A popping noise sounded throughout the room, and a very late Beezley came sliding into the room. She skidded to a stop a mere inch or two away from Master Truebridge, then backed away slowly. She flinched a little just in case he was a little angry with her, then moved to stand off to the side. If elves could blush, Beezley would red as a smashed piece of cherry pie right about now.

The studentsies were talking about something now, so Beezley knew she'd missed the first part of her orders. Instead of completely beating herself up about it, though, she smiled a wide, toothless grin and waved out at all the studentsies sitting around the room. Beezley sure did love studentsies!

George smirked.

"Well, you're entitled to your personal opinions even if they're rooted in vanity and ignorance," she replied.

What is a House Elf? So simple. And yet no one could answer properly? Idiot children.

George snorted derisively.

Well, some students were closer than others.

But no one answered to George's standards.

And that is because children are stupid.

Look how they managed to upset Schmoop.

"To ask what an elf is is akin to asking what a human is," she drawled. "You can't measure them against us or our behaviour, they are what they are, they do what they do, and they have their own reasons. And while we, as humans may think they're strange for their lifestyle, some of our habits are equally perplexing to them. The large majority of house elves are domestically inclined, are happiest occupying themselves in that work, and are found in domiciles large and small all over the world. Larger Dwellings have been known to have many house elves working and residing within it. The term, 'enslavement' is not technically accurate, house elves DO have free will, and their own magic, but feel compelled to keep to the wishes of a magical family that houses them."

Whhhhyyy were so many people degrading these beings?? Cam almost felt sorry for them--they had made the delicious food and to be called SLAVES? He didn't understand, he barely knew what the house elves could do even but GOOD CHEFS were not slaves--more like the opposite really in his opinion. House elves were his FRIENDS. Yup. Totally. And being a friend of Cam totally made you awesome&cool. Chyeaah.

He watched as there was a sudden POP and another house elf came. ZOMG THEY COULD TELEPORT APPARATE TOOO? Clap clap clappity clap. He was randomly clapping for a few seconds at the teleporting house-elf. Why? Ohhh he didn't know. But seeing a teleporting being (other than a wizard) was iiinteresting.

Cam stopped with the clapping and turned to face George. Her speech was... so complex. Big words. She used big words. BUT OOOH house-elves had magic? So they were just like wizaaards? Small... wizards? INTERRRESTING.

Evolette blinked. She had NOT called the house elves slaves. That word had not escaped her lips. She'd called them servants, because that was what they did. They served people. And, if she wanted to argue the point that she had not brought up to begin with, she could point out that slaves were owned by their masters, much like House Elves.

But, she really didn't care. She was just glad that Willow had stopped being snarky with George, at least for right now. Willow Kovac's mouth was going to be the death of her. She knew it, and it was sort of a friend requirement to keep the other one from an untimely death.

ANYWAY. She glanced over at Professor Cutie Truebridge, as she awaited his next question. All the while committing everything to memory so that she could tell Nicholai in her next letter. No doubt, he would find himself amused by her tribulations.

"And we appreciate everything you do, Schmoop." Ethan told the little house elf soothingly, "And may I please have a cookie?"

"Hello Beezley, glad you could spare some time to come today." Ethan actually gave one of his rare but genuine smiles at the little elf, his green eyes lighting up somewhat. It was possible Beezley was his favourite.

"Thank you, George." Ethan looked at the class, "Be sure you are taking notes, everyone."

He looked at the elves again and cleared his throat, "Most of you are textbook accurate, but then most textbooks with information on house elves tend to be somewhat outdated. Observe how Schmoop felt about some of the words you chose to use? Do keep in mind that House elves have feelings and, like us, some are more sensitive than others. It isn't always a good idea to make generalisations but it certainly helps to know the generalisations that are commonly made."

He started walking slowly around the tower. "House elves are beings, can anyone explain what is meant by this?"

Ethan paused and added a second question.

