Maddy- It was Hermione who conjured up the sign on Draco's back, wasn't
that pretty obvious? Oh well.
1 Down in the kitchens
The next day when Leonora woke up, she had to stop and think for a moment about where she was. Then it all came back to her, and she felt her stomach disappear. The sorting, Daphne, Draco, what Hermione did.
Leonora felt sick. She knew that Hermione had just been looking out for her cousin, but she really had no idea what she had done. Draco would be furious, and as for her father.
Leonora sat up in bed and looked at her watch. It was half past six, and she knew that the alarm bell didn't go off until seven thirty. Now she was awake though, she couldn't go back to sleep. She got up silently, dressed, and made her way out of the dormitory.
The winding stairs were quite steep, but Leonora was used to towers: her bedroom was in one at home. She smiled to herself, thinking how weird it must seem to others that she sleeps in a tower at home. Kind of like in a fairy tale, when the princess is held prisoner by a dragon. Well, Draco wasn't that bad.
Leonora stopped at the bottom of the stairs. She wasn't the first one up at all. In front of the fire, and looking like she had been there for quite a long time, was Hermione Granger. Hermione looked up and saw her before she could slip away again.
"Um, hi." Whispered Leonora.
Hermione smiled. She had a really friendly smile, Leonora couldn't help noticing, and she seemed a lot nicer than Draco had described her.
"Hi Leonora. I see I'm not the only early riser anymore. That's a relief." Said Hermione.
Leonora walked slowly across the room and sat down awkwardly in a large squashy armchair. Most of the chairs at home were made of wood and carved all over, and this soft one was a little weird.
There was a silence as Leonora looked around the common room. There were lots of chairs like the one she was sitting on, some sofas, and lots of tables. On the wall, next to the exit, hung a large notice board. It was bare right now, apart from an advertisement for something called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Leonora vaguely remembered being told something about it by Draco. Her eyes wondered back to the table in front of Hermione, which was covered in papers. All of them had S.P.E.W written at the top. Leonora stared at the papers.
"Er, what's spew?" She asked timidly.
"S.P.E.W. It stands for Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."
"Elfish Welfare? What do you mean?"
"House elves. It's disgusting the way they're treated. No pay, no holidays, no respect."
Leonora heartily agreed with Hermione. A few years ago, her family had had a house elf, called Dobby. Dobby had had to do everything in the house, but on top of that, one of his main jobs was making sure Leonora behaved herself. She didn't know why, but her father had never really trusted her. Over the years, Dobby and Leonora had become good friends, but he was always terrified, filthy, and covered in bandages. Three years ago, Dobby had been freed. Leonora had no idea why, and had never seen him again.
"How many members do you have?" Asked Leonora curiously.
"Well, um," Hermione suddenly looked very embarrassed. "A few. I mean, business is always slow at first, no matter what you're doing.
"Well, sign me up." Said Leonora.
Hermione looked shocked. There was no other way to describe it. She hadn't expected this at all.
"That is, if I'm allowed to join." Leonora said uncertainly.
Hermione snapped out of it. "Of course you're allowed to join! It's just that, well, you're the first person to actually really want to."
"Didn't, I mean, didn't Harry and Ron want to join?" Asked Leonora.
Hermione smiled weakly. "I'm not sure. I just signed them up."
"Oh. Well, you see, we, my family, we used to have a house elf. He was really nice, but my father, he." Leonora stopped suddenly. She remembered the way Dobby used to stop mid-sentence and would suddenly start shouting "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" Now she knew how he felt.
Hermione was looking at Leonora in a weird way. "What? What's wrong?" Asked Leonora worriedly. Had she said too much?
Hermione smiled. "Nothing, nothing at all. Look, let's go down and get breakfast."
She said, standing up and gathering her papers.
Leonora hesitated. "Um, I think I'd better wait Daphne."
Hermione smiled again. "Oh, we'll be back by the time she gets up, if I know my cousin at all. I just want to show you something, really quickly."
Leonora nodded and followed her out of the portrait hole.
Five minutes later, she and Hermione found themselves in a corridor hung with lots of paintings, mostly of food. Hermione stopped in front of a painting of a bowl of fruit, and Leonora watched, astonished, as she started tickling the pear in the picture. The pear giggled and turned into a doorknob. Hermione smiled and said: "Welcome to the kitchens, Leonora." Then she twisted the doorknob and pulled the hidden door open.
Leonora followed Hermione inside, and felt her eyes widen in surprise. There were dozens of house-elves, preparing all kinds of breakfast foods, and, she couldn't help noticing, mint humbugs. Suddenly a high voice rang out.
"Good morning Miss Hermione!"
Hermione and Leonora looked down and saw an elf, carrying a teapot and wearing a tea- cosy for a hat. Leonora jumped a foot in the air and Dobby dropped the teapot, causing it to smash into a dozen pieces.
