56

CHAPTER FIFTY SIX:

"Alright," Harry said cheerfully to his two house elf companions, "Let's go figure out the designs for the Potter and Black house elf uniforms!" Dobby was bouncing around beaming, he was so excited, while Winky seemed rather torn. As far as Harry could tell, she wanted to look like a respectable house elf serving her family diligently, but also didn't want to part with her towel. Let's see if we can change that, Harry grinned.

"Dobby, if you would?" he held out his hand to his small friend, and with a pop he found himself in a small store. A moment later a short woman walked out of the back room with a bolt of fabric over her arm.

"Misses Tinkles!" Dobby exclaimed, releasing Harry's hand and bounding forward two steps. "Dobby is bringing Master Harry to make elf clothing!"

The woman blinked, then a delighted smile split her face. "Why Dobby, that's wonderful! It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Potter-Black," she smiled at her newest customer. "I am Madam Tinkleweather, children's tailor. Do I understand correctly that you are here to dress your house elves?"

"That's right," Harry smiled back, finding this woman instantly likeable. "Dobby is a Potter elf, and Winky here is a Black elf; I have come so that we can discuss some uniforms for them."

"We is not getting clothes, we is getting respectable!" Dobby cried out excitedly, and Madam Tinkleweather smiled happily at him.

"A fine decision, elfling," she commended, and Harry noticed how Winky stood that little bit straighter. Perhaps this will be easier than I thought.

"Why don't you three follow me into the back and we'll discuss fabrics and styles," the woman said cheerfully, flicking her wand to flip the sign in the window to read 'Closed'. "I prefer not to be disturbed when working on private commissions," she confided in them, slipping her wand back into a pocket of her apron. "Come, come!"

They followed the madam into the back room, where rolls and rolls of fabric were stacked against the walls, there were drawers filled with ribbons, buttons and other odds and ends, a file cabinet, "for my customers' measurements and orders," the tailor elaborated, a small desk along one wall covered in sketched-on papers, and one very large rectangular table in the middle of the room.

"Alright, grab a chair, each of you," the woman dropped the bolt of fabric she had been carrying onto the wide table and retrieved some paper and pencils from under the table. "You too, Winky," she ordered gently when she saw that Dobby had bounded up onto one of the chairs but the other house elf had remained standing uncertainly behind her master. Winky cast an unsure look at Harry and only clambered onto a chair when he gave her a slight nod.

"Right," Madam Tinkleweather said, pulling up another chair and eying the house elves. "I'll get your elves' measurements later; I think that the first step is to decide on colors and fabrics for their uniforms. I assume that you will want them to be dressed in their House colors?"

"That's what I was thinking," Harry agreed. "The Potter colors are rather Gryffindor; deep red and pale gold. The Black colors are purple and silver, and I would like the House's crest on the respective outfits."

"Hmm, yes," the woman narrowed her eyes slightly as she considered the house elves. "The rich, dark colors will suit them well, but silver and pale gold won't go very well with their skin colors, so I would suggest we limit those to the details – such as buttons and piping." Harry had no idea what piping was but nodded anyway. Madam Tinkleweather pulled a piece of paper closer and picked up a pencil. "I trust you will not mind if I take some inspiration from the Muggle world?"

"Not at all," Harry said in surprise. "In fact, I would very much appreciate it. What lines are you thinking along?"

"Well," the woman was already sketching with deft, swift strokes, "I was thinking of something along the lines of a maid outfit for Winky and a bellhop costume for Dobby." The quick glance she shot him suggested that she didn't believe he had any idea what either were. "Typically, the tasks of a maid are to clean and cook and those of a bellhop to carry luggage, but it hardly matters when no pureblood knows what either is, don't you agree?"

Harry chuckled uncertainly – he had grown up in the Muggle world and yet never heard of a bellhop before. A maid, yes, but he had no idea what their uniform looked like. The woman shot him an amused look and continued sketching.

"Here," she slid the paper over to him, tapping first one drawing, then the other with the end of her pencil. "A little dress for Winky, and a smart jacket and trousers for Dobby. The hat on Dobby's head is simple whim – true bellhops wear them."

"I think it looks rather good, wouldn't you agree?" Harry turned to Dobby, who craned his neck to see. Once the house elf spied the quick sketch of himself sporting a flat round hat his eyes grew wide.

"Dobby is loving it!" he cried excitedly. "Can Dobby be wearing such a hat, Master Harry?" Harry couldn't help but laugh at the entreating look the house elf turned on him.

"If Madam Tinkleweather can supply us with such a hat in your size, then absolutely! Winky, what do you think of the dress?"

Winky leaned closer hesitantly, then froze when she caught sight of the little sketch of herself in a frilly little dress. "Oh," she breathed, wide-eyed. Harry smiled over at Madam Tinkleweather, who looked approving that he had asked his house elves for their opinions.

"I think these are great starting ideas," he said happily. The tailor simply nodded and sketched out a few variations on collars and sleeves.

"Dobby, Winky – what do you think about gloves?" she asked without looking up. "Especially for bellhops it isn't uncommon to wear gloves, and it lends a more professional appearance, but house elves use their magic by snapping their fingers, no?"

"Is true that house elves often snap," Winky replied, to Harry's surprise, "but is only a gesture – sound is just being satisfying." Dobby nodded happily, and Harry couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hey, if I could do magic by snapping I'd do it as well!" he declared. Winky looked taken aback, but Dobby just beamed at his master.

"Have either of you ever tried on gloves before?" the tailor asked then, and both elves shook their heads with synchronized 'no's. "Well, I'll whip up some for you to try on once I have your measurements, and then you can decide whether you want to wear them or not, alright?" the woman smiled kindly at the small people, and they looked rather excited.

"Alright – fabrics." Madam Tinkleweather stood up and walked over to one of the walls, pushing around rolls of fabric until she found the one she was looking for. "All of you come over here and feel this for me, would you? Winky, Dobby, your opinions are important, since it's the fabric you and other house elves will be wearing. How does it feel? Smooth, scratchy? Too heavy? Too thin? I need your opinions."

And thus began the search for the right fabrics and matching colors, a look through Madam Tinkleweather's drawers for appropriate buttons and ribbons, measurements of the elves' bodies, and recommendations for a milliner and shoe crafter that would perhaps be willing to create things for a house elf. It was a very excited trio that left the tailor's store.