Severus Snape and Harry Potter

Chapter 36

After the trial and its verdict, Severus, Harry, and Irma were invited to a banquet in their honor, and also to spend the night as well. Neither Severus nor Irma had any pressing business back at the castle and since it was a weekend, Harry didn't have class, so they decided to accept the Society's generous offer.

After the feast, which contained specialties like honey roasted boar and stuffed quail and leek and beef soup, plus freshly baked wheaten bread and roasted vegetables, Severus and Irma decided to go to bed early and made Harry go with them. Harry was a bit awed at the castle, he was sure it was as big or bigger than Hogwarts, and all the Society members seemed to be measuring him for something, and so he didn't put up much of a fight when Severus had him come up to the room they shared.

Upon entering the room he saw a strange little creature, who upon seeing him bowed low and cried, "Master Harry Potter, sir! Prissy has come to serve you now that Mistress Marlene has passed the Veil."

Prissy, now that she was no longer under the McKinnon invisibility restriction, could show herself to Harry. She was a small elf with big pointed ears, long blond hair, and huge eyes colored turquoise. She was wearing a tea towel with the McKinnon crest on it, it looked like a toga upon her. She rather reminded Harry of those troll dolls that had been so popular with girls last year, although the trolls had had hair all the colors of the rainbow, smaller ears, and tiny eyes.

Harry stopped dead in shock. "Prissy! W-what do you mean, you want to serve me?"

"Harry, will you please move out of the doorway?" Severus asked irritably.

"Oh, sorry! But Uncle Severus, look! It's Prissy, Marlene's house elf." Harry said, moving out of the doorway.

Severus entered, with Skull on his shoulder, and gave the elf a hard look. "You were bound to the McKinnon family?"

"Prissy was, Master Professor Snape. But now Mistress is gone, Prissy's contract had expired and Prissy is free to seek a new master. Prissy chooses Master Harry Potter."

"Uncle Sev, I don't understand. I'm not anybody's master. I don't want to . . . to have slaves or whatever." Harry protested.

Prissy's face crumpled. "Master Harry sir! Master Harry does not understand. 'Tis not slavery, but honorable service. Prissy wishes to express gratitude to Master Harry by this."

Harry fumbled for a reply, he didn't want to hurt the elf's feelings. "You helped me a lot more than I did you. I'm the one who owes you."

"No! No! There are no debts between us." Prissy shook her head frantically. She looked as if she were going to burst into tears.

"Please calm down." Severus told the distraught elf. "Harry, a word with you." He pulled his ward halfway across the room and whispered, "When a house elf's mind is set upon something, it will take a miracle to change it. If you continue to refuse her offer, she shall be gravely insulted."

"But . . . but Uncle Severus . . . I don't need a servant," Harry protested. "I can pick up after myself and everything."

"I know that, but this elf clearly has her heart set on you. If you accept, you can set terms of your own choosing, such as allowing her a day off, or giving her a uniform to wear, and allowing her to suggest things for you. You do not have to be like the McKinnons."

"But why . . . why does she want to be contracted to another wizard at all? I would think after how the McKinnons treated her, she'd be glad to be free." Harry objected.

"House elves prefer serving a wizard family or institution to being free, Harry. It's odd to someone like you or me, but they enjoy having a master or mistress. It's simply how they are." Severus explained. "Besides, Prissy feels she owes you a debt and house elves take obligations very seriously."