HP - Shadow Monarch!

Chapter 18 - First Day 06.

[Chapter Size: 2000 Words.]
Third Person POV

Hogwarts.

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...

The elves were working tirelessly. As one hurried with a pie towards the fire, another was crushing some tomatoes with their feet on the table to make a sauce. Someone was frying some chicken, while another stirred the giant cauldron with a finger.

Snape walked in, observing the place, analyzing and studying the creatures as they worked, trying to understand how they functioned.

"How strange... according to my memories, these creatures have to work tirelessly to be able to live. Snape had never cared much for house-elves, however their value is incredible. I don't know how the magical world hasn't exploited them more..." Snape thought.

As he walked towards the center of the kitchen, the elves soon noticed Snape approaching, which took them a bit by surprise, but they all knew Snape as the wizard who sometimes ate there and being quite sour when they tried to interact with him, they left him alone while just watching with fear and caution. Snape might have changed in appearance, but his magical signature remained the same to the elves.

"It's him!"

"The Slytherin student."

"He's going to eat alone again..."

"What is he going to order?"

"I hope he accepts my grape pie that I made with my beautiful feet!"

"He has to try my orange juice!"

"Let's see what he's going to order first..."

The elves started gossiping among themselves, looking at Snape. Even though they were cautious, they still wanted to be useful; after all, it's in their nature.

Snape didn't speak to anyone until he found a table that was not being used, sitting down while turning his attention to the elves, but a bit surprised that everyone had stopped working at that moment.

"What's this...?" He wondered as he was taken aback by all the elves looking at him, waiting for an answer.

"Rmm!" He cleared his throat after being a bit surprised and looked more calmly at all the elves, waiting for a response from them.

"Would you like to eat something, what do you have?" He regretted having asked such an open question because right after that, all the elves teleported close to him, seeing that he was not as sour as the last times, they were shouting various options.

"What are you doing?!" Snape said as he found himself surrounded by a crowd of house-elves, each more eager than the last to offer their dishes. The situation was chaotic, yet comical, as the elves competed among themselves to catch his attention.

"Try our grape pie, sir!" An elf, excited, balancing on their tiptoes.

"Our orange juice is the best in the house!" Another, holding a shining jug, eyes gleaming with pride.

"We also have a skewer of crispy crickets, a delicacy!" A younger elf, with a mischievous expression, offering a somewhat questionable dish.

"How about our specialty? Spaghetti with chocolate meatballs!" An elf, with a sly smile, holding a plate.

"Sir, please try our honey bread filled with gorgonzola cheese!" An elf, making a face, clearly not understanding the combination they created.

"Our pumpkin soup comes with a special touch, gummy worms!" An elf, blinking excitedly, holding a steaming tureen.