❝ twinky, the house-elf ! ❞

First day of Hogwarts did not go well, as Euphemia wanted it to be. She was already late to even eat breakfast. Lavender and Parvati helped her out with her hair. Her hair was still looking like a bush, except now, it was in two small moon buns. She ran down the staircase, finding it difficult to go where.

Hogwarts was like a maze within a maze within another maze. It was impossible to get to class without a map. All her classmates had left for breakfast, while she was taking out her books. Huffing and puffing, she somehow landed in the dungeons. She looked around, trying to find the transfiguration class. McGonagall was going to murder her. Or maybe she was going to get expelled!

Euphemia tilted her head as a small, creature came back with a sheaf of wheat.

"Oh, Miss!" They squeaked, "Twinky didn't know Miss was here!"

"Hello," said Euphemia unsure, "who are you?"

"Twinky Miss," green eyes popped out wide, "Twinky works in the kitchens, Miss."

"Oh," Euphemia frowned. "Twinky, if you don't mind me asking—"

"Oh, Twinky would never Miss—"

"—what are you?"

"I'm a house-elf, Miss." They smiled brightly, "what can I get Miss. Water, cookies, oh! We just made apple pie!"

"Oh no, Twinky it's fine," said Euphemia softly, "could you, maybe not call me Miss, please. Mia is just fine."

"Mia." Twinky nodded, "how can I help Mia?"

"I had to get to the transfiguration class," Euphemia grabbed her books tightly, "but, of course, I'm really late and—"

"Mia needn't worry," Twinky held out a hand, "hold my hand, Miss Mia. Twinky will take you to transfiguration."

Euphemia held Twinky's hand, and Twinky snapped their fingers. Euphemia gasped as her eyes opened and were in front of the transfiguration room.

"Thank you Twinky," she hugged the small elf and they whimpered.

"No one has ever hugged Twinky before," Twinky wept, "oh Miss Mia is kind!"

Before going inside, she turned around, "Twinky where exactly are the kitchens?"

"Miss in the dungeons," said Twinky, "near Hufflepuffs common room. There's a  painting of a fruit bowl. You just have to tickle the pear."

"The pear?"

Twinky nodded.

"Then I think I'll be seeing you soon Twinky," she winked, "also, don't call me Miss."

She went ahead and entered the classroom. Everyone had already started their classwork. In front, a tabby cat sat in the middle of the table, observing each and every student. Euphemia sighed in relief and sat next to Leo.

"Thank God she's not here yet," Euphemia muttered, "I would've been expelled."

The cat immediately tuned into her professor as the young Gryffindor gasped.

"Bloody Hell!"

McGonagall clenched her jaw, "that's enough with the pleasantries Potter. Might I ask, why are you half an hour late?"

Euphemia's ears became warm. "Professor, there were just too many stairs. . . and floors, not to forget that I somehow landed in the dungeons and Twinky—"

"Twinky," McGonagall barely moved, "you mean the house-elf? Oh thank Merlin for that, or you wouldn't have found the class," she raised her brows, "especially when the class number is written on your timetable."

Euphemia looked down, "I didn't quite look much at the timetable, I was extremely late."

"Then perhaps I should transfigure you into a pocket watch," McGonagall pursed her lips, "and Mr Potter into a map."

Euphemia's looked at her hopefully, "do you have maps for the castle."

She could hear small chuckles.

"No Ms Potter," McGonagall, "we don't have maps for Hogwarts. Now, why don't you start writing your classwork? You might not want to finish all this as your detention."

Euphemia overlooked Leo's parchment. His handwriting was small, neat and unreadable. It felt too fancy.

Euphemia tried copying the notes off the boards, simultaneously copying from Malfoy as well. Annoyed, he pushed the first page of his parchment muttering, 'nosy git!'

Euphemia happily obliged and copied all the notes from him and when she asked certain things, she was brushed off or simply ignored.

The rest of the day wasn't so bad. She stuck with Harry and Sam. Harry was also a bit late for his first class. The stairs must have taunted him as well.
Apparently, Leo only spoke to Regulas, and even those were just a few words. By the end of the day, Euphemia and Sam had slumped into the couch. Dinner was delicious as always. Euphemia couldn't help but remember Twinky. She wondered if there were more of them. House elf. What an interesting term.

Euphemia yawned and doodled a small picture of Twinky, in her notebook.
"Hey Sam,"

Sam hummed.

"What do you know about house-elves?"

"Not much really," said Sam, "we don't have one. Most purebloods do though. Why the sudden interest."

"Just curious."

