He nods, wanting to ask so much more about the house-guardians but also not wanting to forget what he came to ask her in the first place. Instead he'll settle for the one that's niggling at him the most: "What do they protect homes from?"

The bell catches him by surprise, having lost track of time, and he lets out a small, startled squeak. "A comfortable chair would be nice!" Much better than standing on his toes to lean across a reception desk, at the very least.