"I am staggered and impressed by it," he says solemnly. "Do you want to borrow my nose for that?" With a shrug, "I got all that living at the Manor. And, yes, I did like it, especially the not having to deal with monthly bills bit, but in return I spent forty hours a week in class, seven to eighteen on hall patrol, fourteen to forty marking papers and grading labwork, depending on what point in term it was, eight supervising House activities--twelve during Quidditch season--six in office hours, an average of three in staff meetings, two having to eat in front of the entire school, which frankly I hate, and that's before time spent gathering and brewing to supply the infirmary and making remedies for Hagrid's menagerie never mind any research I wanted to do for myself or Anyone Else, or sleep. Besides, as long as I have a wand, time, and privacy, I don't mind doing for myself, particularly as it means I can decide for myself what to eat at any given meal."
"There's not much to see in the case of the nightmare trap; you use a hand-mirror. We could probably find an illustration of a tameemah, although I have to warn you that I'm not well up on Arabic magic." He raises an eyebrow at Rus. "I'm not proposing you have a house-elf tuck you in and read you Beedle the Bard, Rodolphus. Try Hogwarts: A History, or War and Peace, or Paradise Lost, or the Iliad." He smirks. "Or Ovid."
"If he felt he had freedom, he made that feeling himself."
"Really? ...How well?" he whispers back, suspicious. "Won't my doing well be revelatory?"
Maybe a little. ;) I doubt it means anything, but it sounds funny. Let's play full circle: Obi-Wan, Alec Guinness, River Kwai, Kwai-gone.... Thanks. Np!