Mia (Malfoy nee) Ausa & Dobby; SSSC/HP:DH & HP:CoS; Bar

[mm_aura]

Mia's dinner, the first one she's had in Milliways after her trip to England, is a very quiet one. So quiet that when she listens, she can hear rustling under her table. When she looks, she sees Dobby bandaging his ironed hands. Once he sees Mia, he jumps back startled

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[superpolicerobo]

Gesicht catches wind of the small commotion from a booth over and, as per his policeman training, steps over to see what's going on.

"Are you all right, ma'am?"

[gorgonfondness]

She looks up.

"Oh yes, I'm fine, but his hands are hurt," she says, gesturing to the house elf.

"Doesn't matters," Dobby says. "Dobby will only have to punish himselfs again."

[superpolicerobo]

Gesicht isn't sure what to make of Dobby--his identification systems are getting error messages when they try to classify him.

"May I see your hands, sir?"

[mm_aura]

Dobby starts to sob.

"Never has Dobby been called 'sir' before!" he wails. "This place is full of such kind people!"

Mia takes some paper napkins and offers them to the elf.

"He's a house elf," she explains. "They're essentially slaves."

[superpolicerobo]

"Ah! I didn't mean to offend you!" He gives the two of them a sort of helplessly bewildered look. "I was under the impression there were laws against slavery. Perhaps not in your world?.."

[gorgonfondness]

"His world, rather," Mia says. "My husband's world. Draco even wanted a house elf for our house, but I was set against it."

Dobby tilts his head a little and says, "But Master Draco is part of the family Dobby serves, Mistress."

Oh, so that's why he has to listen to her.

And now Mia's worried that she might have offended Dobby.

"I'm sorry, Dobby!" she says quickly. "I think you would do a good job if you worked for us, but I would rather pay you. And I wouldn't want you punishing yourself like this."

[superpolicerobo]

"Do you really make mistakes so often, Mr. Dobby?"

Gesicht thinks the bandages on Dobby's hands are a little inadequate...maybe in a moment he'll go to the bar and get something better for him.

[mm_aura]

"Dobby must do whatever he cans to warn Harry Potter," Dobby says. "But if Dobby helps Harry Potter, Dobby must punish himselfs for not working at home."

And for undoing his master's work, but he can't talk too much about that.

"Harry is strong though, Dobby," Mia says.

[superpolicerobo]

Hm...

"I'll be right back," Gesicht says, and disappears briefly to the bar.

He returns a few minutes later with fresh bandages, burn ointment, and fresh tea.

"Maybe if you start from the beginning, Mr. Dobby?..."

Gesicht would like to understand what's going on.

[mm_aura]

Dobby sniffles a little, bewildered.

"Dobby, you can tell him whatever you want to tell him," Mia says. "As long as you're here, you can say anything and everything."

It feels very weird, taking advantage of someone's lack of free will by ordering them free will. One might even say hypocritical.

The house elf takes a breath before saying, "Terrible things have been happening at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Master has left a book to the Wheezy girl, a book that belonged to He Who Must Not Be Named."

Mia's eyes widen and her jaw drops hearing this. The only question she asks for clarification is, "Wheezy girl?"

"Harry Potter's Wheezy's sister."

This will take Mia a moment to figure out.

[superpolicerobo]

"Is this book politically important?"

Gesicht pushes the bandages and ointment toward Dobby, suggestively, and takes a fake sip of tea.

That's the sort of thing that puts humans at ease, he's found.

[mm_aura]

"It's what's causing the happenings, sir," Dobby says. "Muggleborns have been petrified. They say killings will be next."

Mia covers her mouth with her hand, just as she was about to start ministering to Dobby's hands.

"That is not work for the Mistress," Dobby points out, weakly waving her away.

"I insist," Mia replies when she can find her voice again.

She glances at Gesicht for a moment before commenting, "That tea looks good. I'm not sure why, but I've been ravenous lately."

In fact, if he checks the table, he'll notice that she's already polished off her fairly substantial dinner.

[superpolicerobo]

"Killings--you mean your master is a serial killer?" That is so much not good news.

"Tea is good for the nerves," he adds a moment later.

[gorgonfondness]

"I wouldn't put it past Lucius Malfoy," Mia says, oddly serious. "Almost all of my in-laws are or were practicing Death Eaters, followers of He Who Must Not Be Named. And if the followers are that bad, you know the leader is that much worse."

She tends to Dobby's hands as she speaks.

"It's strange to hear these things, as they happened in my past. Or rather, my husband's past. Well over ten years ago. I know most everything about Draco and I don't recall him telling me about any killings at his school, aside from the Battle at Hogwarts, but I participated in that fight."

Once her work is done, Mia puts a hand to her head.

"I think we could use a whole pot of tea. And I'd like some crackers to nosh on."

[superpolicerobo]

"In other words, you cannot interfere."

Gesicht frowns, but straightens his shoulders. "That's a nice idea, Miss?..."

[gorgonfondness]

"Malfoy-Ausa. Mrs. Mia Malfoy-Ausa, and you're welcome to just call me Mia. The same goes for you, Dobby; you don't have to call me Mistress."

"If that is what Mistress wants..."

Mia presses her lips together before she continues, "Time can get rather strange here. And it is best if I don't interfere with the past of the Malfoys. Aside from the obvious dangers of meddling with time, I'm certain it would be another strike against me in my in-laws' book if they ever found out about it. I don't really need another, know what I mean, Mister...?"