"What did Professor Dumbledore talk to you about?"
Hermione said as they left the Great Hall and climbed up the stairs towards the Gryffindor common room.
Generally speaking, as the principal, Dumbledore rarely talks to students alone, but Elena is obviously not among the ordinary students. Since starting to study in the Institute [Magic Preparatory Class], Hermione has become more and more aware of her best friends around her.
special.
After all, normal students are not qualified to arrange for professors like Quirrell and Lockhart to make up lessons.
Elena looked at the familiar stairs, trying to identify the direction, and answered casually.
"Oh, it's nothing special. It just informed me that I changed to a portable elf."
"Pocket elf?"
"Yeah, for example..."
Elena raised her right hand, lightly snapped her fingers, and said calmly.
"I'm lost--"
Snapped!
Two house elves suddenly appeared at the corner of the stairs directly in front of them.
One of them, Hermione, was very familiar with him, Burley, the "head" of the house elves at Hogwarts. After all, every time they went to the kitchen to taste food or visit, Burley was mostly responsible for receiving and guiding them. As for the other ones,
A younger elf...
"So, this is Dobby, right? Professor Dumbledore just told me."
Elena smiled slightly, squatted down, and stretched out her hand in a friendly manner.
"First meeting. I am Elena, Elena Kaslana, nice to meet you, Mr. Dobby -"
He looked slightly different from what she remembered. Dobby didn't have many scars on his body, and his iconic old pillowcase had been replaced by a Hogwarts uniform, but his distinctive look and eyes
The light remains exactly the same.
If we must distinguish him from other house elves, then the most appropriate word is "hope".
"Hello, Miss Kaslana, just call me Dobby!"
Dobby subconsciously took half a step back. After being stunned for half a second, he screamed in a panic.
No wizard has ever squatted down to talk to a house elf. In Dobby's original imagination, the chef lady of the Hogwarts house elf was supposed to be very strict, old-fashioned, and oppressive.
An extremely powerful wizard.
"Ahem - Dobby, Miss Kaslana's hand is still in the air... This is a handshake..."
A small voice came to Dobby's ears. It was Burley who was reminding him in a low voice.
One thing that Dumbledore never understood was that the house elves at Hogwarts did not just take orders from Elena because of her identity. Of course, that was indeed an important factor... but the most important thing was that
, when this chef lady is in the Hogwarts kitchen, what flows in her words and deeds is not the politeness of a superior, but equality.
"Shake hands--!"
Dobby's big bulging green eyes opened even wider, and he carefully reached out and touched Elena's fingertips.
Then, he suddenly burst into tears, startling Hermione next to him.
"What's wrong with him? How did he...did we offend him somewhere just now..."
Hermione looked at the elf crying in front of them with some surprise, and looked at Burley at a loss.
"Uh - no, Dobby is just a bit, um, emotional -"
An embarrassed expression appeared on Burley's face, and he kicked Dobby hard in the back without saying a word.
In the past, although Dobby was occasionally a little neurotic, he was generally quite normal and capable at work. It was precisely because of this that Burleigh kindly recommended Dobby as his backup. Who would have known that such a big deal would come out of him just after he took office?
ugly!
It's really - so rude!
If Elena and Hermione weren't still there, Burley would have wanted to stuff Dobby into the broom closet next to him right now.
"O-offend?! Offend Dobby?!"
Dobby shook his head vigorously, his big bat-like ears swaying, and screamed with a choked voice.
"No wizard has ever treated Dobby like this before, squatting down and shaking hands with Dobby—like he treats an equal—"
"This should be normal, I mean...after all, you have been taking care of us secretly."
Hermione also followed Elena's example and squatted down, speaking cautiously.
"Without you, I really can't imagine how much energy and time it would take to clean the dormitory, wash clothes, cook... these trivial tasks every day. I think all decent wizards will be grateful and kind to you."
Dobby shook his head, then suddenly jumped up, banging his head against the railing next to him, shouting.
"Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"
"Oh, please, don't do this - what are you doing -"
The house elf Burleigh whispered anxiously, jumped up and pinned Dobby to the ground.
