RP: Party Politics
Date: 17th March 2005
Characters: Slughorn, house elves, guests
Location: At home
Status: Public (entry by invitation)
Summary: It's time to party... and network.
Completion: incomplete
"My word, Retcon, you've really done us proud" said Horace, looking at the heavily-laden buffet table in the lounge and nibbling a cheese straw.
"Retcon is in kitchen, this elf is Benjy," said the elf who was stirring the punch.
"Oh, of course, I'm sorry." In the awkward silence the enchanted piano softly played something by Cole Porter, Horace was never very good at the titles of Muggle tunes. Outside, as the sun began to set, the garden lanterns were beginning to glow. The protective spell that would keep the grounds dry and warm for a few hours was already in place.
"House elves look a lot alike," said Benjy with a shrug, "Benjy will bang his head on table so bruises make it easy to spot the difference."
"No need, no need," Horace said hastily. "I think I can spot a slight difference now I look carefully. Don't go hitting yourself, Miss Granger wouldn't like it."
"Granger?" said Benjy. "Granger gives house-elves clothes. Makes us ...free." He said the last word as though it were a curse.
"That's right," said Horace, "but you're here as a favour to Retcon, aren't you, not as my employee, so you don't need to worry about that." He shuddered as he remembered how hard it had been to persuade Retcon to stay in the house for the party. "But if you see Miss Granger drop any clothing, I'm counting on you to pick it up and give it back to her before Retcon or Stammy accidentally touches it."
"Benjy will try," the house-elf said dubiously.
"Don't try. Do."
"Sir is a good master to Retcon."
"That's right... and I don't want him upset." Horace left the lounge and went upstairs to put on his best jacket, then apparated down to the cellar laboratory to make sure that everything down there was in order. Finally he went up to the kitchen, reassured Retcon again, and went into his study, where he planned to write a few lines of his monograph on laboratory design before the party began. But he'd barely sat down when the first guests began to arrive...
Characters: Slughorn, house elves, guests
Location: At home
Status: Public (entry by invitation)
Summary: It's time to party... and network.
Completion: incomplete
"My word, Retcon, you've really done us proud" said Horace, looking at the heavily-laden buffet table in the lounge and nibbling a cheese straw.
"Retcon is in kitchen, this elf is Benjy," said the elf who was stirring the punch.
"Oh, of course, I'm sorry." In the awkward silence the enchanted piano softly played something by Cole Porter, Horace was never very good at the titles of Muggle tunes. Outside, as the sun began to set, the garden lanterns were beginning to glow. The protective spell that would keep the grounds dry and warm for a few hours was already in place.
"House elves look a lot alike," said Benjy with a shrug, "Benjy will bang his head on table so bruises make it easy to spot the difference."
"No need, no need," Horace said hastily. "I think I can spot a slight difference now I look carefully. Don't go hitting yourself, Miss Granger wouldn't like it."
"Granger?" said Benjy. "Granger gives house-elves clothes. Makes us ...free." He said the last word as though it were a curse.
"That's right," said Horace, "but you're here as a favour to Retcon, aren't you, not as my employee, so you don't need to worry about that." He shuddered as he remembered how hard it had been to persuade Retcon to stay in the house for the party. "But if you see Miss Granger drop any clothing, I'm counting on you to pick it up and give it back to her before Retcon or Stammy accidentally touches it."
"Benjy will try," the house-elf said dubiously.
"Don't try. Do."
"Sir is a good master to Retcon."
"That's right... and I don't want him upset." Horace left the lounge and went upstairs to put on his best jacket, then apparated down to the cellar laboratory to make sure that everything down there was in order. Finally he went up to the kitchen, reassured Retcon again, and went into his study, where he planned to write a few lines of his monograph on laboratory design before the party began. But he'd barely sat down when the first guests began to arrive...
