Survival Bonds

Chapter 4: Niffy: head elf

I'm a light sleeper, I always have been. So when a house elf appears in my room, I'm fully awake before the magic even has time to settle.

"Begging your pardon Master Potter sir. I am Niffy, the head elf." She bows lowly. "If there is anything you would like or need, simply call me. The other elves are still in training and are not yet prepared to help master, but Niffy will care for you." She talks calmly and clearly. I've never met a house elf like this. She's speaks well and confidently. She is dressed in a pretty blue flower-print dress instead of the customary tarp that I've seen all other house elves wear. Half of her body is twisted and gnarly looking and she catches me staring. "Never you mind Master Potter sir, Niffy is more than capable of taking care of Master Potter."

She puts all of her weight on her uninjured side. Her right arm looks completely unusable, I don't even know how she manages to stand. I force myself to not look any longer. I don't intend to be rude. Did Snape do that to her. No. He wouldn't do something that cruel... at least I don't think. Snape. Is he okay. Last night comes back to me.

"Niffy, has Snape woken up yet?"

"Oh no, Sevy lays in most of the day when he can." Sevy? Not Master Snape. Not Mater Severus... Sevy? "Come along. Niffy will find you something for breakfast." My stomach growls at the word. "And after Master Potter has eaten, Niffy will give you the tour and introduce you to the other house elves." This place isn't that big, and Snape spends most of the year at Hogwarts, I don't know why he would need more than one. And if the 'head elf' is this horribly stricken then I'm concerned about the others.

Niffy motions for me to take a seat on one of the rickety chairs at the dilapidated table in the kitchen. Most of this house seems to be in disrepair. The layer of grim coating everything makes me uncomfortable. It could do with a good scrubbing. From top to bottom. I very well may do that... not for him so much as for me. If I'm going to be living here, then I will be living in a clean house. Niffy carefully sets a plate in front of me.

"Begging your pardon Master Potter sir. There is not much in the way of food; Niffy is afraid that this is the best she can do at the moment." The pancakes are simple enough. Nothing fancy, but they taste heavenly. She watches me intently as I eat every bite. It makes me uncomfortable.

"Niffy. Are you uh.. hungry?" I've heard stories of masters withholding food from their house elves. I will not stand for that if that is the case, Snape can just...

"Not at all Master Potter. Niffy is just making sure you eat and not hide your food like Sevey tries to do." I remember how boney that shoulder felt under my hand.

"Does he hide his food often?"

"Never you mind that. Master Potter needs to be concerned about Master Potter eating." She smiles steadfastly at me. "And Niffy will be concerned about Sevey eating." She says this with a caring smile. For whatever reason, she seems to actually like Snape. I finish eating and immediately she takes the plate and promptly cleans it. It appears difficult for her to do with her one good arm.

"Niffy, I can clean that."

"Absolutely not Master Potter." She hobbles down from the footstool in front of the sink and takes my hand in her good one. "Niffy will now show you where everything is." I loosely hold her hand as she walks us out of the kitchen. "There is three floors. On the ground floor, is the kitchen, the library, the sitting room, your room of course." She is motioning to various doors. "That door is Sevy's room, and the room across is the bathroom." Snape's door is firmly shut. She pays it no mind as we hobble upstairs.

"There is another bathroom right there." She motions to the end of a hall. "That door is the master bedroom, Sevy doesn't like it in there. He says it's to far away. And that pink door." She looks thoughtful for a moment. "That pink door is the Princess's room. Everyone is forbidden to enter. I do not want Snapey getting mad at you for snooping, so stay away from there." I nod to her. "I am serious Master Potter. There is not quicker way to upset him. I understand you are a curious young boy, I can respect that. Sevy has always been very curious too, but do not tamper with the Princess's room"

"I wasn't aware that there was anyone else living here." She shakes her head.

"No. The princess hasn't lived here in a very long time." She squeezes my hand and brings me back to the stairs. All the way down we come to what must have been a basement at one point. It is now sectioned off into two parts. A large lab, and a room.

"That room is where Niffy and the other elves live. This is Sevy's lab." This is the first room I've seen in this house that actually seems to be decently taken care of. It makes sense why the library shelves were empty, it seems that all of the books have been relocated to the shelves down here. "This room is actually pretty new. Everything considered." She leads me to the room, but has to let go of my hand to open the door. She motions me inside.

There are four small beds, two on each side. Three house elves are sitting on one of the beds talking. Niffy leads me to the small things. All three are young. Much to young. The oldest of the three doesn't even look at me. Instead he stares blankly at the wall.

"Brux, introduce yourself to Master Potter." Niffy says patiently. He doesn't turn to look at me.

"Master Potter, my name is Brux and I hope to be of help one day." He stares unblinking and I realize all at once. He's blind. Like Niffy, he's wearing respectable clothing-albeit a size to large like he's a child playing dress up.

"It is nice to meet you Brux." He actually smiles.

"Z... Z... Z... ZE..Zend." The next manages. "M... Ma.. master P.. Potter." He bows respectfully.

The youngest of the three walks up to me. A little girl. I can tell by the pink and yellow dress she's wearing.

"Wenwen!" She says excitedly. Niffy pats her head.

"This little one's name is Wendy."

"It is nice to meet all of you." I say. Niffy grabs my hand again.

"Brux, your task is to help Zend and Wendy with their speech."

"Yes mother."

"By by mama!" Wendy waves and returns to sitting on the bed. As we leave, I can hear Brux saying a sentence and the other two trying to repeat it.

"It is on the top."

"ii. Ii"

"It top!"

Niffy leads me to the library.

"Do you have any questions Master Harry?" She says easily.

"Niffy. I don't mean to be rude. I really don't, but all of the elves here..."

"Are flawed." She finishes. "Yes, all of us have deficiencies." She smiles sadly. "Especially poor Wendy. I have adopted those three as my children, all three were unwanted. Brux is blind, Zend stutters really badly, and Wendy, well. Wendy is one of the few house elves born that do not possess any magic. Their original masters did not want them. As my original master did not want me. Master Potter. This house may not be grand, but it is our home. I would thank you to respect that." We hear banging from down the hall.

He rushes in, death eater robes and mask. It nearly gives me a heart attack before I remember. He doesn't look at me.

"Niffy, I have been summoned. Please tend to Potter's needs until I return. As per the norm, no one is welcome here until I have returned."

"Yes Sevy, Niffy will protect."

"Professor Snape." Begrudgingly he looks at me. Even through the mask I can tell that he's glaring daggers. Daring me to question him about last night. "Be safe." He's quiet for a moment.

"Tch. I do not need you well wishes Potter." And he's gone.