Open Can a House Elf get a Trophy?

[Tinny]

It was late at night and none of the students were supposed to be out of bed. Tinny was performing her usual cleaning rounds which tended to take longer than normal due to the frequent butterbeer breaks she took. When Tinny took these breaks she often found herself going to a few of the places the tiny elf ought not to. It wasn't that she wasn't allowed to be in places like the Trophy Room or Hospital Wing but that other House Elves were responsible for keeping them clean and a few of them had already accused poor Tinny of trying to steal their jobs. Needless to say some of the other Hogwarts House Elves were not pleased with Tinny's performance.

Tinny looked at the Quidditch Trophy's again and again as she took her breaks. "If only Tinny could play Quidditch" the House Elf moaned as great big tears began to fill her eyes. "Tinny bet she win all the points for Snake team!" Tinny shouted into her half empty bottle of butterbeer. She was talking about her favorite team in the whole world since it was the first team she'd ever seen win a Quidditch Match and they had soo many trophy's. Tinny wondered if she would get in trouble for borrowing one.

 

[Gemny]

gemny was excited. she had made it through one semester working at the school and today was the first time she was allowed out of the kitchens. She had been tasked with cleaning the trophies in the trophy room. She had been distracted all day as she had been cooking. she had almost burned the cheese sauce for dinner leading her to be called a bad house elf. she wasn't a bad elf she was just excited about her new job. after the dishes had all been cleaned and put away she had picked up her cleaning things ready to start her new task. even though it was an hour before curfew when the elves could leave the kitchens.
as soon as the bell chimed Gemny was up almost running as she made her way to the trophy room. her eyes widened as she saw all the shiny cups that needed cleaning. it would take her all night to get them sparkly. She set to work in the first cabinet these trophies were old. dated years before she was born. she was extra careful as she polished them. looking at the names. it didn't take her long to see that some of the names started to repeat themselves some people winning best student for years in a row. others having Halloween costumes a few times. there were also some families who seemed to keep appearing. she had made it to the third cabinet when she heard a noise behind her. she was ready to hide when she realised it was not a student or professor who stood there in the dark but another elf. Tinny one who quite a few other elves avoided. "Tinny can not play quidditch. because tinny is an elf and has cleaning to do" she said her young voice high pitched even for an elf walking over to the other elf she realised that they were holding a half empty bottle that must have been left by one of the students. but as she saw the other elf cry she lowered her head her ears flapping forward. she was a young elf and tinny was her superior but this was gemny's room not tinnys. "Tinny had better leave before she spills butterbeer in Gemny's room and makes gemny look like a bad elf for not finishing her job" she said

 

[Tinny]

Tinny did not hear when the other elf had first spoke but as she got closer to Tinny and made a comment about leaving, Tinny jumped and almost spilled her butterbeer. Tinny turned and looked at the smaller elf "It is rude to eavesdrop on Tinny when she is taking a break" Tinny said loudly as she puffed out her chest. It didn't do much to create an air of superiority as she still had tears coming out of her large purple eyes.

She needed to wipe them and knew exactly what to use as she turned back to face the trophies. Inside a particularly large trophy was a Slytherin Banner that Tinny had 'borrowed' to watch her first Quidditch match. She often used it to wipe her tears when the thought of Quidditch became too much for Tinny. It had after all been everything the little elf could have hoped for. Tinny opened the trophy case and peered inside the large trophy but was shocked to find it empty.

In a panic she threw down her butterbeer causing it's contents to splash all over the shiny cups and plaques. "Oh Noes! Wheres Is IT!" Tinny wailed as she turned back to face the younger Elf. "Where is it?" she demanded of the only other Elf that could have possibly found her precious banner.

