Nigel raised his hand at the question. He did not really like talking about what goes on at his house. But it was true that he had a house elf.

"We have one.Does the housework, keeps secrets and is an excellent cook."

He does basically everything Nigel said before. But also keeps the family secrets. So he will probably never be freed. Though Nigel would know why he would want freedom. His family treats him well at the house.

Oh?

OH?

Alec was surprised. But pleasantly surprised. Theo had come to sit next to him! THEO! After everything that had happened and... Alec GRINNED. "Morning!" he chirped, sitting up a little straighter. How AWESOME was this?

Now... the big question was... to hug or not hug? HMMMM...

He sort of stretched his hand behind his head and was about to use 'the move' to side!hug the Slytherin sitting next to him when...



... Vinteren strolled in.

Erm... Awkward. His hand found his hair and he ruffled it instead, his eyes glued on the History of Magic Professor. The man had asked a question about house elves but Alec was too busy... ruffling... his hair.

... Okay, he had to stop. NOW. Just in time for Vinteren's next question.

Did he have a house elf? "Erm... we don't have one in the Summers household," Because, well, his Dad wasn't exactly magical. It would just be weird. "And Professor? Don't they usually work for old wizarding families?" And were there still that many old wizarding families around? And if there weren't... did that mean that not many house elves were in employment? Especially since the ones that had been at Hogwarts, apart from Toddles, were gone too. Or... was he just thinking too much on this?

It was probably the last one.

Question 1 and 2
 

So... uhm. House Elves. What were house elves? What did they do? Why do they have such not-so cute names? So many mysteries in life that included house elves. Kat did know a few information about those creatures, especially since she used to deal with them in this castle. This term, they didn't have much of them and only one of them seemed to have stayed behind to help them in here. Hand up, Kat was ready to answer. "They're super loyal to their master... and like Alice and the others said, house elves can only be freed if their master presents them with any type of clothing." But somehow Kat wasn't too convinced by the 'loyalty' part because if they really were... where in Merlin's beard did the other Hogwarts elves go?

Logical question. They can't just retire like what they claimed in the Daily Prophet. Hmm.

Moving on to the next question... "We don't have a house elf, Sir," Kat said with her hand raised. Because that was what they were supposed to do, right? Raise their hand when they answer? "My aunt does, though. It does the chores and helps the family members out with whatever they can offer." Typical house elf.

Oakey kept quite for the first question that Vinteren asked, his mind wandered and someone clung to thoughts of Kurumi and her obsession with the Elves in Hogwarts."My Family used to own one. Cheez, was under servitude to Grampy Gunter until he passed. Then she was meant to serve under my Guardian but he freed her instead." Had he just openly called a man he never met in his life Grampy? Well that was a first.

Someone was in a good mood today. Ness gave Minnie wide smiles and was about to greet her back, but it was then Professor Vinteren entered the classroom. Focus on him, the red head shifted away from looking at Minnie and then took out some parchment and quills in case notes were needed, but apparently not yet.

At the first question there was only one thing Nessie wanted to say, but then she didn't want to say and clearly because it wouldn't or more like didn't make much sense. She wanted to mention that she thought house elves looked dirty, but looked not were because if they were then of course people wouldn't have used them like they did. It was probably their skin or something, but Ness always felt grossed out when those creatures were near, not that she ever complained much because they WERE useful and she did miss them cleaning her clothing as well as cooking her food.

Considering she was quiet for the first question, Ness half answered the second one by shaking her head. For some reason she was a quiet one today, but she had to admit she was tempted to ask Vinteren if he had an elf of his own. You know, curiosity killed the cat though.

Loyal? Loyal?! Forrest wanted to LAUGH at those who said loyal. Laugh BITTERLY too. So far, the house-elves had been the most disloyal creatures he had met in this world. But who cared as long as there was ice-cream? Ice-cream... he needed that...

Back to the class.

He raised his hand in the air to answer. "There must be several breeds though, since Hogwarts elves aren't very loyal." He still wasn't impressed with them at all.

"Yes, vhey are. And who, generally speaking, are vhe masters of house elves?" She didn't have to answer this question as Erik was fairly certain everyone in the classroom knew the answer, but he asked it anyway.

...really, golden boy Carter Phillips, quidditch man-child extraordinaire, owned a house elf? Vinteren blinked for a moment at this revelation and then gave Anya a nod.

"Interesting."

And somewhere in that rambly answer was a confirmation of Alexa's family owning elves. "Okay good, vhank you Alexa," Erik cut her off before she could go on about sugar and elves.

Very protective of their job. "Good," Erik nodded to the Hufflepuff. "House elves only haff so many duties to complete and believe vhey are being insulted vhen wizards try to take vhose away from vhem."

She was flashing her teeth at him. Oh no, no no no. Erik had heard things about this Gryffindor's teeth...if he was a wise man he would not encourage the girl to speak up any more, even if her answers were spot-on.

"Correct," he said simply, his eyes moving past her and on to the next person. Tea cosies and pillowcases were enough examples for him.

