#Hagrid
"Out in the pumpkin patch," Hagrid said cheerfully,
#Hagrid
"they've grown massive! Each one's at least three feet long now. Only problem is, they've started attacking each other."
#Hermione
"Oh, that's awful, isn't it?" Hermione said, shooting Ron a sharp look to stop him from commenting.
#Hagrid
"Yeah," Hagrid said sorrowfully,
#Hagrid
"but it's fine. I've boxed them up separately now. There are probably only about twenty left."
#Ron
"Well, thank Merlin for that," Ron muttered. Hagrid, oblivious, missed the sarcasm.
Hagrid's hut remained unchanged: a colossal bed in one corner draped with a patchwork quilt, a large wooden table and chairs near the fire, and a ceiling festooned with hanging cured hams and dead birds.
They sipped tea, chatted about the Triwizard Tournament, and joined Hagrid for lunch—though they barely ate. Hagrid had prepared a sticky stew he called beef casserole, but Hermione unearthed a peculiar claw from her portion. After that, none of them felt particularly hungry.
By mid-afternoon, a light drizzle began to fall. Hagrid was mending his socks while engaging Hermione in a heated debate about house-elf rights. When Hermione proudly showed him the S.P.E.W. badges, he refused outright to join.
#Hagrid
"It's not good for them, Hermione," he said seriously, threading thick yellow yarn through a large bone needle.
#Hagrid
"They're born to look after humans—they enjoy it, you see? Stopping them from working would make them miserable. And paying them wages—well, that's just insulting to them."
#Hermione
"But Orli freed Dobby, and Dobby couldn't be happier!" Hermione countered.
#Hermione
"Orli even pays him wages now—20 Galleons a month! It's not quite the average wizarding salary, but it's a fantastic start. Plus, he gets some holidays too."
#Hagrid
"Yeah, yeah, every group has its oddballs. I'm not denying there are a few quirky house-elves who want freedom, but you'll never convince the majority to go for it—honestly, Hermione, it's just not in their nature." Hagrid sighed deeply.
Hermione looked thoroughly frustrated as she shoved the box of badges back into her cloak pocket.
Sensing the conversation was about to derail, Orli decided it was time to step in with her suggestion.
#Orli
"Hermione, maybe you could start by helping homeless house-elves? A lot of them lose their masters or get 'dismissed' and end up homeless, wandering around."
Hermione's face lit up like a Christmas tree.
#Hermione
"Go on, Orli!"
#Orli
"Uh… maybe something like an orphanage or a shelter. If there are house-elves without homes or jobs…" Orli ventured cautiously.
#Orli
"If you want to improve their lives, starting with the unowned house-elves might be an easier first step…"
#Hermione
"You're brilliant!" Hermione's eyes shone with excitement.
#Hermione
"I've decided—I'll set up a branch under the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare and call it the House Elf Welfare Home. What do you all think?"
Harry blinked, looking puzzled, while Ron, avoiding the question entirely, stuffed a spoonful of cold stew into his mouth.
#Hagrid
"Thing is, there aren't many unowned house-elves," Hagrid said, finishing the last stitch on his sock.
#Orli
"Well, I happen to know one," Orli said with a grin.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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