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After listening to Hermione's question I started to look at her strangely, and for some reason the image of an eyepatch-wearing spy from a top secret world protection agency was superimposed on her image.
"What?" I asked somewhat uncertainly.
"Well, I don't know if you know, but I'm starting an organization to defend the rights of House Elves as well as protest their treatment in our magical society" Hermione said, speaking with such dignity and conviction that I started to feel ask if she was training to run for president.
"I see..." I said, glaring at her, "And the name of this organization is... Free Elves Initiative?" I asked, a little confused.
I knew that at some point Hermione would try to create this elf rights group, and I expected the name would still be the oh so iconic and weird SPEW, but now I was wondering what made her change the name.
Not that I was complaining, as Free Elves Initiative was still a much better name than SPEW
"Yes" she replied, showing me a blue and gray pin she was wearing that had the organization's name on it.
"I thought about calling this organization the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, or SPEW for short, but Harry told me that name wasn't a very good one," she said, with a little pout.
"I can't imagine why," I said sarcastically.
'Harry being able to convince Hermione to change her mind about something can be considered one of his greatest achievements' I thought, knowing full well how stubborn the girl in front of me could be.
'Well, I guess that's the power of love...'
"Why do I feel like you're being sarcastic?" Hermione asked me with a frown, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Err... You're probably just imagining things," I said looking away.
"Uhum…" she said slowly, eyeing me suspiciously.
She then shook her head, deciding to refocus on why she was here, "Well, but back to the main topic, I came here because I wanted to ask you if you would like to join the organization"
"Huh?" I stopped, looking at her in complete surprise and confusion.
'She still doesn't know I have a house-elf at home? I thought Harry would have told her about this' I thought, a bit awkward with this situation.
I actually expected Hermione to come talk to me at some point, and when I saw her coming towards me with a determined look on her face I was sure she was going to try to lecture me, judging me for having a house-elf and telling me how wrong it was for me to have one.
But now hearing her request and seeing her look, which even calm on the outside still showed her nervousness and appeal, I didn't know what to do.
'The situation would be less awkward if she had come here to argue with me'
And noticing my silence, Hermione started to think that I was going to refuse to join and support her organization, and that made her a little anxious.
"Look, I know you're very busy and this can't interest you too much, but house elves don't deserve to be treated like slaves, and they should all be free, given their rights like any other living being" she started to speak, and with each word her speech grew more intense.
"Elves are thinking, innocent, and fragile beings, brainwashed into being the servants of other wizards, suffering humiliation and abuse, dedicating their lives to pleasing their 'masters', and this is beyond outrageous and degrading"
"And as the next generation of witches and wizards we have an obligation to change that, starting with the liberation of all elves, and for that the Free Elves Initiative organization needs supporters, because only with numbers can we make our voices heard by the ministry, and after that..."
And as Hermione continued to rant passionately I began to feel bored, and at one point I even thought about calling some school elf to bring me something to drink, but I knew that doing that in front of Hermione at this moment would not be a good idea.
She was already completely and utterly focused on this matter of freeing the elves, and calling an elf to serve me in front of her would only increase her indignation on top of making her irritated with me.
I knew she had the best of intentions in mind when she created this organization, and some of the issues she raised were really necessary and important.
However, she was doing things without caring about the main side of the whole problem, which was precisely the elves themselves.
"Hermione" I called to her, stopping her rant, "I understand what you're trying to do, and it's really cool and interesting, but I don't think I'm the person you should be asking for help with this matter"
"And why not?" she asked me, looking at me confused.
"Because I have a house-elf myself," I said, and that made her stop.
Hermione then started looking at me, trying to see if I was joking or not, but seeing my serious look she realized that I wasn't lying.
"Do you... do you have a house-elf?" she asked me in shock, "But you're a muggleborn!"
"Muggleborn or not, I'm still a wizard" I replied with a shrug.
"But that doesn't make sense," she said, her expression confused, and I could feel a little irritation coming from her, "You, like me, have lived most of your life in the Muggle world, so you should understand how wrong it is to have a house elf"
"Well, I wouldn't say it's wrong…" I said, and that made her indignant.
"I can understand why those who have always lived in the wizarding world would treat elves like slaves, as they were taught to think of them that way, but you weren't raised in the same ways they were!" Hermione exclaimed with an angry expression, and Madam Pince who was at her table reading a gossip magazine glared at her, not that the bushy haired girl noticed.
"Yes, I wasn't raised in the ways of the wizarding world, but then having a house-elf goes way beyond custom and tradition," I said calmly, not bothered by her fury.
"Oh, so enslaving another living being has a deeper meaning," she said with a mocking expression.
And realizing how stubborn she was being in listening to me I felt like rubbing my temples.
'I'm starting to feel sorry for Future Harry...' I thought.
"Sigh…Hermione, how many books about house-elves have you read?" I asked, and that question caught her off guard.
"Huh? Err... About 4 books" she replied, looking at me strangely, "Why this question so suddenly?"
But instead of answering her I asked another question.
"And out of those 4 books, which ones talked about the connection between a house-elf and its master?"
"Connection?" She repeated confusedly, "None that I remember" she answered me.
"And did any of them talk about how a house-elf manages to survive and where their magic comes from?"
"Well... no," Hermione replied uncertainly.
"If the books you read didn't talk about it then you're probably knowledgeable about none of those topics, right?" I questioned her, and after a few seconds she nodded grudgingly, not liking the fact that she didn't know something.
And she didn't even doubt me or suspect that I might be making these things up, since she knew that the only person who probably read more books than her at Hogwarts was me.
Seeing this I sighed, shaking my head.
"If you don't even know these things about house-elves, then I don't think you have the right to question or decide what's right and good for them," I said, getting up from my seat and putting my books and homework in my bag, and meanwhile the girl in front of me looked at me upset with my words.
Finishing packing my things, I passed Hermione, walking towards the library door, and she opened her mouth to say something, but before she could say anything I stopped, turning around and saying a few last words to her.
"Come talk to me again as soon as you really understand what a house elf is" I said, and then I continued walking, leaving the library and leaving the studious girl alone, with several questions and doubts circling her mind.
End.
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