Dear Jessie,
It's Wednesday already, which means that there's only half of this crazy week left for now. But isn't it sad that as people, we dread the entire middle of our weeks? And we can't even properly enjoy Sundays, because we know that the next day is going to be Monday, which no matter what anybody says, really is the worst day of the week. It bodes an entire week of torture for us, which is just not fair.
So I went down to the kitchens today, just to take stock of how many people were there, and whether or not they truly needed my help. It wouldn't be fair for me to keep getting such extravagant gifts when I think I've done the least amount of work over all. I mean, I've already gotten the bracelet, the ring, the pouch, and inside the pouch was a bunch of fancy swirling glass marbles.
When I peered in, I saw that Hermione was the only one in there doing any work. Everyone else must have decided that they were done with helping out the house elves. The tasks are pretty tedious and repetitive, but at least it means less work for the house elves, and that's a movement that I can get behind. Or apparently stand in front of.
So I took a deep breath, and went inside. One of the elves ran over and hugged my knees. It was heart breaking, and I now regret not coming back sooner, though I still don't understand why they seem to like me so much. I haven't done any more for them than any of the others, but hey, what do I know?
I took my place next to Hermione, and we worked silently for a while. But then she interrupted the natural kitchen sounds, and spoke to me. 'I was wondering when I was going to see you around here again'.
I shrugged. 'Like I said before, there were already so many people in here, and the house elves can only use so much help'.
She laughed. 'Yeah, weird how nobody else decided to show up today, isn't is?'
I have a strong suspicion that Ginny somehow coordinated all of this. She's pretty clever, and just yesterday she was telling me how she was going to set us up, so I wouldn't put it past her to have figured out some kind of trap like that. 'Well, at least we showed, right? So the house elves aren't completely on their own?'
Hermione nodded. 'Yeah, I suppose so. But they're only really happy on the days that you show up. You must have done something to make them all adore you so much. I could always tell which days you stopped by, even if you didn't come in, because all the elves would be in a much cheerier mood'.
I gasped. 'What did I do, though? I'm nobody, and I've done nothing. You've done more work for their equal rights than me, so I don't think that it would matter one way or another what I do. Nothing that I do matters'.
Hermione frowned. 'Do you really believe that?' I nodded, and she sighed. 'That's really… rather sad. Hasn't anyone ever just told you that you're valuable as a person? Just a simple thing of mentioning that you do matter?'
I shook my head. 'I don't think that there are many people who would feel comfortable lying right to my face like that'.
Hermione looked shocked, and we finished the rest of our tasks in silence. But it wasn't really the uncomfortable sort. It was more like, she was giving me space, because she knows that not many people in this school are even that courteous towards me.
I wonder what will become of this. I mean, the me and Hermione and helping the house elves thing. If this was Ginny's doing, I'll have to thank her later.
Yours always,
Sophie