It was nearly midnight. Sam and Regulas had gone back into their dorm rooms, whereas Euphemia had already slept on the couch. Her arms folded cross and her textbooks and parchments were sloppily placed on the near table.

"No, you idiot!" she heard mutters, "that's not the one!"

She opened one eye and saw the bronde head sitting near the fireplace.

"What are you doing," she mumbled. She yawned again and went towards the fireplace, pouring herself a glass of water.

"None of your business!" said Malfoy, though his voice was bitter, his eyes looked as if in pain.

"Why do you have your robes out?"

"I said it's none of your business!"

Rolling her eyes she sat near him. She rubbed her eyes and cracked her fingers.

"Leave," he commanded.

"I think I'm good here, thanks."

Leo's nose flared. "Merlin, you Potters! Think so highly of yourself, don't you?"

"Are all Malfoys this arrogant?" Euphemia thought out loud.

"Shut up!"

"You're the one who's yelling!" Euphemia retorted.

Clenching his jaw, he shut the books and gathered his robes, ready to leave. Instead, he was jumped on by a ginger cat.

"Cleopatra! No!"

Sam and Regulas scrambled down the stairs, trying to take the cat off Leo's face.

"Cleo! Cleo Stop!" Regulas tried to take the cat off his face, "my love! Stop!"

"Cleopatra!" Sam said assertively, "I command you to stop. This is your master's order!"

Euphemia hissed. "Samuel she is not your slave!"

Finally, Regulas got the ginger cat off Leo.

"The bloody chicken!" Leo put his hands on his face, whimpering, "I'm going to murder it! Murder!"

"It's a cat, not a chicken grandma," Sam said deadpanned.

"And, she does not have a master," Mia pointed out, "stop calling yourself a master."

"But— "

"Samuel, it's wildly inappropriate. So just stop with the master thing," Regulas interrupted.

Huffing, Sam looked down at Cleopatra, who stretched her legs, tumbling around the floor.

"She's so cute," Euphemia cooed. She bent down and tried to pet her, "hello Cleopatra," she said in a baby voice. As she ascended to pet the cat's head, Cleopatra hissed, making Mia back off.

"Told you she's scary," Leo muttered.

"She doesn't have her claws Malfoy," said Sam rolling his eyes, "stop being so dramatic!"

"I am not dramatic!" Leo argued, "it's your bloody cat. And you three, why are you not sleeping! It's three in the morning."

"We could ask you the same thing," Regulas said, pointing him out.

"It's none of your business! Why are all Gryffindors so nosy!"

"Mate, you're a Gryffindor."

Sam noticed the books and looked at a particular spell opened in the books.

"Colovaria charm," Sam furrowed his brows, "why do you want to change the colour? Are we allowed to? Cause I don't like the robes— I mean I don't not like them, ugh! What I'm trying to say is that I like black, but- "

Leo rubbed his forehead and finally put his hand on Sam's mouth, preventing him to talk, "I think I'm going to get a migraine."

He looked at the ginger cat, who won't stop tumbling around.

Sighing, he lay on the couch. "I was trying to change my robes green."

"Why?"

"My family," he broke into a small smile, his eyes becoming glassy, "they're all Slytherin. My brother— Draco, he's a Slytherin. I just think it's best if I change my robes green, that could really help, and the Headmaster would have to switch me up."

Confused, they shrugged "Alright,"

"Alright, what?" Leo asked.

"We'll help," Euphemia smiled, "you sure you wanna be a snake?"

Leo scoffed, "might I tell you, snakes are charming and gorgeous, not to mention intelligent."

"Now I get why you aren't in Slytherin,"

Leo glared at Euphemia as she suppressed a smile, pretending to read the text.

After a half-hour of researching, Sam finally found a charm and took out his wand.

"I found it! Colovaria,"

"You did it! I can't believe you did it!" As the four of them were giddy over the magic that they just witnessed, Leo pulls on his robes happily.

They were about to go back to their dorm rooms when Sam stopped him, "You can't be in the Gryffindor tower anymore, you know. . . since you're not in Gryffindor anymore."

"We should help him get into the Slytherin house,"

"Yeah, I saw the Slytherin prefects take the other kids down the dungeon!"

Five minutes later, the four of them came back from their dorms, wearing black and green cloaks, thinking no one could recognise them.

As they stood in the common room, Regulas explained the use of Lumos Maxima.

"How did you know this again?" Leo asked.

"My uncle Remus taught me."

"We are so getting expelled for this!" Euphemia murmured.

Taking a deep breath, they slid outside the portrait door and went down the tower. It was tough as the stairs kept moving.