"Does anyone know what means exist to support house elves? Groups, organisations, businesses, witches and wizards of note, laws, modes of behaviour; anything at all, past and present that aims to help or promote understanding house elves in some manner."


ooc: I'm off for a while, answer the questions, interract with the elves and our other special guest and try not to do anything that might cause that George lady to throw a pointy shoe at Truebridge. On topic discussions are allowed, as are creative answers as long as they do not conflict with canon.

Lucy's mood lightened up even more as she saw her favorite house elf appear. Beezley had been one of the house elves Lucy had helped Professor Morgan with after the kitchen floor had been flooded. She waved at the house elf and smiled, hoping that she would remember Lucy. She looked over at Schmoop and felt a little bad. Even though Lucy hadn't used any of the words that the house elf clearly didn't like, she was sorry.

"A Being is any creature with adequate intelligence to understand and follow the laws of the wizarding community." Lucy said responding to the professors question, her hand in the air. She listened to the professors next question and proceeded to answer. "Well theres the organization S.P.E.W. - Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. It was created to give house elves their rights."

Cam raaaised his hand up high, "Beeeings are like magical creatures that posses intelligence. Well, enough intelligence to understand the laws and all that." House elves had that. Definitely smart. Second question? With his hand still raised high, he spoke again, "There was thingy um... the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans--they were like some set of rules to stop discrimination and such against magical beings. Like... the non-huuuman-ish ones."

Willow stared at Schmoop, upon hearing his outburst.

If it weren't because the endearing little creature was offering cookies and was being all nice and rainbows and sunshines to her, Willow might have snapped at him that the plural of elf was elves not elveses. So, she settled for smiling him again and taking yet another cookie.

Such good cookies, they tasted SO good.

And UUUGGGHHH, that woman was talking again. Why? The conversation had ended, the tone of finality she'd used previously stated that much. Was she not only daft, but deaf, too?

The sixth year pointedly ignored the nudge Evolette gave her, tossed her hair to the back and stuck her nose in the air. She was just going to ignore GEORGE from now on - people like that woman were not worth her time. Hmph.

"House elves are considered beings because they are creatures with enough wits to abide by our laws and such. In other words, unlikes other creatures like Chimaeras, they do not ... follow their instincts, I suppose? Because they are fully aware of the consequences that come with breaking the rules." Right? Hopefully. "As for the organizations, I know about the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, and that the majority of house elves did not seem pleased by it at first - apparently they thought of being freed was dreadful for them." She shrugged. "I suppose that it means that they actually do enjoy to work for us, or as Schmoop said, to 'please us.'"

So, in short, house elves were people pleasers.

Another reason to not care much for them.

Except Schmoop and her family elf. Those two were lovely.

Chris raised his hand. "A being professor, is something that is complete and lacking no essential characteristic." he nodded and then decided to answer the second question. "Well a person noted for trying to help House Elf rights would be hermione Granger who started her organization, S.P.E.W ( Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare)."

As he waited for Professor Truebridge to respond to his answer Chris smiled at the House Elf that spoke about how they feel about work, "What's your name? Im Chris and thanks for the cookie." he smiled. "Well Im am very happy that you like to work at the school and you do a great job, might I add. I, in my answer was just saying that i think it is right for poeple to try you guys with respect." he shook his head and showed a kind smile to the creature.

Cela skipped the first question and answered the second one. "The house elf relocation office is there to support them, and the Beings division in general is supposed to work in their best interest. Hogwarts as well helps support house elves because they can still help us out with domestic things but aren't treated badly." She spoke from her spot in the cushions, with her hand raised.

"Well Professor, the house elfs being classified by beings, I think this means that since the house elfs breathe, eat, sleep, think, talk, move , and can perform their own kind of magic. I think the house elfs should be respected and treated kindly, like our kind friend Schoomp here, I think that because he was treated kindly by students he like them. Now on the other hand our other friend Algamus here I think was teated unkindly by some students so he doesn't like them" Ash said looking around the room for emphises

"And a group that suported and furthered elfish rights was started right here in Hogwarts by one Hermione Granger, I'm talking of course of S.P.E.W or the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare" Ash said looking around for Schoomp for a cookie

"Algie is rememberings this... This... SPEWNESS!" Algamus spat, his arms crossed over his chest, his mood very very sour. "We elvsies, we be happy we is serving as our masters and us be your slavises, but stupid Granger person made wanted us to be... to be..."