Burley's face turned completely livid, and his expression was wrinkled into a ball. It was hard to tell whether he wanted to cry or to eat people. He didn't expect that Dobby would actually fall ill on such an occasion. Burley wanted to throw this bastard out directly.
castle.
"Ka, Miss Kaslana, he is much better than usual. He is not like this at ordinary times - he is actually -"
"I'm sorry, Dobby wants to punish himself, Mr. Burley..."
Dobby was trembling all over, and his eyes were already somewhat aligned.
"Dobby almost said something bad about his master just now. Dobby has been too presumptuous and bad during this time -"
"Master? Wait——"
Hermione narrowed her eyes and looked at Dobby, who was being pinned to the floor by Burley.
"What is... Master? Are you not a house elf at Hogwarts?"
"Dobby is different from the house elves at Hogwarts. Dobby comes from outside. He originally served another wizard family. A house elf cannot choose to work - he must always serve his native magical place.
.”
Burleigh, the house elf, explained quickly, struggling to cover Dobby's mouth to prevent him from continuing to talk nonsense.
"Then why did you appear in Hogwarts Castle? Did you escape?"
Hermione asked curiously, glanced at the separated and struggling elf, and added an additional sentence.
"Let him go, Mr. Burley—Dobby will do us no harm. Does your master know you are here?"
"Uh, if you insist, Miss. I'm so, so sorry—"
At Elena's slight nod, Burley glared at Dobby fiercely and reluctantly let him go.
Dobby shivered and seemed to finally have control of himself.
"Oh, yes, miss. They know...Dobby was sent to Hogwarts for training by his master, to learn how to cook more delicious food, how to better serve wizards, and...to take care of the little ones.
Master, there are many more..."
Dobby stammered and said in a sharp voice. His expression was particularly painful, as if someone was pinching his throat.
"little Master?"
"He's talking about Draco, Dobby is the Malfoy elf, and Hermione."
Elena explained casually, looking at Dobby with great interest. She seemed to have guessed a little bit about Dobby's motives.
Perhaps in the eyes of Dumbledore and Burley, taking care of the little master is a reasonable excuse, but Elena knows very well that conventional house elf logic cannot be applied to Dobby - Dobby does not like the Malfoy family at all
.
But on the other hand, there was someone else in the school whom Dobby cared about.
The savior who defeated some devil who must not even be named, Mr. Harry Potter.
"Well, Professor Dumbledore has introduced the general situation to me before. I believe in the judgment of Mr. Burley and Professor Dumbledore. I will have more trouble for you in terms of campus life in the future - but I have a little bit of trouble.
Small additional suggestions…”
Elena thought for a few seconds, then turned her head to look at Burley, the house elf standing aside.
No matter why Dobby appeared, it was definitely not for her.
Just as Dumbledore had guessed before, the problem probably lies with Lucius Malfoy and the magic society forces behind him. Dobby coming to Hogwarts is certainly a lucky result, but it is also
A dangerous signal.
When faced with temptations from unknown enemies, the most correct approach is to follow through and guide them to reveal more information.
"After the pilots last semester and this semester, the 'Shadow Elf' model can be gradually promoted. Since you mentioned this, Burley, let's start a small-scale pilot with you and Dobby——
"
Elena took out the class schedule from her chest and glanced at it, confirmed her next itinerary, and continued.
"In the next week, Burley, you will take Dobby with you to familiarize yourself with the work, and sort out the methodology. After Dobby is roughly familiar with the work process, you can start training in Hogwarts according to this methodology. If
If possible, try to train a group of 'junior shadow' elves who can try to take up the job after Christmas."
"Then, we will carry out daily care on a class basis at Hogwarts Castle——"
Elena pointed to the class schedule in her hand and explained it to Burley, the house elf, unhurriedly.
"For example, I will go to the Muggle Studies classroom this afternoon, while the other students in Class A of the second grade will go to the Transfiguration classroom. In this case, you can split up - Dobby will continue to protect and look after the second graders.