 

[Gemny]

gemny watched as the other elf jumped and was glad when the drink was not spilled. 'Good elves don't take breaks. Tinny should leave Gemny alone so she can get back to work" she said looking back to the cup she had been polishing before she had been interrupted. she was now unwillingly taking a break and was not being a good elf. it seemed like tinny had other plans as the elf opened a cabinet as if looking for something she had already cleaned the cabinet and she watched as the other elf dropped the bottle she was holding causing the contents to spill everywhere she would have to start her cleaning again and it was already late. she would not get the room finished. how could she go back if she didn't finish cleaning one room on her first night? but now the other elf was demanding at her where something had gone. "Tinny has to go now unless she wants to help gemny clean up the mess" she said. but at the second repeat of the same question, she looked the other elf in the eye. "all the cups are there. I sent the flag with peekey to be washed. it had dirty stains all over it" she said.

 

[Tinny]

Tinny was shocked to discover the other Elf had stolen from her, however being a good House Elf she turned and looked around at the 'mess' that Gemny had mentioned. She was even more shocked to see the state of the Trophy Room. "Oh my! Gemny is not a good cleaner, of course Tinny will help show you how a House Elf properly cleans" Tinny said jubilantly as she quickly wiped her eyes with the rags she was wearing. She would have to fetch another banner after she helped her fellow elf.

"It's a good thing Tinny was here otherwise Gemny might get fired for how poor she cleans" Tinny said matter of factually as she began wiping and polishing trophies with a rag that had appeared with a crack! Looking at all the shiny trophies only made Tinny want one of her very own. On the second shelf stood a small golden cup no bigger than a few inches. It appeared to be from the school's second year but was still as shiny as though it had been placed in the cabinet yesterday. Tinny picked up the small cup, wiped it with her rag and then placed it inside her own rags. Surely the witches and wizards of this great big school wouldn't mind if Tinny borrowed a small trophy for a little bit.

"These trophies are so pretty aren't they?" Tinny said brightly as she moved on to wiping down another of the cups. "You need to make sure to be a good House Elf Gemny and clean these better in the future" Tinny added with a smile.

 

[Gemny]

gemny was sad when tinny said she wasn't a good cleaner. og cours ethe trophies werent clean tinny had spilled butterbeer over the ones she had cleaned and she hadn't gotten to the others. "Gemny knows how to clean. tinny just made the ones gemny cleaned all dirtys again" she said. her lip quivering. was she really a bad elf. "Gemny can't get fired. gemny is a good elf and likes working at hogwarts" she said. walking over to the window opening it slightly then closing it on her ears as punishment for being a bad cleaner. the then walked back to where she was before and started polishing the cup she had been cleaning exrtra hard to try and get the stickiness of the liquid off it. "what job was tinny doing before she took a break" she asked as she cleaned not noticing the other elf sneak a trophie out of the cabinet and into her rags. "Gemny will make sure the trophies are sparkly in the future as long os tinny or noeone elses spills butterbeer on them" she said. moving into the next plaque.

 

[Tinny]

Tinny couldn't help but wonder about all of the things she would do with her new shiny trophy that she hardly noticed the other Elf at all as she polished a much larger one. "Tinny has very important job, Tinny cleans all unused classrooms on floors 6, 7, and 3!" Tinny said proudly. In truth it was busy work designed to keep the little Elf out of the way. If Tinny were truly as important as she believed, she would be cleaning rooms that had required more work or care such as the Great Hall or the Headmaster's Study.

Even a young Elf like Gemny had a room to clean that saw some traffic. Tinny however did not fully understand the work she was being asked to do alone and despite it being boring and relatively easy, Tinny knew she was a good elf and that's why she was entrusted to ensure the rooms were always ready when needed. "Maybe one day when Gemny is seen as a good house elf like Tinny, she will get to clean entire floors" Tinny added as she saw her reflection an a large Trophy.

Suddenly an idea came into the House Elf's mind as her eyes widened brightly and she smiled even brighter. "Tinny feels bad for poor poor Gemny, How about Tinny trades you jobs for a week so you can get practice cleaning like a good Elf!" Tinny suggested brightly. She couldn't help but think about how many trophy's she could 'borrow' if she had a week along with them.

