aaaahahaha thank you for the tag, @amethystandemma
These snips come from a fairly dark NSFW WIP, but these segments are SFW and uh, well, kind of stupid and funny when taken out of context XD
God, I love little moments of mood whiplash.
There are certain ways to go about things. First and foremost, House-Elves are to maintain a low presence. It allows any good manor or place of business to function with the air of works completed ahead of time. It grants the Master or Mistress competency in the eyes of their peers. It also, if applied correctly, allows for a good deal of subterfuge in the name of what is right.
Mid-lesson, Sharp throws open the door to his office, brows furrowed and wand at the ready.
Atop his desk Scrope stands ready to kick over another candle crafted from human spineāunlit, of course, Scrope is no fool.Ā
The humanās suspicion and anger give way immediately to confusion. Poised for a question, he doesnāt get halfway through the Elfās name before his very mouth is stolen, rendering him both shocked and silent. Without a drop of malice, Scrope curls his fingers, beckoning the man in with haste. Once Sharp closes the door behind, shuttering out his class, a snap returns the man's unflattering yapper.
āScrope?ā Sharp hisses, not out of breath, but definitely off-beat.
Of course itās Scrope. Thereās no other one-eared House-Elf in the whole of Hogwarts.Ā
āScrope is glad you heard him. Scrope would have been most displeased if in his ruckus, Scrope actually broke one of Professor Sharpās fine things.ā Hopping down, he retrieves the things heās knocked over, and one-by-one, begins returning them to their rightful homes. āIt would be most wise,ā Scrope continues, delicately scooting a spine back into place, āwere Professor Sharp to check in with Scropeās Master for reasons of health. Perhaps with potions meant for healing.ā
Though he canāt kneel, Sharpās enough flexibility to lean and pick up the last candle on his own. With the door shut, a level of decorum drops from the Potions Master. āHeās not aggravated his own arse, has he? Because if he has, I am teaching a class right now. Heāll have to wait.ā
The trio lands just outside of Blackās office, just out of sight of the Sorting Hat. With a silent nod, Scrope disappears. For the Elf's sake, they play it safeā
Sharp leads. Entering, he defers to the Hat: "Our Headmaster seems to have forgotten what responding in a timely manner means. I've a few things I've brewed related to an ailment of his. Do you know where he is?"
The Sorting Hat raises a thickly folded brow and shuffles in its case to face the men better. The sunken pits of leather that imply its eyes widen toward the pair, then away, to the unassuming brown door near them.
"He'd be in quarters. And odd time, you'd agree, given his usual preference to wander. Might want to see if all's right. He made a bit of noise not too long ago. I'd poke in to see myself," its brim shrugs, "but we've not a very good relationship, he and I. I'm also a hat."