Chapter 374: The Arrival
The notice in the entrance hall had a clear impact on the school – it inford all students that the Triwizard Tournant was no longer just a rumor but a reality.
On Friday evening, in the early hours of Saturday, Felix Harp awoke from his slumber and, dressed in his pajamas, pushed open the office door.
The corridor was pitch dark, barely any light to be seen. Bathed in the faint moonlight, a group of small figures huddled together, forming crooked and eerie shadows – they were the house-elves of the castle.
"Need any help?" Felix whispered, quietly approaching, barely two feet away from them.
"Ah—"
A suppressed shriek was stifled in the throat. The three stacked house-elves seed about to tumble, and Felix quickly reached out to steady them. It was quite the amusing sight –
The house-elf on the top, respectfully greeting, held various cleaning tools in its hands: "Mr. Harp, greetings!"
"You too, Winky," Felix replied.
The house-elf in the middle covered the mouth of the one at the bottom, preventing it from making noise. It attempted to bow while Winky hastily patted its head, leaped down from the pile, and the middle house-elf followed suit. Finally, all three of them bowed together.
"I heard so commotion... What are you all doing – is it cleaning portraits?"
Felix looked at the cloths and brushes in Winky's hands and noticed a large bottle in the corner, its label shining in the darkness: "Madam Skower's All-Purpose Magical ss Remover."
"And also the castle's armor... Mr. Harp! We're cleaning them anew, to let the guests feel the charm of Hogwarts! Mr. Harp!" Winky exclaid.
"Yes," Felix nodded, curiously asking, "I didn't see any of you carrying lanterns. Are you working in the dark like this?"
"We're used to it, sir!" Winky, the sa house-elf, answered proudly. "Our vision is very good. Just a bit of light is enough for us to see things clearly."
"Is that so?" Felix wasn't aware of this; the descriptions of house-elves never ntioned such abilities. "But using magical lamps would be more convenient. I recall the school procured a large batch..."
"Yes, indeed! There's a brand new, huge magical lamp in the kitchen, even bigger than Winky!" Winky spread her delicate hands wide to describe the size of the lamp in the kitchen. "Other companions are also very interested, and Dobby—"
The house-elf beside her lightly nudged Winky with its arm, and she fell silent.
"What's the matter? Dobby is also under my employ; is there sothing I don't know?" Felix inquired, as Dobby would visit him at the beginning of every month to report on the company's progress.
The house-elf in the middle spoke respectfully, "No, sir. Dobby... is well, and he even gifted the kitchen with so small palm-sized magical lamps, very convenient..."
Felix smiled and said, "I'm sure what you want to tell
isn't about that. Let's discuss it."
"Sir, Kaka isn't a talkative house-elf. His master passed away ten years ago, and without descendants, he dedicated himself to Hogwarts... Kaka had always been in service of his master's family..." the house-elf nad "Kaka" bowed deeply.
Felix listened quietly, knowing there was more to co.
"Kaka takes pride in it, whether in his master's household or at Hogwarts... he's always been dutiful. But, but..." Kaka's eyes widened, "Dobby! He's spreading dangerous ideas, and so less resolute minds are starting to be influenced. This isn't a good sign – he could bring misfortune to the entire community..."
"What has he done?" Felix asked.
Kaka lowered his head, and Winky interjected, "Dobby hasn't done much. He's just talking about his new life, how he... how he's putting himself on equal footing with wizards. He said he t certain people today... and will et others tomorrow. The key point is, he has so companions under him... he's overseeing them..."
"Why is that a bad thing? I instructed him to do so."
"Sir, Mr. Harp!" the house-elf called Kaka said, "It's not a blessing, it's the beginning of misfortune. He's wielding power that doesn't belong to him, and that power is expanding..."
Felix exchanged a glance with Winky. Through the shared understanding cultivated from many late-night snacks in the kitchen, Winky got the ssage. She took Kaka's arm and said in a high-pitched voice, "We must go now, sir! There's work to be done before dawn!"
Felix returned to his office and sat for a while when a knock sounded at the door. Winky slipped in through the crack in the door.
"Please, have a seat, Winky."
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Harp!" Winky exclaid excitedly as she sat down on the edge of the couch.
A cup of tea, accompanied by a saucer, flew over to her. Even though this scene had played out more than once, she still looked uncomfortable. The cup and saucer clattered together.
Felix smiled and said, "Winky, you know, I need an impartial perspective to consider this matter, and you're the best candidate."
"Yes, sir," Winky replied. After seriously contemplating for a while, she respectfully continued, "Kaka and Dobby are very different... Kaka is a traditional elf, only serving his master in the past. But that wizard had no heirs, and he bequeathed his property to Hogwarts in his will, so Kaka ca here... He has always been proud of his identity."
Felix nodded.
"Kaka is traditional, even among the hundred-plus house-elves in the kitchen, he's considered part of the more conservative group. On the other hand, Dobby is quite the opposite, with so rather unconventional views..."