 

[Gemny]

as tinny listed all the rooms she had to clean gemny was supprised. that was a lot of rooms. "that is a lot of rooms. Tinny should get back to her work so she doesn't upset mistress Alicastell. Gimny will be able to finish the trophy room now" she said Tinny had helped a bit in c leaning up her own mess but gemny would have to work extra hard to get the room finished.
even though the trophy room was a small room there were a lot of things in it to clean gemny had hardly been into the classrooms and didn't realise that they were a lot easier than this room. gemny nodded when the other olf said that when she was older she would be responsible for more than one room/ "Maybe one day Gemny would be responsible for more rooms but she isn't big enough for that yet" she said.
As she cleaned she heard tinny mutter something to herself and then ask if she wanted to swap jobs. "no this is gemny;s job. tinny should do tinny's job. a good elf doesn't take another elfs job." she said starting to feel like tinnys presence here was more of a distraction than a help and she couldn't slip up on her first day.

 

[Tinny]

Tinny was a bit surprised by Gemny's response. She had been sure the other house elf would have taken her up on her offer but seemed to be trying to have Tinny leave. "You don't like Tinny do you?" Tinny asked in a high pitched tone. The green elf could feel the tears welling up in her bright purple eyes. "YoU dOn'T wAnT tO bE TiNNy's FRIEND!" Tinny wailed as she turned and ran into the trophy shelf sending the brilliant cups and shields flying all around.

It was bad enough that all the other House Elves treated poor Tinny like an outsider, but now even this little house elf was trying to get rid of Tinny. SNAP! Tinny suddenly had a bottle of butterbeer in her hands as she sat in the middle of the mess of trophy's and took a big gulp. "Tinny is a good Elf, it's not Tinny's fault all her masters died" Tinny cried in between drinking the bottle of butterbeer she clutched within her lap.

 

[Gemny]

Gemny had been trained before being allowed to be out in the school What to do if a student comes by. how to clean a lot of different messes but she had not been trained for this. she looked around as if looking for something or someone to help. what would she do when you had an elf with a tantrum messing things around. What was she meant to do. "Gemny doesn't want any friends. gemny just wants to work" she said. a elf didn't need friends. that isn't what an elf was for.
she watched helplessly as tinny made a mess before deciding that she needed to ask another elf what to do. as she left the last thing she was tinny sitting on the floor a bottle in her hand taking big gulps and saying something about her master dying. but mistress Alicastell was not dead. she hurried down the hall making her way down trying to find another elf to help her. knowing that if she couldn't see one of the cleaning elves there should be someone in the kitchen. she found someone. and pulled on their arm "Scuse me sir's. Gemny has a problem in her room. She was cleaning the trophies and Tinny came in and made a big mess. and Gemny doesn't know what to do with tinny who is sitting on the floor drinking butterbeers sir." she said her voice frantic and she was tripping over her words as she spoke. "I can help you if you help me sir." she said. she knew this elf would probably be busy. but she hoped that the need for a clean castle and not making a mess or scene would be important enough for the elf to at least see what was happening and help her move tinny.

 

[Tinny]

Once again poor Tinny found herself all alone with her butterbeer. Of course the other House Elf wouldn't want to be her friend or even stay in the same room as her. From somewhere outside the Trophy Room, Tinny could hear what sounded like bells. In fact it was a clock ringing in the next hour as Tinny suddenly realized that it was now very late and she hadn't even touched several of the floors. She stopping crying and stood up looking at all the trophies. It would be nice to simply take them now but she figured it would be pretty obvious who had taken them. "sniff sniff Gemny really is a bad cleaner maybe Tinny should just do it for her sniff sniff" Tinny said as she suddenly remembered something important. She snapped her fingers and disappeared to another part of the castle leaving the mess behind.

 

[Gemny]

Gemny hurried back to her room. she had so much to do she dragged the other elf after her. "See Tinny is there making a mess faster than gemny can clean" she said pushing the door open to show a room full of mess, trophies were on the floor and lying in the liquid that had spilt out of what were now two empty butterbeer bottles. she looked around the room. there was no sign of tinny.
she looked back at the other elf. "Gemny promises that it wasn't her who made the mess" she said looking at what was on the floor. she would have to work double hard to get this tidy by morning. and that wasn't even cleaning things like she should have been doing.