Algamus then made a disgusted face and whispered, "free."

"Right, though like us, not all beings agree with the laws." Ethan answered, "S.P.E.W, right. A point for you, Lucy."

"Excellent, thank you Cam. The Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans, certainly do pertain to house elves. A point for your answer." Truebridge nodded.

"They do follow their instincts if one considers their instincts to lean towards helping wizardkind. You bring up a good point about S.P.E.W, certainly the organisation was intended to help house elves but it went about it the wrong way, and certainly did not take the desires of the majority into consideration. Have a point."

"Interesting definition, true enough even if your answer itself is lacking something essential." Ethan nodded at the prefect. "Thank you for mentioning Hermione Granger, a point for you."

"I'm going to have to give you two points for that answer Celandine, the house-elf relocation office, the Beings Division and Hogwarts itself are very good answers and we will come back to them soon." Truebridge told the Ravenclaw.

"Thank you for providing a non-textbook answer, that is a very logical conclusion you have reached but consider that not all house-elves have the same temperament. True, mistreatment can often be a telling point, but Algamus," And Ethan nodded politely at the house elf, "Is perfectly within his rights to dislike certain things or certain people, just as we do. A point for you."

"Freedom. Thank you for sharing your opinion there, Algamus." Ethan nodded politely, "What must be understood about S.P.E.W is that the house elves were not consulted about what they considered to be within their best interest."

Ethan shot a little look at George to be sure she was not preparing a weapon to throw at him or something. Satisfied that she was not, he continued.

"So I have a few questions for you all, and I'd like you to think about your answers. What is freedom anyway? And what actions might S.P.E.W have taken to truly support house elves and look out for their best interests?"

"Isn't freedom where an individual or anything really is free from restriants, they are independant and can do what ever they want, within reason." Vanessa spoke, whilst raising her hand. Well that's what she thought freedom was anyway. "And didn't Hermione Granger knit scarves and hats, and hid them for the house elves to find them when she first started S.P.E.W. She probably thought that she was looking out for their best interests by freeing them. But I kind of disagree with what she did because she would be have been freeing them even if they didn't want to be freed....which may not have been in their best interest."

Diane had been watching the strange creatures since they appeared. The tiny things were subject of her sheer but silent facination at first, much like when she first came in visual contact with the ghost of Myrtle.

But right about now, her expression had grown from attentive-interested state of stumpor with an slight inking as to something else, to eyes that were wide and fixed forwards. Her expression could only be described as... completely terrified.

She was watching, specifically, the house-elf hurting himself with a smoothing iron. This she could not phantom but... the impression that left her, puzzled her like only she herself could explain. Something had dawned on her, from the tea cloths to the skinny arms, in ways no one else seemed to share.

Diane was suddenly startled when the two house-elves were struggling among themselves for the iron. When the last of the elves appeared, this one cornered against the professor's desk, it was obvious even from her spot in the back of the classroom that something about the view --toothless, dressed in rags-- frightened her.

Conversation seemed to go on despite the overwhemling cold constricting feeling in her chest. She spent minutes staring with this transparent expression before she even dared to look up again. She did not know of house-elves' history. The terror did not leave her even as she slowly raised one hand, the weak arm that held it much like under slow-mo potion.

She was not looking at the professor, though, but at the adult woman in the front. "If they aren't slaves, why is the house-elf punishing himself?"

As she said that, the words from the professor's question sounded in her head as if by means of an echo. She had not been concerned about the class for a while. And yet the answer to the question, wasn't it deeply related to her own?

Diane raised her hand again. Before answering, she breathed out too sooth her mind. "Freedom is..." For a moment, she paused to find the words. And then she sentenced: "A state of mind."

