it was silk, and Borr's sweat would probably degrade it.

"Sir, I think Schmoop would learn alot from you."

Dimitri was disgusted by the man but to try to win a few points for the house was never bad hence he smiled to him nodding as if thinking that he was correct.
To give cloth to a house elf…that was wrong in so many ways, but to keep quiet is the best choice.
“How kind of you to spear the elf to a life of ignorance.” Dimitri sighted. Yeah right! The poor creature had no idea of how terrible his life was going to be from now on.

What is this class? Schmoopses knees begin to tremble and knock against each other in fear. Hit Schmoop? Quickly, tears fills Schmoopses ears and Schmoopses ears droop as fear clutches Schmoopses heart. For a moment, Schmoop feels the grasp of hope - educate Schmoop! Yes! Education would be much better, much better than being hit.

But then, a naughty, very naughty student suggested clothes and Schmoop couldn't help but let out a squeaky cry. No! Not clotheses! Anything but the clotheses! For a brief moment, Schmoop believed Schmoopself saved by the refusal to give clothes, to fight against it.

Unfortunately, for Schmoop, Dirty, Nasty Lord Borr demanded and a naughty, NAUGHTY studentsie pulled off his shirt. As Dirty, Nasty, AWFUL Lord Borr held the shirt above Schmoopses head, Schmoop let out a strangled cry.

"No! Please!" the House Elf pleaded. "Please! Schmoop wishes not! No clotheses, please!"

Upon realizing that Schmoop was being naughty and saying no to Schmoop's master, Schmoop scuttled to the wall and began to bash his head upon it. "Bad, bad Schmoop! Lord Borr is Schmoopses master!"

However, Schmoop was faced with a choice. Eyes full of tears, Schmoop turned to Lord Borr.

"Lord Borr, sir!" he squeaked in a hoarse voice. "Schmoop is House Elf of Hogwartses. For Schmoop to leave would be wrong! Would be rude! Schmoop needs be freed by Headmistress to choose new Lord! Schmoop is House Elf of Hogwartses and cannot do such a thing!"

Frantically, Schmoop did something he wouldn't normally do. Snapping his finger, a cloud of what seemed to be glitter encircled Schmoop. "ALGIE!" he called in a cracking, hoarse voice. "ALGIE! SCHMOOP IS NEEDING HELP! ALGIE!"

Head Elf would know what to do.

POOOOOOOOP!

"What you is wanting, Schmoopisies?! You is waking me from bed! BED! You is stupid!" Algamus grumbled, thwacking the back of the sweet elf's head. "What you is wanting?! Algamus has beings sleepings and Algie is be dream about Hogwarts and no studentses! GOOD DREAM!"

As he shouted at the poor elf named, Schmoop. Algamus didn't know he was shouting at the poor thing in front of Borr and stinky studentses.

Grumpy Algasmus was further upsetting the already upset Schmoop, who began crying even harder, so much that poor Schmoopses body was shaking.

"Schmoop is sorry!" wailed Schmoop. "Schmoop does not mean disturbing Head Elf but Schmoop needs help!" For a moment, Schmoop began to bash his head against the wall again for disturbing Head Elf. "Bad Schmoop, bad! But Schmoop is in danger and needs Algie!"

Turning back to Algie, tears falling heavy and fast from Schmoopses eyes, Schmoop whimpered.

"Lord Borr wantses to give to Schmoop clothes! CLOTHES! Or else Schmoop must be Lord Borrses House Elf! But Schmoop is House Elf of Hogwarts and only Headmistress freeses Schmoop! Algie must help Schmoop, please!"

Maddox stood from what he was doing. He couldnt believe that the other students suggested freeing this poor house elf that obviously was telling the truth. He stood infront of the elf and said very calmly, "Professor, im not trying to be rude in anyway shape or form, but the only person that can punish this house elf by giving it clothes is the Headmistress. She is his true master. I think that you should go to her and tell her what the situation is, and let her make the decision of freeing schmoop or not. Personlly i think that would be the more gentlemanly way to go. Especially with a great man like you sir. I know you are angry about this but we, your students are hear trying to help you." He took a deep breath and said, "So please will you take this to the headmistress." He was so scared that he had just lost his house points but he hoped lord borr would see that it was the best way to go.

Shel watched the scene in front of him unfold, and his eyes were not often larger. And when another house-elf arrived... Oh my. Shel wondered what would happen, and Shel wondered and wondered and wondered.

He wanted to speak out, but his mouth was zipped. He knew any speech in favour of the elf could cost him house points. He would certainly have spoken out if no one else had been siding with the elf. Others were trying to stop Borr though, so Shel decided it was not unmanly to stay silent. Errr, OK. So maybe it was. Still. At least the house elf was not entirely defenseless.

