Chapter 222
"Dobby's little master, Mr. Draco of the Malfoy family, is now one of the champions in the Triwizard Tournament! Just today, I heard from those students that he made a dragon bow its head in the arena.
The fire dragon's head stopped right in front of little master Dobby, but it couldn't do anything more! It was like it had been Petrified!"
In a basement of Hogwarts, in the area where the house-elves lived and worked, Dobby was bragging about Malfoy's achievements in the arena.
The big nose on his face, as red as a tomato, stuck up proudly.
As a servant of a wizarding family, it was normal for Narcissa and Lucius to bring Dobby with them when they came to Hogwarts to watch their son's performance.
However, they would never allow Dobby to stay with them in the same quarters. In their eyes, house-elves were merely humble servants—only to be present when serving their masters. At all other times, their presence was considered distasteful.
Thus, the Hogwarts kitchens became the most suitable place for Dobby to stay.
At Dumbledore's suggestion, he even participated in serving the Hogwarts students and received a small wage.
The basement where Dobby stood was a vast room with a high ceiling. Several lit candles cast a dim glow across the space. The room was as large as the Great Hall above.
Along the stone walls were stacks of gleaming copper pots and basins. At the far end stood a huge brick fireplace, and in the center were four long wooden tables identical to those in the Great Hall.
Around Dobby stood nearly a hundred house-elves, all wearing the same uniform—a tea towel bearing the Hogwarts crest. Their expressions toward him were a mixture of curiosity and disdain.
The disdain came from the fact that Dobby shamelessly accepted wages from Hogwarts—something deeply shameful in the traditional beliefs of house-elves. But at the same time, they couldn't help but feel a trace of envy.
Having such a master was indeed something to boast about, but they themselves would never have that chance.
Their daily lives were nothing more than repeating the same tedious tasks—preparing meals and serving the students.
"Harry Potter!" Dobby suddenly stopped boasting, turned toward the doorway, and shouted excitedly. The elves turned as well and saw several figures standing at the entrance.
Harry looked slightly embarrassed. Being stared at by so many house-elves made him uncomfortable.
Fred and George Weasley, Hermione, Harry, and Ron had decided to hold a small celebration for Harry's performance in the First Task.
However, they found themselves short on food. So, led by the Weasley twins—who were very familiar with Hogwarts—they had come here.
By the flickering candlelight, Hermione's body trembled as she took in the scene.
"You said you would take us somewhere good." Her eyes were slightly red, and her voice carried clear dissatisfaction.
"Isn't this a good place?" Fred replied, looking at her in confusion, as though he hadn't noticed her tone. He casually picked up a slice of cheesecake offered by a nearby house-elf and took a bite.
"It's delicious," he said approvingly.
"Anything to drink?" George asked.
Immediately, several house-elves hurried off and returned carrying a large silver tray. It held cups, a jug of milk, a pot of tea, and a large plate of biscuits.
"We come here all the time when we're hungry. These little fellows are very hospitable," Fred and George said contentedly.
"This isn't hospitality. This is exploitation!" Hermione snapped, glaring at the twins so intensely that they felt uneasy.
They raised their hands defensively. "It's not like we're oppressing them. Besides, they don't think they're being oppressed. Just listen if you don't believe us."
"This is the best job in the world. It is our honor to serve the students and teachers of Hogwarts," one of the house-elves said proudly.
"That's because they've been conditioned to think that way!" Hermione argued. "You should be paid properly and have time to rest. Don't you want anything for yourselves?"
At these words, the house-elves, who had been respectful until now, took several steps back. They looked at her with something close to disgust, as if she had said something deeply inappropriate.
Hermione looked discouraged for a moment, but quickly composed herself. She knew changing ingrained beliefs would take time.
"Dobby, why are you here?" Hermione crouched down and looked at him.
Dobby's large green eyes shone brightly. He was so excited he could hardly speak.
Only then did Hermione notice that Dobby was wearing a clean, brand-new pillowcase, a neatly tied light-blue tie, and a pair of black socks.
"Have you been freed, Dobby?" she asked eagerly. She knew that receiving clothes from a master symbolized a house-elf's freedom.
"Oh, if he were free, you wouldn't see him here. He'd probably still be working somewhere else as a slave," Ron muttered sarcastically, taking a step back. He still remembered being knocked down by Dobby before.
"Miss, are you referring to Dobby's clothes?" Dobby straightened his tie and said seriously, "Master lent them to Dobby. He said a dirty house-elf is not worthy of serving him."
"I see…" Hermione said softly, disappointment evident in her voice. She had hoped this would be her first example of a freed house-elf—something meaningful for her cause.
"Let's not worry about this now. We should head back. Neville and the others are still waiting. We're full, but they're still hungry," Ron said, letting out a satisfied burp. The house-elves' hospitality had been overwhelming.