She took a moment to assess her own words and contiued to say, "Maybe it's the ideal sprouted from contraries: human conscience creats this illusory concept to oppose the feeling of entrapment... The closest to fact is the feeling of being capable of taking decitions that affect your own life fundamentally... thus it can only be attained by eliminating the feeling of owing and belonging."

When Diane thought about it... to be wholy free, what would it imply... the destruction of all emotional ties... a purely destructive feeling.

Cela raised her hand again. "Freedom is when you can live the way you want without restrictions, particularly restrictions that others place on you." And Cela wasn't entirely sure she had that herself. "It's also the opposite of slavery or captivity and if the house elves don't feel they are slaves or captives or whatever, then they don't really need that kind of freedom. In a way, house elves are free because they are living the way they want and doing what they want; helping us. I guess there are a bunch of definitions for the idea of freedom and it really isn't fair to apply the one that works for us to them because our idea of freedom is not the same as a house elf's idea of freedom."

Celandine wrinkled her nose, wondering if she'd made sense.

"I think S.P.E.W should have started by asking the house elves what their idea of elvish welfare actually was, maybe S.P.E.W could have educated instead of advocated. For someone that was supposed to be smart, Hermione Granger did something really uninformed and almost self-serving."

"Freedom is being able to live, and express yourself fully without worrying about what others may say or do. To live happily in your own skin," ventured to speak the Blond, finger trapped in a curl on the nape of her neck. The other answers had been much more articulate and intricate but there wasn't much she could add that hadn't been said.

It was bad enough that she had been sitting through class with a dumb look on her face. It would be even worse if she proved it to be true, which she could possibly be doing right now. Turning slightly pink she caught sight of Celandine out of the corner of her eye and wrinkled her nose at her.

Ravenclaw Smarts. She had them.

Insightful. More than she would have expected from a Hufflepuff, but then, Bunny was a Hufflepuff, so there were exceptions.

"Hermione Granger had good intentions and great prejudice," said George, "A Muggleborn witch who hasn't known creatures like house elves before, wouldn't be familiar with the nature of the whole species after briefly meeting just one and under perhaps the worst possible circumstances, and there are some things that you cannot understand just by reading about them especially if you are convinced that the whole race is enslaved as you look for information."

Being a Muggleborn herself she didn't feel prejudiced at all against Muggleborns, it's simply a matter of seeing what you want to see.

"The muggle world has had quite a lot of oppression in its history, and Hermione Granger saw that when she looked at House Elves, rather than creatures who elected to serve because it fulfilled them to do so. So she tried to free them, without giving much consideration to whether they wanted to be free or what they would do if she had succeeded." In some ways, George thought, Hermione Granger wasn't all that smart.

But she was a child.

Then.

Children really don't know how to use their brains.

"House elves aren't slaves, and that particular house elf is punishing himself because you answered your own question," George answered in a tone meant to make the girl feel just as stupid as she obviously was. "Freedom IS a state of mind. Clothes and the lack there of are a symbol, nothing more, and nothing less. Nothing is forcing him to hurt himself. No charm or magical contract. He can stop if he believes he can. He simply doesn't believe it. He might one day."

Now this was a little unexpected.

Could it be that not all students were stupid?

Well George hadn't been, or Bunny, obviously. But this little girl wasn't. And the Hufflepuff wasn't altogether dim either...

"Very, very insightful... sprightly one," George... sorta... praised. "Our definition of freedom is not theirs. Nor is our definition of happiness. I am perfectly happy to never cook, ever. But Schmoop would not be happy if someone would tell him he could never make another cookie."

And the little blonde made another good point. "Hermione Granger did not really, as far as we can tell, come to understand house elves as a species, throughout most of her student years. She didn't, for instance, understand how proud they are, and what they wanted to do, only what she wanted them to do, and wanted them to want to do."

Hmmm...

A little Gryffindor too...

Could she scare the brave house?

"And?" George said harshly, "Do you believe House Elves possess any of these qualities you just described?"

