Always |Rewrite In Progress|

Dobby the Free Elf

"Won morr treekle taat, Dobby", Alice said, with a full mouth.

"Sorry Miss. Dobby does not understand what you says, Miss"

"One more treacle tart, Dobby", Alice said, swallowing.

"Yes Miss"
Dobby came carrying a large platter full of treacle tart, boiled potatoes, roast chicken and a bowl of porridge.

"Oh Wow! You're such a sweetheart Dobby!", Alice grabbed the platter and took a piece of boiled potato.
"Potatoes are bae!", Alice said, closing her eyes, enjoying the wonderful cooking. Dobby was as good as his former namesake. He offered so many delicacies to Alice, without her even asking for them. They smelt so yummy that Alice couldn't even imagine - let alone saying - refusing the bliss. Like, it would be an insult to the sumptuous little cooks out there, wouldn't it?

"If it's vacation time, why cook so much, Dobby?"

"Tomorrow is September the first Miss. Many of the staffs will returns today", a plump elf said. She was wearing a dirty bow tie over a ragged skirt and blouse. That was when Alice noticed something. Some of the elves were wearing neat and clean clothes, while some were only draped in tea towels, stamped with the Hogwarts crest.

"Dobby, you're a free elf!", Alice exclaimed.

"Yes Miss", the elf squealed excitedly. "Professor McGonagall will pay Dobby Miss. Dobby wants paying. Dobby gets a Galleon a week and one day off per month."

"That's amazing Dobby! How many of you here are paid elves?"

"Many of us, Miss. Before there were elfs who thought that getting payment was a shame, Miss. But nowadays, our Minister for Magic says that elves are ought to receive payment for their services if they wants Miss. Most of us have agreed to it Miss but some is still thinking that it is bad Miss."

"Good for you, Dobby!"

"Professor McGonagall asks us if we wants more holiday Miss. But we likes work Miss."

It was a pleasurable chat with several little elves scurrying about, offering cream cakes, pies, chocolate chips, chocolate éclairs, steaks, sausages and sandwiches.  An hour and a load of snacks later, Alice finally got up to leave. Five elves gave her some snacks to take back, and Alice was only too willing to load her pocket, to devour them later.

"Bye Dobby, bye all", Alice waved them goodbye and walked out.

As Alice entered the corridor, she saw Nick outside, drifting about cluelessly.

"Oh Nick! You didn't come in", Alice said, realization dawning on her.

"Reason why I don't go to the kitchen often. So much food but not being able to eat is quite difficult to accept"

"Hmm. What's it like to be a ghost?"

"It's very hard, you are stuck up between two ends. You might think it's nice, seeing that I can still talk, see and all that. But living is different. I get to see everything but I can't experience them. It gives you a sinking feeling. Like you are damned, to eternity." The happiness drained off Nick's face, and now, more than ever, he looked ghostly.

"You're saying it's better to die and go, umm, wherever the next stage is?"

"Yes. But more importantly, I am saying you should enjoy every aspect of your life, even if it's pain. If there's something I have learned in 600 years, it's that you've got to stick to life, no matter what, you know it's worth only when you become like me",

Alice had not seen that the conversation would head to this.
"I am sorry, Nick"

A/N -
So how was the chapter? You know the drill. Vote, comment;)
Feedback is most welcome.
Too much love❤
Hazel♥