Hermione giggled. "Reparo." She said, pointing her wand at the teapot, which flew back together and onto the table.
Dobby hadn't even realised the teapot had been dropped. "Miss Lori?" He gasped.
"D, Dobby?" Stammered Leonora. "Oh my G- Hermione, how did you know?"
Hermione smiled smugly. "Well, I knew he used to belong to your family. After all, it was Harry who, um, persuaded your father to free him."
Leonora smiled happily. She decided that Hermione was definitely someone she wanted as a friend.
Ten minutes later the three of them were sitting by the kitchen fire, Dobby and Leonora talking animatedly and Hermione listening quietly.
"How long have you been here Dobby?" Asked Leonora.
"A year Miss Lori. A year this very week. We have been very happy here."
"We?"
"Me and Winky."
"How is Winky?" Asked Hermione.
"She is doing much better now Miss Hermione, thank you. She is over there, making bacon." Dobby pointed across the room to where Winky the house- elf was cooking about thirty pieces of bacon, and talking quite cheerfully to another house- elf.
Hermione smiled happily. "Good. I'm glad to hear it."
Suddenly they heard the kitchen door open and turned to see Harry and Ron, followed by Daphne, entering. They spotted Hermione through the crowd of house- elves and made their way over.
"Good morning! Wow, I'm impressed. I mean, it's only ten past seven." Hermione said brightly. " And how did you know where to find us?"
"We found all your spew stuff, so we thought that you probably would have brought Leonora down here to see Dobby. And poor Daphne was wondering around like a lost, lonely soul so we brought her as well." Replied Ron, nicking a roll off of one the tables. The house- elves standing around beamed happily and hurried off to get some more.
"Hi dobby." Said Harry. "This is Daphne, she's Hermione's cousin."
Dobby jumped up and bowed to Daphne. "I'm very pleased to meet you Miss Daphne."
Daphne giggled and curtsied to him. Dobby looked a bit confused and Harry and Ron started laughing.
"Anyway, we came to find you because all Gryffindors have to be at breakfast this morning, McGonagall's orders. There's gonna be an announcement or something." Said Ron, taking another roll, and chucking one to Harry.
"Oh, alright." Said Hermione, jumping up. She loved announcements.
"Bye dobby, I'll come and see you again. I promise." Said Leonora, standing up as well.
Dobby beamed, and bowed as they left. When they reached the door, Hermione turned to Ron. "Oh, by the way, before I forget," She said with a smirk, "it's S.P.E.W, not spew."
1 Down in the kitchens
The next day when Leonora woke up, she had to stop and think for a moment about where she was. Then it all came back to her, and she felt her stomach disappear. The sorting, Daphne, Draco, what Hermione did.
Leonora felt sick. She knew that Hermione had just been looking out for her cousin, but she really had no idea what she had done. Draco would be furious, and as for her father.
Leonora sat up in bed and looked at her watch. It was half past six, and she knew that the alarm bell didn't go off until seven thirty. Now she was awake though, she couldn't go back to sleep. She got up silently, dressed, and made her way out of the dormitory.
The winding stairs were quite steep, but Leonora was used to towers: her bedroom was in one at home. She smiled to herself, thinking how weird it must seem to others that she sleeps in a tower at home. Kind of like in a fairy tale, when the princess is held prisoner by a dragon. Well, Draco wasn't that bad.
Leonora stopped at the bottom of the stairs. She wasn't the first one up at all. In front of the fire, and looking like she had been there for quite a long time, was Hermione Granger. Hermione looked up and saw her before she could slip away again.
"Um, hi." Whispered Leonora.
Hermione smiled. She had a really friendly smile, Leonora couldn't help noticing, and she seemed a lot nicer than Draco had described her.
"Hi Leonora. I see I'm not the only early riser anymore. That's a relief." Said Hermione.
Leonora walked slowly across the room and sat down awkwardly in a large squashy armchair. Most of the chairs at home were made of wood and carved all over, and this soft one was a little weird.
There was a silence as Leonora looked around the common room. There were lots of chairs like the one she was sitting on, some sofas, and lots of tables. On the wall, next to the exit, hung a large notice board. It was bare right now, apart from an advertisement for something called Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Leonora vaguely remembered being told something about it by Draco. Her eyes wondered back to the table in front of Hermione, which was covered in papers. All of them had S.P.E.W written at the top. Leonora stared at the papers.
"Er, what's spew?" She asked timidly.
"S.P.E.W. It stands for Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."
"Elfish Welfare? What do you mean?"
"House elves. It's disgusting the way they're treated. No pay, no holidays, no respect."
Leonora heartily agreed with Hermione. A few years ago, her family had had a house elf, called Dobby. Dobby had had to do everything in the house, but on top of that, one of his main jobs was making sure Leonora behaved herself. She didn't know why, but her father had never really trusted her. Over the years, Dobby and Leonora had become good friends, but he was always terrified, filthy, and covered in bandages. Three years ago, Dobby had been freed. Leonora had no idea why, and had never seen him again.