Clifford wasn't exactly sure of what to do, and sort of remained frozen on the spot. Had he been braver, he would've poked Lord Ogre for being a big, fat meaniehead and saved all the ickle house-elves. But no, Clifford was a wimp and simply watched events unfold from afar.

That didn't mean he thought what was going on was right however. For he didn't. Not in the slightest. Sure, he gave the houseleves at home Butterbeer and laughed when they fell over, but this wasn't the same. This -- This was just bullying! Lord Ogre was a big BULLY who needed to pick on someone his own size. Hmpf.

Wailing Schmoop gave Algamus a headache. "Schmoopsies giving Algie headache! Algie wanting to dreams and dreams! School with no studentsies... very... good... dream." The head elf sighed as he remembered running through the school halls, running into the arms of his Mistress. Sigh.

"CLOTHES?!" Squeaked Algamus, turning to face the man named Borr. His eyes widened though when the man's belly hit him in the face, making him fall back on his green tush. "You is very big man, Sir." Muttered the head elf, standing up and brushing his clothes. "You is no be giving us elvsies clothes! We is working for Headmistresses only! ONLY! ONLY! ONLY!"

Was that clear?

Shel felt a sudden but certainly strong desire to laugh. Algamus was one, good elf, throwing that refusal-to-obey straight into the ogre's face. He wanted to say, "Very good, Algie" but, keeping in mind the dire consequences such an action may have, he did not. That couldn't stop him from rejoicing inwardly, though.

Ben blinked and wiped his hands on his shirt. He checked to be sure his wand was in his back pocket. It was. Sure, he didn't approve of the bullying of house-elves, thanks to Juni and her 'all beings are equal' slogan. But there really wasn't much to do about it. He was, after all, just a student. And he did not want to lose points. Slytherin points may have skyrocketed, but they still couldn't lose points. He was considering sitting on the floor when he noticed that his pants felt warm. That... was weird. Almost as if his pants were trying to make him feel guilty. But that was crazy thinking on his part. Pants were just pants, except when they were unnaturally warm. But Ben could only think of two reasons why pants would be warm, and...

"MERLIN!" He shouted, craning his neck and flailing his arms. "My pants are on FIRE!!!" Gahh. That's what he got for putting his wand in his pocket, he supposed.

"The headmistress is NO BOSS OF MINE!" Lord Borr's voice boomed, so loud that the panes of glass in the windows rattled. "I have rights given to me by THE MINISTER HIMSELF, thank you very much! I think you all - ALL OF YOU - forget who I AM! And YOU ALL forget where you are! Hogwarts is NO MORE!"


"I am LORD Borr, Berty Borr, a very busy and very important former Ministry official and best teacher ever of all time -- EVER EVER EVER! You all should be BOWING, not talking about some idiot little girl who only even has a job out of pity from her big, generous, very high up, brother! You all have been hoodwinked and mind-washed by her and her kind and I won't stand for it!"


"HOUSE ELF! Poop! I believe I I asked you to make a choice. I won't ask again. After that, I'll let my boys vote on your fate." Lord Borr shook the shirt at the other pestering elf. Vermin infestation in his office on top of the garbage, bah! "Put out that kid's pants, other Elf!"

Sean wasn't 100% sure what was going on. He was mildly amused listening to the professor rant about this and that. but none of this seemed very important to him. Granted, Borr's view of women and house elves was quite funny. He might even gode him along on this rant.
"Her kind sir?" Sean asked, hoping for a rise out of Borr.

This was enough. Shel could sit here and see a house-elf mistreated because he had no choice, and because he cared for his house and its house points, but he would NOT sit there and see some fat ogre speak so disrespectfully of Headmistress Rae. Not even if he lost a thousand points for Gryffindor. He knew he could not just walk out, but he had half a mind to. And he would, if Borr continued this way. That was a promise to himself, I assure you.

"None of us doubt you are a most important man, sir, excellent enough to be chosen especially by the honoured Minister; but the Headmistress is a highly qualified lady, my Lord," he said calmly, his hand in the air out of habit.

Nicholai clenched his jaw slightly; he didn’t really want to free the elf- unless it was the elf responsible for the garbage. Nico was convinced it wasn’t; he could only hope that the others would help him convince Lord Borr of the same.

He watched avidly as the other students leaped to the defence of the elf; and Lord Borr became more and more infuriated. He spared an uneasy glance at the elf as it squeaked and called for another elf. Nico cringed at Maddox’s approach and blinked as another house elf appeared; waiting for Lord Borr’s reaction before he said anything.

