"There are actually so many house-elves!" Aurora was astounded as she saw the room full of alien heads; she had never seen such a scene with so many house-elves gathered together. Indeed, there are over a hundred house-elves at Hogwarts responsible for various jobs.
Not even families with deep roots have such a show of strength.
Most wizard families consider life good if they have one elf, even wealthy families like the Malfoy clan don't qualify to keep too many house-elves.
Bear in mind.
Though house-elves seem obediently tamed, most individuals possess very strong magic, far surpassing many graduate wizards. Apart from places like Hogwarts, the Ministry of Magic would not allow any family to privately own such a "military force."
"Little wizard! Little wizard!"
Seeing someone enter.
All the house-elves turned their heads, faces filled with joy and some eager anticipation, bowing in unison to the two people just like in a long-rehearsed routine.
"Mr. Prince brought his friend who breaks school rules!" Rabi obviously recognized Aurora and remembered her rule-breaking habit.
"Hotpot! As usual! Slice the meat thin! Add more chili!" Ian familiarly walked to an old spot where the house-elves had already set up a copper crucible.
This is a scene that would absolutely anger Snape to death if he saw it: Bone broth, chili, ginger slices, and other seasonings being expertly added to the crucible by the house-elves.
The aroma quickly spread.
The soup in the pot bubbled, the rosy firelight dancing on the surface, as the elves took turns approaching with exquisite silverware to serve various ingredients. There were rare mushrooms picked from deep in the Forbidden Forest, fresh vegetables directly supplied by the school daily, and specially processed meats.
Every ingredient was handled just right. Professional tasks really should be done by professionals; Ian might have amazing knife skills, but seasoning was definitely not his forte.
While waiting for the ingredients to cook, Aurora sniffed the air, involuntarily twitching her nose, then glanced around at the busy house-elves who seemed always occupied. These elves were all dressed in the same uniform—a tea towel printed with the Hogwarts coat of arms.
They wore the tea towel like a robe, bustling around them in an orderly fashion, making food while also acting as the two's most attentive waiters.
"Mr. Prince's favorite beef slices! Habi cut them really thin!" An old acquaintance, a house-elf, brought a plate, not just with wafer-thin beef, but also some seafood.
Probably not caught from the Black Lake.
"Perhaps Hufflepuff students are much happier than us." Aurora watched the house-elves making food, guessing where it might be sent.
"Hufflepuff never goes hungry; that's their house motto." Ian replied while blanching beef, noting that each house had its own geographical advantages.
"Try this!"
He tossed the blanched beef into Aurora's bowl.
Aurora, who hadn't had much dinner, immediately used her fork to put the beef slices in her mouth.
"Not bad."
Her eyes lit up for a moment.
"Yes, yes, it's good; here, eat more." Ian, while eating, also served Aurora, especially focusing on the dishes drenched in soup.
Ian's attention to serving food gradually made the food-focused Aurora realize something was off.
"I need water!"
Aurora wasn't sure when it happened, but suddenly her mouth and stomach felt fiery hot, quickly asking Little Elf Rabi for a glass of lemonade.
Little Elf Rabi, unaware of having escaped a crisis last night, happily made Aurora a fresh glass of lemonade, then returned to other tasks after receiving her praise.
However.
In its mind, Aurora still didn't have a name; she was just "Mr. Prince's rule-breaking friend who also likes lemonade like 'Mr. Prince."
"Why would you say you feel happy with something this spicy?" Aurora's face was flushed red from the heat, constantly sticking out her tongue and drinking lemonade, tilting her head in puzzlement.
"Happiness usually requires time to sink in."
Seeing Aurora, dazed from the spicy food, Ian finally contentedly put down the communal chopsticks, stopped serving food, and focused on his own meal.
"By the way, you can try a bit of this too, it's called 'See You Tomorrow'... pretty much helps with digestion."
...
Moonlight washed over.
Silver light spilled over the tower, each window glowing brightly in the night, then softly dimming one by one as the dead of night approached.
Hogwarts ghosts welcomed their castle time; little wizards washed away fatigue and became visitors in their dreams, embarking on adventures in their own unique worlds.
Ian was one of the rare exceptions.
Unlike those who dedicated the night to errant roaming, he, after escorting Aurora back to Slytherin College and giving her a mysterious smile, leisurely strolled back to the Ravenclaw common room.