Exploring

As the meeting dispersed and certain people gathered to discuss things and figure out where things stood Ai and Irumi followed Hermione out into the hallway while Ainel and Ms. Figg went to discuss something in Dumbledore's office with the Headmaster of the school. Both Ai, Irumi and Hermione figured that it might have something to do with school.

They were soon joined by the Weasly Twins and Oliver Wood. The older boy that they hadn't gotten a chance to meet quite like the other two shook the two Elflings' hands firmly. "Is it true what I heard Fudge say… that you're already seeker for a professional Quiditch team?

"By fluke of Fudge's big mouth I am," Irumi sighed. "I haven't a clue about Quiditch… to me it is just a game."

"Oh… Quiditch isn't just a game,"

"It's a major sporting event."

"It's like someone who's never heard about chess before," came Irumi's rephrasing of her earlier words. "Until the person knows about it and has information about it and have information, it's just a game."

This caused Oliver to raise an eyebrow. "You certainly have a way with words. I take it that you've never rode a wizarding broom before?"

"I don't even have one," to which Ai replied by sticking his long bundled package into Irumi's back.

"I believe…"

"… you do now,"

Irumi watched as Fred and George unwrapped the packaging. Oliver's eyes went wide and he whistled. "Wouldn't Cedric love to see that… an actual Tavor broom… a woodpecker?"

George had a glint in his eye as he recalled something that Irumi had told him earlier. Hermione spoke up though. "Cedric's alive… well, of course he is… but, why didn't he come?"

"Because he figured it would mean telling his parents that certain things happened. I mean, this would be his first year, so he wouldn't have the excuse I did of having gone and staying at Hogwarts for some study time… my parents were thrilled to death… expesully my dad when I said this could mean both possibly good grades and a good Quiditch year."

Oliver then continued. "How though did you get a woodpecker? I mean, Tavor died about twenty-five years ago… I mean… that's why no more of them have been made, right? There ability to grow and adapt to the user's abilities is remarkable… your brother told me that…"

This was a reference to one of the older Weasly siblings, though Irumi didn't know which. George spoke up. "Irumi told me that Tavor is actually one of the… you call yourselves Eldar? Yes… well, he's an elf."

"But how…"

"I guess word got to him from my Grandada and he felt that it was his duty to make me a broom, even though there truly was no obligation to do so… or Grandada could have ordered him to do so…" Irumi glanced at a card a smiled. "No… it's a gift…"

"You mean that it is a modern woodpecker! And what did you mean by ordered to make it… that makes no sense at all…"

However, where this conversation was headed was interrupted by Dudley. "Can we please now go on a tour?"

"Sure… why not? Things have gotten crazy enough as it is," Ron muttered.

So the Elflings found themselves being given a tour of Hogwarts. One of the first things Irumi noticed was that the paintings moved and spoke. This caused her to shudder a bit as it was unexpected. Ai however obviously liked the idea.

They were taken up to the Gryffindor Tower, though the Fat Lady wouldn't let them in without the password. Then they were taken to the Dungeons where they were chased away by Flitch's cat, which caused Ai and Irumi to burst into giggles. Dudley complained that he didn't see the reason to run from a cat.

It was then that they went to the kitchens, making everyone promise to keep the secret a secret. Wood just nodded his head, knowing that this was one of those things best kept secret, expesully from people like Percy or Filtch. He had to many a run in with that one Weasly boy for his liking.

When they got in Fred nodded to one of the creatures to come over. "Do these two kids look like overgrown House Elves to you?"

"No sir… their eyes are smaller, their ears shorter and they are much talker," the thing said. At this Ai and Irumi glanced at each other. They made their eyes go wide, pulled on their ears to make them look somewhat longer and crouched down.

They then stood up, Ai giggling while Irumi closed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Still with that there are only minor similarities. These are House Elves?

"Yes," came from Oliver.

"This is why what Malfoy called you was an insult," Ron piped up with a grumble.

"I know it is meant to be, but I can't take it that way," Irumi smiled. "See… they're kind of cute."

"Next stop is the Quiditch fields," Oliver smiled. "We're going to teach you to fly that broom of yours."

As they were leaving, Ai tugged on Irumi's sleeve. She turned to see the Fat Friar.

"Friar Brenam?"

"Hmm… you know my name… child. You're not a child! At least not an Edain child…"

"You were burned at the stakes with my cousin…" Irumi's statement caused Hermione to turn and stare at the three.

"Ahh… yes… the old Abbey… you two must be the two Elflings that he kept seeing visions of. Hogwarts was built after that in the same area as the ruins you know."

"I thought you said my first year that Hufflepuff was your house?" Hermione stared at the ghost.

"Ahh… leave it to Ms. Granger to remember the details. Hufflepuff is my clan house… Helga Hufflepuff was a relative of mine… I knew her as a child," the Fat Friar sighed. "I used to make her such delights… her favorite of mine was my smoked strawberry tarts."

"So… where are the statues?" Irumi asked.

"I can't rightly say… we ghosts pass through walls to get to the place…"

"Oh…" came the tone of disappointment.

Hermione saw this on both of the Elflings faces. "Come on; let's catch up to the others."

When they did, they found Ron and Ginny speaking together in murmured tones. Apparently Ginny had come and found them. Ron looked at the others. "Short detour…"

The group hurried along and came to the place where they saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasly were talking to Mrs. Malfoy, who seemed quite pleased to see them. However, her son Draco was not.

"Where's Mr. Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"He's already left." Ginny commented just as the conversation ended and the Malfoy's turned to leave.

"Mum… dad… what was that about?" Ron asked a frown on his face.

"We'll explain once we get home," Mrs. Weasly smiled.

Author's note – Floating onto the screen is the Fat Friar. "So… anyone ever wonder how al those monks got to Hogwarts. This is this fanfics way of explaining it in a way that actually fits the books… both book series actually. Oh… and there seems to be something more going on with the Malfoy's… but that is another story, isn't it?"