Well she was a little firecracker wasn't she he thought not even able to answer the question but feeling the need to step in so Daphne wouldn't feel all that bad about her answer, which was good he had to admit. "Ma'am, House elves are happy doing what they do. There's always going to be some House Elves who want something more, not that any of the House Elves here do." he moved a look over to Schmoop and Beezley smiling at them before turning his attention back to the woman and saying, "They want to be happy and have fun doing what they love to do. If some wizards feel they don't deserve that then they'll try and do something like S.P.E.W where they'll try and take away the House Elves freedom.

I think the House Elves do deserve more than they get but it's not my call to make, nor is it anyone elses'. If they want something more we should allow them to ask for it themselves, not tell them what they want. No one should be told what they want, nor should they be forced to do something they don't want to do." he stopped, wishing he could crawl into the proverbial hole and hide until she was finished reprimanding him. Instead of cowering away though he sat straighter, his back straight as he looked at her, willing her to say something. It was his words, nothing more and he'd defend them until he turned blue.

Abby raises her hands. I believe Hermione Granger had the house elves best interest at heart when she organized S.P.E.W.S. I question the methods behind her good intentions. Hermione wanted to free all the house elves and make them independent beings. To successfully accomplish this, she should have first educated the house elves. They do not understand life outside of the protection of wizards. Basicly house elves have for generations served wizards without complaint. They don't know any other way to live. House elves don't know how to survive on their own."

A house elf pops into the classroom next to the Ministry woman. Argyle carries a stack of library books taller than her. The books sway back and forth until two of them fall off. They are heading right for the Ministry woman's feet. "Argyle is sorry Argyle is so late Master Truebridge. Argyle heard Master Truebridge needs help teaching History of Magic, so Argyle got as many History of Magic books from the library Argyle could carry. Argyle is so sorry Master Truebridge. Argyle has not had time to read all the books, so Argyle does not know a lot of History of Magic. Argyle will try and help the best Argyle can though." Argyle continues to sway back and forth under the weight of the books.

A smile appeared on Jule's face when she saw the new house elf that arrived.

"Oh my gosh, it's so adorable." she called out but then noticing she hadn't said it to herself. "But why is it carrying so many books at once?"

Chris looked at Professor Truebridge as he thought of his answer and then raised his hand. "Well, professor, wouldn't Freedom be the ability to do and think what you want without being told to do so? And a way that S.P.E.W could have truely supported the house elves would be to be a safe place for those that have been abused and don't want to work can come and find freedom." he nodded.

"It isn't the house elves that need educating, it's wizards and witches. See you are looking at it wrong too, Abby. They don't need to change, people think they need to change because some people, mostly muggleborn and those with muggleborn parents, are uncomfortable with how they help us because they have preconceived ideas about what it means to let a being serve you."

Cela paused and added in a quieter voice, "What it means is that the moral standards people hold themselves to are thrown back in their faces because those people don't agree with the way house elves live and that's the problem. The people that want change want it for themselves so they don't have to come face to face with what they see as a moral dilemma. House elves understand life away from Wizardkind and it isn't something that they want. Out of sight out of mind, right? Why not try looking at it differently?"

Nodding in agreement with what the Ministry lady was saying, Celandine turned her attention to Chris. "That place is Hogwarts." She paused and added in a quieter voice as if to herself, "Hermione Granger was a Gryffindor too."

Her tone had a slight edge to it and Daphne had to remind herself that if she had survived several meetings with a one Willie Crocker there was no need to feel intimidated by anyone. Except, she really was.

If it was a little.

Averting her eyes, she tilted her head slightly as she answered. "What I believe isn't necessarily the truth now is it?" she paused a bit doubtful, lower lip trapped between her teeth. "Some may and some may not. Clearly Dobby wasn't happy with how he was leading his life as a house elf and others were. Some if not most serve others and feel a great sense of gratification out of this. If they're happy doing this I don't see why anyone should---"

And then she was cut short. Pursing her lips, she raised a well groomed brow before she returned to her previous pastime: tugging at a short curl at the nape of her neck.