#14 - Warmth, at last!

Having finished tidying up after lunch had ended, the house-elves were quick to notice they had company.

One hurried over. 'Hello,' he said. 'I is Dippy. Is you needing something?'

He hoped the Hufflepuff boy wasn't displeased with the food, especially as Hufflepuffs were regular visitors to the kitchens -- since their common room is right around the corner. Still, Dippy was hopeful. Maybe the boy needed help with something else, and wasn't there to get them in trouble for poor service?

Dippy would be beside himself if the food wasn't perfect.

Dippy blushed at the friendly greeting, going shy until he had a request to work with.

'Dippy is not knowing you you would classify as a "strange" snack,' he said, head tilted in confusion. 'What is you meaning by this?'

He was surprised by the next question, but shook his head to regretfully deny permission for his Gimus to have free roam of a place filled with food or the process of making it.

'Dippy is most apologetic,' he said. 'It is not safe, you see.'

Dippy thought long and hard on the request, given the new information. With a bright smile, he nodded eagerly and hurried to prepare something for Arthur.

The house-elf soon rejoined him, proudly offering a bowl of salad (lettuce and fruit) drizzled with honey.

'You is wanting something like this?' Dippy asked, smile wide and hopeful. He pretended not to notice Autumn's nose emerging in frenzied search of the edible goods.

"That'll be perfect, Dippy, thank you!" Arthur gratefully accepted the bowl of salad, and then offered Autumn some of the snack while he munched on it, too. It wasn't too strange, but it definitely wasn't something Arthur usually chose to eat when there were more delicious options, like muffins or a nice sandwich.

"Oh, hi!" Arthur greeted the girl. "I think we were done. Unless Dippy, do you need anything from me?" He turned to the house elf.

“Don’t apologize!” Sarah quickly said and waved her hands in abortive motion. “I wasn’t waiting all that long and he was here first,” she pointed at the Hufflepuff boy, giving both of them another smile.

“I’ve got this nifty piece of parchment,” Sarah took it out and show it to Dippy. “I’m looking for ingredients for Professor Snape,” she explained and pointed to the part about the tarrow. “It says I can get a something called tarrow here? Can you please tell me if that’s possible?”

“I’m quite happy to do something in exchange for it, like helping out with the dishes or setting the tables for dinner,” Sarah nodded and started looking around the kitchen for any house-elf in need of help.

However, it was better for everyone if she stayed away from food itself. There was that fire during the summer holidays that nearly destroyed half of the kitchen at home. Her mom still hadn’t quite forgiven her.

Sarah kneeled, mostly out of respect to the house-elves’ smaller stature and in commiseration to her back. She took the tarrow from Lopney with as much reverence as the house-elf in question had when she gave it to her.

“Thank you Lopney,” she said and turned back to Dippy. “And thank you as well. You’re all so kind,” Sarah smiled and put the tarrow carefully away.

Lopney mentioned that she could get her a second tarrow. It was tempting, but as with the sage in the common room, Sarah’d hate to be greedy. Although, an idea occurred to her and Sarah bit her lip in contemplation.

“I’d be happy to take a second tarrow, but only if I can somehow help you out in return,” Sarah nodded and then reeled back when the elves went quiet. It gave her flashbacks to her conversation with Professor Snape, but the man didn’t quite fall off his chair in surprise. Though that’d be kind of funny to see.

“Well, it’s your decision in any case,” Sarah carefully stood up, wincing at the pain in her knees. Maybe that jaunt outside earlier still hadn’t said its last retort.

“Are you sure?” Sarah asked Dippy, watching Lopney scurrying away back to her work. She frowned and wondered whether she did anything wrong to upset the kind house-elf.

Sarah didn’t know what to do. Accepting another tarrow felt like stealing in a way, despite it being offered quite freely. She wasn’t used to getting something for nothing and the carefully laid plan of interactions with people of beings she hadn’t been in contact much was getting waylaid.

“Alright, don’t worry,” Sarah soothed the house-elf, though she wasn’t sure the words were meant more for Dippy or herself. She scratched her head, then have a sigh of defeat.

“Very well, I’ll take another tarrow, thank you,” she tried to give a smile, but her was face stuck somewhere between guilt and happiness.

“If anyone gives you trouble for it, don’t be afraid to tell them I insisted on it,” Sarah accepted a compromise with herself. House elves were guilty of nothing but just trying to please people and she’d fight anyone who would tried to give them grief for it.