"Amazing!" Richard said sarcastically. "And what unworthy thing did the young lady do?"
"Donkey doesn't dare discuss the owners," the brownie pursed his lips, pretending to be a partisan being interrogated by the fascists.
- And yet... Donkey, you don't want to remain a free house elf for the rest of your days, do you?
"No, no!" the house-elf's face twisted in horror. "Donkey wants to serve the wizard-master, but no one wants to hire a bad elf. Unless..." A glimmer of hope appeared in the house-elf's gaze as he glanced at Richard. "The wizard-master needs a house-elf?!" he asked ingratiatingly.
"Only if I'm sure you're not a criminal, Donkey. Let's say it wasn't your previous mistress who committed the indecent act, but someone else. What exactly would that other person have to do for you to reprimand them?"
A gamut of emotions crossed the house elf's face. His desire to serve the wizard warred with his loyalty to his masters. Ultimately, the former won out.
- Sir Wizard, if a stranger were to torture kittens with the Unforgivable Spell, Donkey would reprimand him.
"Hmm... What a wonderful family!" Richard said ironically. "A fine girl, she must be your former young mistress..."
"The lady is a wonderful sorceress," the house-elf said passionately, "but..." he lowered his gaze in shame. "She needs a little training."
"Yeah! Just a little!" Richard's sarcasm was gushing out. He thought to himself, "About ten years in Azkaban."
The brownie looked at Richard with the look of a beaten dog and said plaintively:
- If Sir Wizard wants, then Donkey can become the servant of Master Magician.
"Not so fast. Let's start with you telling me how you ended up with the Krivi farming family."
"Sir... Donkey searched for a long time for a place to work, but all the wizards refused the bad house-elf. Donkey went hungry for a long time, because Donkey wasn't a thief and didn't take other people's food. And yesterday, Donkey saw two young wizards. Donkey wanted to ask to work for them, but someone hit Donkey on the head.
- Aha! So you woke up tied up in the basement, freed yourself from the ropes, and apparated to those very same wizards, bowing to them and asking to be hired.
"Sir Wizard is absolutely right," the house elf looked at Richard with admiration. "It was all true! But Donkey was hit on the head again. Donkey has been hit many times by his previous masters. Donkey is strong, magic will quickly heal the wounds and..."
"You don't have to continue any further. Now you'll take this portal, and together we'll travel to a sorceress I know. And if she confirms your words, I'll take you into my service."
"Sir!" the elf's hope gave way to delight. "Sir Wizard, Donkey speaks the truth!"
"Lord!" the boy corrected the house elf. "Lord Richard Rich. You will call me Lord in front of strangers, and when we are alone, Master Richie or Sir. Remember?"
- Yes, Lord!
The house elf's eyes shone with even greater delight. He clutched the portal chain like a drowning man clutching a straw.
- Portus.
A moment later, the boy and the house elf found themselves in front of Griselda Marchbanks's door. Richard knocked, and the door swung open shortly after.
The elderly sorceress looked at the visitors with bewilderment.
- My boy, is it Saturday today?
"No, mentor. Good afternoon. I apologize for the sudden intrusion. I'm here on important business."
- Hmm... My boy, what is this?
The sorceress pointed towards the elf lying on the threshold with a wand that suddenly appeared in her hand.
"A house elf, ma'am. Found him wounded and fully clothed, decided he belonged to no one, and thought about taking him in. But first, I wanted to consult with you."
"That's right, Richard," the witch said loudly, in a satisfied tone. "Modern youth act first and think later. You're a good boy. Now we'll find out what kind of house elf this is."
The elf was transported into the house using a levitation charm, after which Madam Marchbanks began interrogating the house-elf. Richard heard the long-eared stranger's story for the second time.
"Well, well, well!" the witch muttered. "Crucio, then. Someone from an old pureblood family. I have some suspicions about who this elf's owners are."
- Ma'am? So what do you advise? Can I take this elf into my service?
"My boy," the old woman fixed her warm gaze on her charge, "it used to be easy to find a house elf. But now it's a disaster. There are more wizards, and the elves reproduce so slowly that there aren't enough for everyone. The house elf seems well-trained and well-behaved, and barely even mutters a word.
Donkey hung on the sorceress's every word, his eyes hopeful. He held his breath with excitement, awaiting the Wizengamot elder's verdict as if it were a judge's sentence.
"Yes, he's a good house-elf," continued Madam Marchbanks. "And the fact that he's sick is nothing. Everything heals on them quickly, like on a dog. So, Richard, if you're not afraid of superstition, you can have this servant for yourself."
- Superstitions, ma'am?
- Some wizards believe that house elves who are driven out by their owners bring bad luck.
- And in reality, ma'am?
"That's complete nonsense, actually!" the sorceress snorted contemptuously. "Of course, superstitions don't just start out of nowhere. There are several known cases of wizards exorcising mad house-elves. And if another wizard accepted such an elf as a servant, it would naturally end badly. But this elf is normal, as normal as they can be. So there's nothing to be afraid of. My boy, do you still wish to accept him as a servant?"
- Yes, mentor.
"Well then, I'll perform an unbreakable master-servant bond. How good that you came to me. Today's wizards have no recollection of their roots and treat the old charms with disdain. Fools! And if they want to acquire that same house-elf, what will they do? Sign an employment contract with him?! Ha-ha-ha-ha!"
The joke told by the witch made her laugh, and the sorceress couldn't calm down for a long time and kept laughing.
Having calmed down, Griselda Marchbanks waved her wand for a long time, muttering the words of the spell under her breath. The spell ensnared both the boy and the house elf. It was impossible to say who was more nervous. Richard was worried that the elderly sorceress would mess up the spell and turn him into a servant instead of a master. Donkey was worried about something else-that the respected sorceress wouldn't change her mind and interrupt the spell. After all, he'd been yearning for a master beyond belief, and here was a wonderful wizard who had taken care of him in his time of need.
But then Madame Marchbanks stopped her spell and said:
- All!
Richard closed his eyes and checked his sensations. At first glance, it seemed as if nothing had changed.
"Thank you, teacher," the boy bowed respectfully.