Chapter 46. House-Elves
After classes ended that day, instead of heading to his usual refuge, the library where Severus spent most of his time, he waited outside the Transfiguration classroom while a lesson was winding down.
A few minutes later, the fourth years began filing out, chatting happily and barely paying attention to him. When the last student left, Minerva appeared as well.
"Mr. Snape, follow me," she said, getting straight to the point. Since they had already had a lesson together that morning, she was not wasting time on formalities.
Severus nodded silently and followed her down toward the living section of the dungeons, where the kitchens were located.
On the way, he kept catching her looking at him thoughtfully.
"Professor, if you want to ask something, ask."
"I'm simply surprised by your appearance."
"A side effect of one of my potions," he answered shyly, lying. She only nodded, still pensive.
"Professor Slughorn already explained that." McGonagall hesitated, then continued. "Mr. Severus, would you tell me why you need a house-elf? I am responsible for them, and I decide whether to hand them over to other witches and wizards. Once I had an unpleasant case: a family took an elf, paid for it, and a month later I found out they had used him as a test subject for dark rituals."
"Professor, just because I am in Slytherin does not mean I am some horrible person flinging Unforgivables left and right, then eating innocent maidens and infants for breakfast, and holding blood-soaked orgies with sacrifices to dark gods," Severus said.
McGonagall's lips actually trembled. Her face went the color of chalk.
"M-Mr. Severus! Where did you...?"
"That is how Muggles imagine dark wizards," he replied with a smile, pulling out a book titled "Dark Mage: The Warlock's Testament." "Honestly, this book describes dark wizards properly, and the ones here do not have even a tenth of that charisma. Voldemort, compared to the main character in this book, is just empty space."
And with absolutely no shame, he shoved the book into her hands.
"Read it when you have time. As for the elf, I need a helper for everyday chores. Nothing more."
"M-Mr. Severus!"
"You started it, Professor," he replied reproachfully as he walked past her.
"Mr. Severus! Don't you dare speak of such things at Hogwarts, or anywhere else! If someone hears you, you could be accused of practicing Dark Magic, and no one will even hear your case right now. They'll throw you straight into Azkaban!"
Seeing McGonagall's genuine righteous fury, Severus couldn't hide a flicker of surprise. Then he smiled again, this time more warmly.
"Of course, Professor. I was joking. But I didn't lie about the book; read it. It will broaden your horizons, and you might even steal a few ideas. Muggles describe us in a very interesting way."
"You're interested in Muggle writing?"
I lived in the Muggle world for eleven years before Hogwarts, not counting the holidays. And in my opinion, our magical world is far behind in terms of development. That's why, after Hogwarts, I want to travel and observe how their world is advancing. For example, I'm very interested in technology that doesn't run on magic, but on electricity. I've also started studying chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, and many other sciences.
Listening to him, McGonagall could not hide her shock. Right in front of her was a true oddity: a Slytherin who spoke of Muggles not as trash, but as people a step above wizards.
"Professor?" he prompted, eyebrow raised.
"I... sorry... I drifted off," she said, and the book vanished from her hand. "I will help you choose an elf."
"Thank you, Professor."
They went down the stairs and, a few minutes later, reached a three-meter still life painting of smiling fruit. McGonagall reached for a pear and began tickling it. A cheerful laugh rang out; the pear became a green door handle. When she turned it, the painting swung open like a door, and a rather fascinating sight met Severus's eyes.
A huge room the size of the Great Hall bustled with nearly a hundred house-elves. One group prepared ingredients, another cooked countless dishes, and a third washed plates and pots, stacking them on one of three long tables. At the far end stood a massive oven, flanked by tall cupboards packed with food. It all looked like a mechanism polished by centuries; each elf knew their place and worked at full speed.
But the moment McGonagall cleared her throat twice, every elf froze and looked at her in surprise.
"Leave your tasks for a few minutes and form a line," she ordered sharply.
They obeyed instantly, and then all their gazes, which held only two emotions, nervousness and adoration, locked onto a slightly embarrassed Severus.
"Nellie, Tok, and Tomfy, step forward," McGonagall said, and the three named elves immediately stepped forward. "These three are among the smartest and most diligent workers."
"Hm." He simply nodded, looking over the three half-naked creatures whose outfits were essentially rags. They barely differed from one another, and the worship in their eyes made choosing harder. They all looked the same, impossible to tell apart. But I need the smartest one.
He pointed at one of them.
"What can you do?"
"M-master, Nellie can write, read, count, cook, and do housework," Nellie stammered, her words were quick and clear, unlike Dobby with his peculiar accent.
"I see. Professor, can I take two at once?"
McGonagall looked a bit surprised, but nodded uncertainly.
"Yes, but can you maintain two contracts?"
"Do not worry. I can."
"But we will have to test that before the second contract."
"Then I will choose her." He indicated the trembling Nellie, then pointed to another elf, slightly smaller than the rest, standing near the end of the line.
"If that is your choice, the rest are dismissed," McGonagall said sternly.
The elves lowered their heads in disappointment, on the verge of tears, as they returned to work. Only the two chosen remained.
"You two, come with me."
"Yes!" The two elves looked so ecstatic that they hugged each other, and Severus's eye twitched. McGonagall did not react at all, as if this were perfectly normal among house-elves.
The contract was not nearly as interesting as Severus had expected. One side obeyed; the other shared vital magic in return. House-elves were, in a sense, parasites: because of some unknown curse, they could not absorb magic from the air, and so they entered voluntary servitude. Without magic, they simply could not survive.
The house-elves at Hogwarts were bound to the castle's magical core, which powered the entire castle. In exchange, they maintained the castle and cooked the food.
Of course, removing the curse was easy: simply free an elf by giving them clothes. Then they could absorb magic on their own. The problem was, what sane wizard would give up such useful slaves who required no salary? And the elves themselves did not exactly want to leave this voluntary slavery either. After centuries, they had grown used to it. Worse, for them, freedom meant shame and horror worse than death.
There weren't that many house-elves left. Aside from the colony at Hogwarts, the small numbers at the Ministry and Gringotts, and a handful in private homes, only scattered remnants remained. If they tried to rebel as the goblins had a millennium ago, they would fail. That was why most wizards were wary of freeing them: house-elves were powerful beings, capable of potent wandless magic, a true gift in the wizarding world. And if you gave them wands to focus that magic, they would become killing machines. That was why a law existed forbidding elves from using wands.
After finishing the contracts and paying two thousand galleons, Severus also received a notebook from Dumbledore containing his research on Maledictuses. Then, after thanking him, he took the two house-elves, who stared at him like newborn puppies, and returned to his rooms.
Nagini was already there, examining the newcomers. Nellie and Tobbi stared back at her warily.
"These are Nellie and Tobbi. She is also one of your mistresses, simply under a curse and cannot return to human form," Severus said.
He pulled a necklace from his pouch and tried to hand it to Nellie, who recoiled as if he'd swung at her. Tears welled in her eyes.
"M-master, you want to free Nellie?! Nellie offended master?! Please forgive Nellie, Nellie is bad! Nellie will punish herself, Nellie."
Now I understand why Slughorn said they are a little emotional and take everything to heart. I'm going to have to put up with them for a while yet. I'll have to train that out of them, but I can already tell it will be a real pain in the ass.
He exhaled, pressed his palm to his face, shook his head, and calmly began explaining that the necklace was not what they thought and that it did not grant any freedom.
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