Okay, more examples. Examples were good...except Erik didn't find anything funny about the boy's name and merely blinked at all his cheerfulness. "Vhank you for sharing," he replied to him evenly. There was surely a story behind why the boy's family had gotten rid of their house elves but he wasn't sure they had time for it now.

Now this, this was an opinion, not a fact. Erik raised an eyebrow at the boy's answer. "Vhy do you believe vhat?" he countered his statement. "Do house elves vhemselves vant payment for vheir work?"

This was an interesting answer, one Erik would have liked to poke at more. Was the girl saying that her family was a load of Muggles or did they not own house elves for moral reasons? "Vhank you for sharing," was all he said instead. They could delve more into the debate of owning house elves later.

"Correct," Erik nodded to the small Gryffindor. Even a sock could free a slave, if given by the right person...

Erik listened respectfully to the Slytherin's answer before speaking. "Do house elves have some representation in vhe Ministry?" Erik was curious to see what he knew. "Vhe law says vhey have sufficient intelligence to know vheir rights, but why vhen do vhe elves not take advantage of vhem?"

Like he said, they considered it disgraceful to be paid...why was that? Erik looked to the rest of the class to see what they thought too.

No house elves in this one's family. Okay then, Erik acknowledged him with a curt nod...

Okay and another interesting personal student answer..."Vhat's kind of your grandmother, and her elf, to do..." Erik supposed.

Did they? Erik tilted his head to the side slightly and studied the Slytherin who had said this. "Vhat language is vhat, Mr. Kinsley? Care to give us an example?" Here he was, thinking all along that they spoke the language of their masters...

Chaucer, fascinating name for a house elf. Erik quite liked the name. "And vhat's nice of him to do. How long has Chaucer been vith your family?"

The house elf had died, not the grandmother...heh. Erik almost smiled at that. "Good to know, vhank you for sharing, Cassia."

..."Vell, vhat a smart mother you haff." Erik's mouth was definitely curved into a smirk now.

"Keeps vhe secrets...vhat is a good point to make about house elves..." Erik would know that they were excellent secret-keepers, all the more excellent because of their undying loyalty.

"Yes, vhey are typically found vorking for old wizarding families. Vhat is a good point to make, Mr. Summers." One he was surprised no one had brought up sooner.

"Good points to make," Erik replied to the first part of her answer. And to the second part, "Vhank you for sharing." Another one whose family had an elf. Interesting.

Grumpy Gunter and Cheez the house elf...it was difficult not to smile at this answer too. But Erik instead gave the Head Boy a serious nod. "Vhank you for sharing, Oakey."

"Vhank you for sharing..." Erik replied to the last student to volunteer out loud...oh, were there no more? No? Okay then, moving on...

To this. Erik couldn't have asked for a better transition than if he had paid the Hufflepuff boy to speak up.

"Vhy do you say vhat?" he inquired, fixing his blue eyes on the lad and standing up from his desk. He moved over to the chalkboard, his eyes sweeping the rest of the room, and then lazily pointed his wand at the board so it would start taking down their descriptions of house elves up to now.

"Does anyone really know vhy, or how Hogwarts' house elves came to be missing? Or vhere are vhey now?"

Ella was just eyeing Vinteren curiously. She couldn't tell if the question he'd asked was rhetorical or not so she answered anyway, feeling like she was repeating information. "Old wizarding families, I'd think." Like...those were the people who usually had house elves, yeah? And Alec sort of said the exact same thing so the blonde nodded in agreement.

As for his next question, the sixteen year old raised her eyebrows. Surely if they were meant to know that kind of information they would, yeah? As for the house elves having gone missing...is that what they were? Ella's eyes widened a bit, suddenly alarmed. She'd assumed they were somewhere else working until they were called back to Hogwarts... "Toddles is still here, Professor. And a few other elves too. Perhaps the others have jobs elsewhere."

Tobias raised his hand agaaaiiiiin. He'd been thinking about this since wayyyyyy back in like September or October when he'd talked about it to Forrest.

"Well... I don't know much about the house elves here or anything much about this school, but... well... they're not paid, are they? It's in their nature to like to work, so it's not like they're on strike or anything."

But he still couldn't think of an actual reason for the house elves to be gone. Oooooh, was he gonna learn where they were at today?

"Maybe they were elf-napped?"

Hmm. Where were the elves now? Well. That was a kind of obvious question really. It was very clear where the house elves were. And it certainly was not at Hogwarts. With a little grin on his face Clement put his hand up into the air. "Not here...." He murmured with a little shrug. Well. it was true. The house elves weren't here. Though this probably was not the answer that the professor had been after. But oh well. Clement didn't know the answer, so this one would have to do.

A question she could and would actually answer. Though she did think about it before really saying anything. First she thought of the money situation, but realised it made no sense considering that elves weren't ever really paid, but she still felt it had something to do with that. Maybe the cutlery...or maybe it had something to do with Truebridge...or the elves just looked unhygienic, cause they really did.

Hand raise and then pout before she opened her mouth to speak. "I think its something to do with the whole money situation, but not the money its self because they don't get paid." Did that even make sense? Maybe a little more rambling. "I think they left because of something related to that situation." A bit different to what the elves had told people themselves, but maybe Truebridge forced them to lie or something. You never knew.