“Sir, with respect,” Nicholai bowed, “Not all of us have been brainwashed – I myself have never met the headmistress.”
Unfortunately.
“But I know I am lucky; as we all are,” he glanced around at the other boys; making a slight face at Kingston’s shirtlessness, “To have the privilege of being taught by you; handpicked as you were by the Minister. And this lesson is an important one indeed- you are very clever sir to have the house elves demonstrate, so that we may recognise insubordination.”
Nicholai mentally crossed his fingers before he continued.
“House elves take pride in doing their work well and I have never known a house elf to out and out lie. I still stand by my statement; an insubordinate and incapable house elf should be punished; but you sir, in your wisdom with this… demonstration, have shown that this house elf is not the culprit; if it were it would have jumped at the chance of being freed. Of course we students are not clever and intelligent as you are; Lord Borr, and we do not know who the disrespectful miscreant is- though I am sure an important gentleman such as yourself does know and we are being tested- I humbly request that along with whatever homework you choose to set us sir, you allow us to find out who the real culprit is…perhaps someone who is disloyal to the ministry or even jealous of your great importance, Sir. And if we do not discover who is responsible then we will have clearly failed you.”

Nicholai bowed once more; knowing that this could go either way and hoping that the other boys would help him…and the elf.

Ignatius looked from Borr to Schmoop. The man had made the poor little elf cry. And Iggy wasn't having it.

"Sir I understand what the task was here, but I thought you were going to instill fear into the elf, not bully it. I do not believe the Minister would approve if he heard that his prized Lord was showing the men of the future that bullying those smaller than us always worked in life." Iggy sighed. "Schmoop is doing the best he can. If he said that he didn't put the garbage in your office, I believe him. Please leave him alone."

Ignatius was speaking up for the elf. Good. Though it was hard to believe that - especially after their cunningness and trickery in getting their house two thousand points - Slytherins could act and mean well, Ignatius was clearly doing both things. And Shel was glad of it. Very glad. He gave the boy an approving nod, before burying himself in his thoughts.

It was about time that others began to speak for the rights of these elves. Finn was well and truly disgusted. His stomach had churned from foul odors, but now it was fortified by injustice.

Finn spoke after Iggy. "Professor, you have had your say. I think we should not grant the elf the right of choice. You have said that you will allow the students to have their say. I say that you allow them to go about their business. Inform the ministry of the horrid conditions your office were left in and allow the ministry to take care of the culprit." He looked to see the response of the Land whale.

Barry nodded "Sir if you give us the students the right of choosing what shall happen to the house elf. I would say that the elves should be aloud to go or at leats left lone till we are sure of who the culprit is" he said that was the best he could say not anything more just yet. If the elf was sacked he would look after it for sure it was a great elf.

"Of course, Sir. We're all ridiculous to think that we are still at Hogwarts. That we are still Hogwart's students. We are the proud students of Cooper's School for young Wizards." Kingston spoke, trying his best to not feel uncomfortable. Well, of course he'd be uncomfortable like this. For Merlin's sake, he wasn't wearing a shirt!


Kingston sighed and smiled at Borr. "Why, yes sir, you are the greatest man. The greatest Lord that walks this earth. Why, if it wasn't for you teaching us these meaningful lessons, we'd be lost now!" This praising better calm him down or else all of these boys were dead meat.

Vote on the elf's fate?

The blond's blue eyes looked over the elf. Poor little thing. Taking a deep breath as he heard all of the boy suggestions, Kingston spoke. "I do think the right thing for the elf to do is give its services to you. Any other choice it would do would be utterly stupid. Although, we are merely here to watch your greatness teach us how to treat insubordinates."

Cale looked around, confused. Did this man really want them to vote on the fate of the house elf?! Not to mention - who was he to believe he was over Hogwarts itself? "But sir," Cale asked, putting much emphasis on the word. "Isn't your job as a Ministry-appointed professor temporary, until this mess is over? So Hogwarts will be returning, no?"

He didn't have much appreciation for the Professor, especially with the way he was treating the elf. "He's employed under the Headmistress, and it's rude to force clothes onto him. If we're voting, I vote you calm down and let the elves go."

Algamus gasped. How DARE he talk about his mistresses like that!? "Heamistressies is bossies of every professors!" the elf squeaked, raising his finger and shaking it at the fat man. "You is naughty! naughty! Talking abouts mistressies like that! You is BAD man! BAD!"


Algamus stood in front of Schmoop, placing his hands on his green hips. "You is not making Schmoopsies works for you! Schmoop is belongings to Hogwarts! To Mistressies!" He told the man, blinking his large every several times.

His eyes turned to look at the burning boy. Snapping his fingers, the boy was now only in his boxers. "You is now having boy with no shirt!" He squeaked, pointing at the blond boy. "And boy with no pants!"