Sam heard a sudden movement. "Oye! Quick! Hide behind the pillar!" Sam whispered.

As they hid, they noticed Mr Filch and his cat taking rounds. The cat purred loudly, causing Filch to catch attention.

"Mrs Norris, did you see one of those wild Weasleys again?" Filch looked around the hall and found nothing but a green robe.

"Snakes!" Filch held Mrs Norris and went towards the stairs. Sam looked left and right to find no one.

"Now you can breath," said Sam smiling.

Reggie was holding his breath in a bubble while covering Euphemia's mouth as Euphemia had smacked Leo's mouth shut. It was hilarious, to say the least.

They all stared at each other for a few seconds before they burst into laughter.

Tripping, toppling and tittering, they went from the seventh floor to the dungeons. They were in front of a stone wall.

"Well, this is it then huh?"

"Yeah, now your parents won't be angry with you, so that's good!"

Leo glanced at the trio with a small smile, "I don't think I should do it. Be in Slytherin I mean. I think my mother will be proud if I stay in Gryffindor, which might show my ambition or something."

They heard a gasp. "Miss Mia!"

Twinky wrapped their arms around her tightly, as Euphemia hugged her back. "Hi Twinky."

"Is this Miss Mia's friends?"

Sam raised a brow. "Miss Mia?"

Euphemia sighed, "no. Just Mia."

Twinky nodded. "What can Twinky get for the little angel?"

Regulus and Sam raised their brows again, staring down at Euphemia. Euphemia glanced at Leo, "could you take us to the kitchen Twinky?"

"Oh of course Mia Potter!" Twinky said happily, "Twinky will take Mia Potter and her friends to the kitchens!"

The Hufflepuff dorms were right next to the Slytherin dorms. On the left side of Helga Hufflepuff portrait, was another portrait of a fruit basket.

"Go ahead Mia Potter," said Twinky, "tickle the pear!"

"Tickle the pear?" Regulus, Lep and Sam looked at them puzzled.

Twinky nodded, encouragingly. Euphemia tickled the pear and it shrieked out with a fit of giggles, opening the passageway to the kitchens.

The four first years gasped. They were amazed by the smell, the number of house-elves working and of course, the amount of food being made. The kitchen was huge! The four trotted inside and the door closed.

"Twinky, Twinky!" Another house-elf approached, "Twinky's friends?"

Euphemia nodded, "I'm Mia," she gestured towards the boys, "they're Sam, Leo and Regulas. We're first-year Gryffindor's."

"Any friend of Twinky is our friend," said the elf, "I am Mickey Miss. How can Mickey serve young masters?"

"Please don't call us masters," said Sam, "also, I think I'm craving for a hot chocolate right now."

Mickey nodded, "anything for a friend of Twinky." and they trotted towards the others.

The four Gryffindors sat on the small benches in silence.

Regulus cleared his throat, "we have flying lessons starting soon."

Leo nodded, "I've already ridden a broom. Twice. It's extremely difficult."

"No it isn't!" Regulus argued, "flying a broom is the most amazing experience of my life. And believe me, I've had a few."

"What's so special about flying?" Euphemia asked, "Is there a sport that doesn't involve flying."

"Who knows," Regulus shrugged, "they might not be considered that big."

Mickey came running with Sam's hot chocolate. "Hot chocolate for sir!"

Sam grinned and dipped the marshmallow in it. "Thanks, Mickey."

Euphemia tilted her head. "Mickey, do you work all the time."

"Well yes Mia Potter," Mickey slightly puffed his chest, "all house-elves work day and night."

Euphemia frowned. "Don't you sleep or rest?"

"We have to work," Twinky brought the cookies, "it's our job."

"That's not okay!" Euphemia shook her head. "You're being kept like servants!"

"Leave it alone Euphemia," Leo rolled his eyes, "all house-elves are supposed to work. It's what they do for a living."

"But it's so wrong!"

Regulus shrugged. "We can't really help with that," Regulus sighed, "I've heard they are not even paid sometimes."

"House-elves don't need to be paid, sir!" Twinky said angrily, "it's our duty to help young wizards."

Was it really?

────────── notes──────────

you have no idea how much i love the house-elves! i do hope i'm writing them well though. i don't know what are their pronouns in the original books. in my book, however, the house-elves go by they/them pronouns.

also, cleopatra is one adorable cat just waiting to kill someone. but we love her anyways!

side note— i got covid. the fever and the floo are racking my brain. i am so sorry for not updating soon. i'll try to write again as soon as my brain and eyes allow me to. this sucks so bad!! these two weeks will include very slow updates. wish me luck <3

29. 01. 22