Previously, Hoare had suggested to the House-elves that the school could make some of the snacks sweeter, considering everyone has different tastes.

As soon as he spoke, the House-elf in charge of desserts began to scream and punish itself in various ways.

It slammed its head with the oven door, compared the hardness of its head with the cutting board on the table, and so on...

Hoare finally scolded it harshly, and only then did it stop its self-punishment while crying.