"Is it about receiving compensation or seeking freedom?"
Uncle Winky trembled slightly and said hesitantly, "Both, sir, both... He once spoke ill of his forr master, actually, it wasn't really bad, just the truth... But Kaka considered him disloyal, and they had a disagreent..."
Felix Harp nodded slightly, "And then?"
"After that... Dobby hardly ntioned his past anymore. He enjoys the present. Every ti he visits, he brings so gifts. So of the house-elves accept them, but Kaka steadfastly refuses! There are quite a few house-elves like him, mostly older ones..."
"Dobby introduces us to life outside, talks about his work. He said he found so wild, wandering house-elves and provided them with jobs. They are like him, free."
When freedom was ntioned, Uncle Winky shuddered noticeably.
Felix smiled, "I did let him find so companions, seems like he's doing well."
Uncle Winky cautiously glanced at him and asked, "Sir, what are your thoughts?"
"?" Felix shook his head, "Let it be, observing new things takes ti. It might make you uncomfortable now, but decades later, it might beco a strong pillar of the 'Future World' company."
Uncle Winky looked at him with a touch of confusion.
Felix continued, "Do you know about the International Confederation of Wizards? Its founder, Isolt Sayre, established a deep friendship with a goblin nad William. To this day, many goblins still work at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It's sowhat akin to the house-elves at Hogwarts. The difference is, the relationship between Isolt Sayre's family and William's goblin clan is more egalitarian, to the extent that they even established a protective treaty – the Goblin Protection Clause."
"Mind you, this is quite rare. Goblins don't particularly favor humans; in fact, they enjoy playing tricks on them. They are highly capable of acting on their own and are quite scheming... This history is a topic many people find intriguing."
"When Ilvermorny School was weak, it was William and his goblin clan who protected the students. Today, centuries later, the situation has reversed. Ilvermorny protects this goblin clan from outside interference... And though the goblins at Ilvermorny still grumble, insisting they are just fulfilling an ancient agreent, they continue to mysteriously appear throughout the school..."
...
The next day, when the students woke up, they were surprised to find the castle transford. Portraits had been scrubbed clean, and the suits of armor now glead. While Ron was attentively observing these curious changes, he accidentally stepped into a trap in the spinning staircase, and one of his legs got stuck in the gap.
The suit of armor nearby chuckled with wheezing breaths. Ron punched it, and it spewed out a few blue bubbles.
"Ugh!" Ron exclaid, "Slls like cleaning solution!"
In the afternoon, Hermione went to the library again, and Harry and Ron reluctantly brought Neville along for an adventure in the seventh floor corridor. They were accompanied by a young Felix Harp.
When Harry questioned the presence of a tavern in the dungeon, a group of proud house-elves suddenly burst in, engaging in a fierce battle against the dark wizard in the tavern. The three of them got caught in the middle and fled.
"This is a disguised black market; the code at the entrance is the proof," Felix Harp's mory entity followed behind, explaining.
They escaped to a hidden room filled with irritable golden thief bugs. These bugs sward them without the trio needing to catch them. Each bug was enchanted with the Fire-Making Charm, targeting their exposed skin.
Using the Ironskin Charm, the three managed to inch their way out of the room, wincing from the burns. The only comfort was that Felix Harp's mory entity had taught them the "Human-Skin Ironskin Charm"...
In the evening, all the selected students were called to the Deputy Headmistress's office. Professor McGonagall spent two hours providing them etiquette training. As Harry lay in bed, he could still hear Ron talking in his sleep –
"Damn thief bugs, stay away from ..."
The following Sunday morning, after breakfast, students road the castle as if in a daze, until a special bell chid. They converged from all directions to the entrance hall next to the Great Hall –
"Form lines! According to your houses..." Professor Flitwick, in a moldy suit, shouted hoarsely. He suddenly grabbed a young wizard, saying nacingly, "You! Where's your school uniform?"
The young wizard was so frightened that he almost went hysterical, screaming and running away.
Students lined up by year, led by their respective Heads of House, and proceeded out of the castle. Excitedly, they surveyed the empty space.
"They're here!"
A sharp-eyed student called out. Students and professors squinted, and suddenly, the air burst into intense flas. Bright flas coalesced, forming a fiery flower with four petals, each imprinted with a magical creature.
"Ahem! Is there anyone on the other side?" a voice sounded from within the flas.
"Eligbert," Dumbledore, standing in the front row, said gently, "The school has temporarily lifted the prohibition. You may co over now."
"That's good... I was afraid I got the location wrong..." the voice faded away.
Students stared wide-eyed. After a while, a hand erged, holding a box. Soon, a round, sowhat simple-looking face ca into view – a young student. He wore robes of combined blue and cranberry, secured by a complex, golden knot on his chest.
Upon seeing the vast crowd of Hogwarts students and professors, he jumped in surprise, scratching his head, "Uh, hello, I'm Biles, Biles Bach."
>
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