Leaning back in his chair, Daichi grabbed a piece of parchment and his fwooper quill before he began to doodle. He still listened to what the Professor was saying though, no worries~

"Maybe you did that, sir" made the house elves leave that is. Straight forward Daichi was straight forward :3 "Or maybe they wanted a new job" did it really matter? He would be gone this term anyways.

Errrrrrr... elfish?

No... really, he didn't know. Theo shrugged but said, "Well, they are still understandable, but it's like they speak like babies." He tried to think of an example, but he really didn't hold too many conversations with house elves. They were creepy. "Like, they always use their names instead of saying I." It made sense, but not really another language. Oh well.

MISSING?

"I thought they went on strike cos they weren't treated nicely." Because it wasn't a money thing since they don't get paid, right?

It was really upsetting that the House Elves had to be let go, Poor Toodles must of worked his ears off picking up all the slack this term. "I'm not sure where they would be now." Unless Toodles did, and told someone. Did anyone actually know? "The House Elf Relocation Office in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures must have played some part in finding the Elves new places to work."

Unless Truebridge just up and kicked them out to save money. In which case someone should report her for that.

Minerva listened to all the students and about their house elves. She still was smiling towards the professor. He was just super smart and she thought his lessons were so interesting. Plus again he agreed with what she had said. She looked curiously has he asked about the Hogwarts Elves. Well how would they know. They weren't told anything.. They still didn't have all the answers as to why Goblins came or why they were paying for everything, so how would they know about the elves.


Putting her hand up, "Professor, with all do respect. I'm not sure any of us can really answer that. It seems like no one really wants us to know what's going on. We got here and they were gone. I'm hoping they left on their own, but I don't think any of us can say for sure. It would be nice to know these answers along with a few others this term if you may know them." She gave him another smile hoping she didn't step over a line by asking, but she had to try if they could finally get some answers.

Since this was his first year at Hogwarts, he really had no idea what the House Elves were like or why they may have left. "Maybe the students were mean to them and they wanted new jobs? Or, we all ate too much and they got tired of cooking so often?"

Asher assumed that if the House Elves were still all around Hogwarts they wouldn't have to clean so much or do their own laundry. That would have been nice. Although, they probably wouldn't have eaten so much ice cream either. Not so nice.

She didn't know where this class was going and she was quickly missing the point of all these questions but it was Mr. Vinteren so she wasn't about to complain or anything. Instead, she sat forward in her seat, trying to look attentive while ignoring her waning attention span.

Fooocus Lex.

"I don't know where exactly they've gone but when I was talking to Toddles he said that they left him behind and told him they had to go. But the way he told it...kinda made it seem like they didn't wanna go. I'm guessing they might have been kidnapped or forced by some others means away from the castle." That was what she and Penelope had thought when they heard it.

"He cries a lot now and doesn't get hugs, but I'm guessing they figured it'd be better for him to stay so I'm willing to assume they're somewhere terrible now."

All speculation though because she'd never bothered to looked into it more. Most of her focus was on the ice-cream.

Now she kinda felt bad for forgetting.

Nigel had no idea what happened to the elves. Maybe they left to go on strike or the Ministry took them away because of poor working conditions. All Guesses. So Nigel did not have an answer since everyone else's suggestions seemed more plausible then whatever he was thinking of.

"That is a good question"

Nigel did not enjoy doing his own laundry. So the quicker the elves come back. The happier he will be.

Why would he say that? To Forrest it was the MOST obvious thing: house elves were supposed to be loyal, but he had yet to see any more than three at the castle. So they weren't very loyal after all. Maybe some were loyal, and some weren't. Maybe they just wanted to rebel for the fun of it. Ths reluctancy stories older students were telling? Well, Forrest didN'T buy them. If they had such special magic, they could have FOUGHT and be HERE.

"Corruption!" Using aaaall the cool words he knew. Yep. "Maybe unbidden ideas were spread among them, and they wanted to rebel. Or just have had enough of work. Judging by their descriptions, it sounds like they work quite hard to me. Too hard for any living thing." All in all, it was THEIR own choice to leave.

"I can't guess where they are, though. They can just go to anywhere they want, so." Shrug. And crave for ice-cream.

Dylan pondered that for a moment, trying to diplomatically choose his words. "If they are, sir...I am not aware of it." Ahem. Translation: No, they aren't...and that's kinda lame. "...Aren't they bound by magic? Like...it's the House Elves 'hightest law' or whatever to be loyal...They enjoy being enslaved and having a purpose." That's what the books said, anyway...Dylan could only go by that since he hadn't dealt with the creatures on a personal level...

...and the Slytherin stared at Professor Vinteren when he asked that last...There were things he wanted to say...but Dylan bit his tongue. Hard...Might have even drew blood...More diplomatic words...

"They......." Pause. "..... belong to the school...So, with that in mind, couldn't only the Headmaster or Headmistress send them away? NOT that I'm accusing Headmistress Truebridge...but with her running the show here, isn't that the most logical explanation?" PAUSE. "...because aren't House Elves too powerful to allow themselves to be stolen?"