Class A, and Burley, you will be accompanying me next to me... Of course, the specific allocation will be determined based on the situation in the future. Can you do it?"
"No problem! Don't worry, I can sort it out before Christmas!"
Burleigh, the house elf, subconsciously puffed up his chest and said proudly.
Since Elena arrived at Hogwarts, she has brought too many things to the house elves, and the most important of them is the endless tasks - compared with the confusing and repetitive labor, the busyness now is obviously
more meaningful.
"Thank you for your hard work. See you in the afternoon."
Elena glanced at Dobby's thoughtful expression and nodded with satisfaction.
There is no doubt that if used properly, Dobby is as sharp a blade as Gilderoy Lockhart.
And now she is taking the first step in practicing holding a knife - don't point the pointed end at herself.
…………
After a while, Elena and Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room.
Due to a delay on the stairs, by the time they walked through the corridor and entered the lounge, most of the Gryffindor students had returned to their dormitory beds to rest. Only a few sleepless students were left in the crowded and warm hall.
.
Yes, even if there are only a few students active, the lounge looks a bit crowded now.
"Hagrid? Why did you go back to Gryffindor Tower today?"
Hermione glanced at the huge figure sitting in front of the fireplace in a daze, and asked curiously.
Although he has gone through the re-enrollment procedures, Hagrid usually goes directly back to the hut by the Forbidden Forest to rest after class. In Hermione's impression, this seems to be her first time in the Gryffindor common room at noon.
See Hagrid.
"Don't disturb Hagrid. Let him be quiet. Today is too scary..."
At this moment, the sofa next to the fireplace suddenly spoke, almost startling Hermione.
"Huh? What's wrong with you... George? Or Fred?"
Hermione calmed down and looked over, only to realize that there were actually many lost students in the lounge.
The quiet and empty appearance just now was just an illusion. Most of the people were slumped on the ground, sofas, and soft chairs like sculptures, like a bunch of wizard robes that suddenly lost their dreams, extremely peaceful.
"I'm Fred, George should be relaxing on the Ravenclaw balcony -"
The Weasley who was slumped on the sofa said feebly, his usual smart and cunning eyes losing their sparkle.
"As for the reason, there is nothing - Professor McGonagall has just announced good news. There has been a huge milestone in the field of modern transfiguration theory. All previous theories may be invalid. Except for this year's final exam, starting from next year
Starting from now on, the textbooks and exam contents of all grades at Hogwarts will be adjusted accordingly."
"Huh? That sounds okay. Isn't there still a year's buffer time?"
Hermione nodded suddenly. After returning from the research institute at the weekend, she had roughly guessed this result.
The theoretical changes in Transfiguration will obviously change a lot. Once the new theory is determined, the old, erroneous and outdated theories will obviously be overturned and discarded immediately. And judging from the current situation, Professor McGonagall's promotion has been quite decisive.
"Sounds okay?! Maybe it's okay for you, Ginny, seventh years..."
Fred raised his dull eyes and said hoarsely with a miserable look on his face.
"But, we are in fourth grade this year - next school year will be the O.W.L.s exam for fifth grade..."
“Uh——(⊙o⊙)……”
Hermione looked around with great sympathy at the sculptures of lost dreams in the Gryffindor common room.
As Fred pronounced "O.W.L.s", many sculptures seemed to twitch reflexively, and so did Hagrid, who was sitting in front of the fireplace and staring at the fire in a daze, as if it was a stinging curse.
Ordinary wizarding level examinations may be different from the internal examinations at Hogwarts.
This also means that this year’s fourth-year students will face the most terrifying “pains” of the transformation reform:
Obviously, they were told that all the knowledge they had learned in the previous four years had been falsified. Next, they had to make up for the content that future students might spend five years studying in one year, and then rush to meet the unfamiliar exam.
Maybe ordinary Hogwarts students like Fred and George would be fine, and at worst they would just fail one subject.
However, Hagrid, who was still talking about the future yesterday and putting all his hopes on the Transfiguration...
Hermione walked carefully to Hagrid and patted him gently.