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"What questions?"
Hearing that Sherlock actually wanted to consult him, Ron couldn't help but feel invigorated.
Because those words gave him a feeling of "the expert needs me."
"First, what are the characteristics of each of the four houses?
Second, are you unaware... that the word 'Muggle' also carries discriminatory connotations?"
Sherlock rested his chin on his clasped hands, his gaze sharp as he looked at Ron, waiting for his explanation.
"Wh-what?!"
Ron was aghast. "Muggle... how could that possibly be a discriminatory term?"
He answered the second question first.
After all, compared to the first question, the impact of the second one was quite significant for him.
Galloping Gorgons! He had absolutely never meant any discrimination when calling people Muggles throughout his life.
His father was deeply interested in the Muggle world and treated them with extreme kindness.
Precisely because of this, they were looked down upon by pure-blood families like the Malfoys, who believed they tarnished the honor of the Sacred Twenty-Eight.
But now Sherlock was saying Muggle was also a derogatory term?
Impossible, absolutely impossible!
Harry, beside him, also helped Ron explain, "Sherlock, you must be mistaken this time. Hagrid calls them that too."
Sherlock shook his head, not explaining directly, but asking further:
"How do you spell Muggle?"
"M-U-G-G-L-E."
Ron was still thinking, but Harry had already given the answer.
Sherlock frowned. "Don't you notice anything wrong?"
Ron still looked completely bewildered.
Harry hadn't thought anything was wrong either, initially.
But with Sherlock prompting them like this, he thought for a moment and then understood.
"You mean... the root word?"
Sherlock nodded, looking at Ron's still clueless expression with some surprise.
"So... wizarding families don't study vocabulary?"
Ron coughed twice, his ears turning red again. "We do! Of course, we do! But- but I didn't notice any problem with this word."
Sherlock looked at Harry.
Though he didn't know why, Harry definitely understood Sherlock's look.
So he took the initiative to explain to Ron: "The root of Muggle is Mug..."
"Isn't that a cup?"
Ron quickly interjected, trying not to appear completely ignorant.
Harry sighed. "Besides 'cup,' it has another meaning."
At Sherlock's signal, Harry carefully explained to Ron that the root "Mug," besides meaning cup, also means fool or simpleton.
Ron's mouth fell open in astonishment, momentarily speechless.
This was indeed the first time he had learned this.
Sherlock was right, people from wizarding families really don't study vocabulary properly, Harry thought silently, seeing Ron's reaction.
At the same time, his admiration for Sherlock grew even stronger.
Despite growing up in a non-wizarding family just like himself, Sherlock not only understood the non-magical world so well, mastered various kinds of knowledge, knew boxing and fencing, but was even proficient in using magic.
He was truly amazing!
Noticing Ron's low spirits, Sherlock patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry too much about it. After all, 'fool' is 'Mug,' not 'Muggle.' There's no real problem continuing to use the term.
I suspect the person who originally coined the term didn't have a very friendly attitude towards non-magical people."
"But..."
Seeing Ron's conflicted expression, Sherlock simply explained further:
"Language constantly evolves with time. Some words start as neutral terms but later become derogatory.
Take 'Negro,' for example. It didn't initially carry negative connotations; it comes from Latin, meaning black, and was widely used in America before the 1960s.
The truly derogatory term was 'Nigger,' but today, 'Negro' is considered just as discriminatory as 'Nigger.'
In a few more decades, I fear even 'Black people' might become too sensitive to use."
Harry paused. "Then what should they be called?"
"Who knows? Perhaps 'African American'?"
Sherlock said with a cold smile.
"'Muggle' is the same. It initially had derogatory undertones, but today, it has weakened to the point of being widely accepted."
Harry and Ron looked at Sherlock with admiration. He understood so much!
Just then, the compartment door was pushed open yet again.
Hermione appeared before them once more.
"What happened?"
Hermione asked, looking puzzled at the sweets scattered all over the floor.
Harry and Ron looked at Sherlock.
The latter shrugged. "Miss Granger, someone tried to steal our snacks but was ultimately persuaded to leave."
"Really?"
Hermione looked skeptical. She had just seen Malfoy and his cronies leaving.
They certainly hadn't looked 'persuaded.'
"You didn't fight, did you? Don't cause trouble before we even arrive!"
She still spoke in her usual proud tone. Ron's face tightened, about to retort.
But Sherlock spoke at that moment: "Ron, there's still the first question."
"What, uh, uh..."
Ron finally remembered that Sherlock had asked two questions, and he had only answered the second.
He felt a bit annoyed; he always seemed slow-witted in front of Sherlock.
Fortunately, coming from the Weasley family, he was very knowledgeable about the four Hogwarts houses and began to explain enthusiastically.
Hearing Ron talk about this, both Harry and Hermione became interested.
Hermione, just like before, sat down next to Sherlock and listened intently.
Sherlock didn't mind, but the more he listened, the more he felt Ron's description was heavily biased.
According to Ron, Gryffindor was for the just and brave warriors, citing that the current Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts were from this house, as were his parents and several older brothers.
Likewise, he himself would most likely be sorted into this house.
Ravenclaw was for bookish nerds; the students there were eccentric and thought they were superior.
Hufflepuff was a bunch of unremarkable duffers, with no particular talents except a love for food.
But that was acceptable because Slytherin was full of despicable, treacherous, cunning villains.
Combining the knowledge he had gained from books with Ron's personality, Sherlock immediately made a deduction.
In others' eyes, Gryffindor might just be a bunch of troublemaking hotheads.
At this point, Harry chimed in, "Hagrid also said he'd rather be in Hufflepuff than Slytherin."
"Because Voldemort was from that house?"
When Sherlock mentioned the name, Ron couldn't help but flinch again.
He looked at Sherlock with a reproachful gaze.
We know you're not afraid, but could you please consider our feelings!
Sherlock paid no attention to others' opinions. Receiving an affirmative answer from Harry, he turned back to Ron: "Among the four houses, does Hufflepuff have the most students?"
"How did you know?"
Ron was surprised. "Oh, Merlin's beard, you're brilliant!"
Hearing Ron's answer, Sherlock nodded.
Just as expected. Those with problematic personalities all went to other houses, so the remaining kind and obedient ones naturally ended up in Hufflepuff.
Just then, a voice echoed through the train:
"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train; it will be taken to the school separately."
Sherlock immediately started to move.
"Why are you directly..."
Hermione blushed upon seeing this and quickly backed out of the compartment.
(End of Chapter)