"How many members do you have?" Asked Leonora curiously.
"Well, um," Hermione suddenly looked very embarrassed. "A few. I mean, business is always slow at first, no matter what you're doing.
"Well, sign me up." Said Leonora.
Hermione looked shocked. There was no other way to describe it. She hadn't expected this at all.
"That is, if I'm allowed to join." Leonora said uncertainly.
Hermione snapped out of it. "Of course you're allowed to join! It's just that, well, you're the first person to actually really want to."
"Didn't, I mean, didn't Harry and Ron want to join?" Asked Leonora.
Hermione smiled weakly. "I'm not sure. I just signed them up."
"Oh. Well, you see, we, my family, we used to have a house elf. He was really nice, but my father, he." Leonora stopped suddenly. She remembered the way Dobby used to stop mid-sentence and would suddenly start shouting "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" Now she knew how he felt.
Hermione was looking at Leonora in a weird way. "What? What's wrong?" Asked Leonora worriedly. Had she said too much?
Hermione smiled. "Nothing, nothing at all. Look, let's go down and get breakfast."
She said, standing up and gathering her papers.
Leonora hesitated. "Um, I think I'd better wait Daphne."
Hermione smiled again. "Oh, we'll be back by the time she gets up, if I know my cousin at all. I just want to show you something, really quickly."
Leonora nodded and followed her out of the portrait hole.
Five minutes later, she and Hermione found themselves in a corridor hung with lots of paintings, mostly of food. Hermione stopped in front of a painting of a bowl of fruit, and Leonora watched, astonished, as she started tickling the pear in the picture. The pear giggled and turned into a doorknob. Hermione smiled and said: "Welcome to the kitchens, Leonora." Then she twisted the doorknob and pulled the hidden door open.
Leonora followed Hermione inside, and felt her eyes widen in surprise. There were dozens of house-elves, preparing all kinds of breakfast foods, and, she couldn't help noticing, mint humbugs. Suddenly a high voice rang out.
"Good morning Miss Hermione!"
Hermione and Leonora looked down and saw an elf, carrying a teapot and wearing a tea- cosy for a hat. Leonora jumped a foot in the air and Dobby dropped the teapot, causing it to smash into a dozen pieces.
Hermione giggled. "Reparo." She said, pointing her wand at the teapot, which flew back together and onto the table.
Dobby hadn't even realised the teapot had been dropped. "Miss Lori?" He gasped.
"D, Dobby?" Stammered Leonora. "Oh my G- Hermione, how did you know?"
Hermione smiled smugly. "Well, I knew he used to belong to your family. After all, it was Harry who, um, persuaded your father to free him."
Leonora smiled happily. She decided that Hermione was definitely someone she wanted as a friend.
Ten minutes later the three of them were sitting by the kitchen fire, Dobby and Leonora talking animatedly and Hermione listening quietly.
"How long have you been here Dobby?" Asked Leonora.
"A year Miss Lori. A year this very week. We have been very happy here."
"We?"
"Me and Winky."
"How is Winky?" Asked Hermione.
"She is doing much better now Miss Hermione, thank you. She is over there, making bacon." Dobby pointed across the room to where Winky the house- elf was cooking about thirty pieces of bacon, and talking quite cheerfully to another house- elf.
Hermione smiled happily. "Good. I'm glad to hear it."
Suddenly they heard the kitchen door open and turned to see Harry and Ron, followed by Daphne, entering. They spotted Hermione through the crowd of house- elves and made their way over.
"Good morning! Wow, I'm impressed. I mean, it's only ten past seven." Hermione said brightly. " And how did you know where to find us?"
"We found all your spew stuff, so we thought that you probably would have brought Leonora down here to see Dobby. And poor Daphne was wondering around like a lost, lonely soul so we brought her as well." Replied Ron, nicking a roll off of one the tables. The house- elves standing around beamed happily and hurried off to get some more.
"Hi dobby." Said Harry. "This is Daphne, she's Hermione's cousin."
Dobby jumped up and bowed to Daphne. "I'm very pleased to meet you Miss Daphne."
Daphne giggled and curtsied to him. Dobby looked a bit confused and Harry and Ron started laughing.
"Anyway, we came to find you because all Gryffindors have to be at breakfast this morning, McGonagall's orders. There's gonna be an announcement or something." Said Ron, taking another roll, and chucking one to Harry.
"Oh, alright." Said Hermione, jumping up. She loved announcements.
"Bye dobby, I'll come and see you again. I promise." Said Leonora, standing up as well.
Dobby beamed, and bowed as they left. When they reached the door, Hermione turned to Ron. "Oh, by the way, before I forget," She said with a smirk, "it's S.P.E.W, not spew."