Wade froze.
As he stood there, a tingling sensation crept up his scalp, and for a moment, it felt like he was back on the terrace, holding his breath and hiding for his life.
But Ralph meant… that when he and Voldemort were only a wall apart, there was actually a House-elf nearby?
Seeing that Wade didn't speak, Ralph continued, "Many years ago, when Dumbledore was still a student at Hogwarts, Ralph was responsible for cleaning Gryffindor Tower and looking after the children.
"Then Dumbledore, like you, began to notice the House-elves hidden in the school and found ways to seek them out. He treated Ralph kindly and sternly stopped other children when they caused trouble."
"You... you're Dumbledore's friend?" Wade asked.
"No?" The elderly House-elf shook his head. "Dumbledore is Ralph's master."
"When Dumbledore allowed Werewolves into the school, Ralph had to ensure he wouldn't harm other students around the full moon each month."
"Vampires were no different; the little ones in Gryffindor Tower would also keep a constant watch on that little bat."
"What about Voldemort? Did you monitor him too?" Wade asked incredulously.
Ralph nodded slightly.
"In that person's eyes, House-elves were like pests, like spiders crawling out of a corner. He never paid us much attention. But in fact, when Professor Quirrell started acting strangely, we were the first to notice."
Wade recalled the House-elves' extremely keen hearing, and Quirrell's state of practically talking to himself when communicating with Voldemort in the back of his head.
He even remembered how, in the original plot, the Chamber of Secrets Basilisk roamed Hogwarts, yet only petrified a few people and killed no one.
Each time, the students who encountered the Basilisk always "coincidentally" avoided looking directly into its eyes—some used mirrors or water surfaces, others used camera lenses.
If all of this wasn't a "coincidence," could it be that Ralph was also protecting the students during that part of the story?
He didn't completely prevent every harmful incident, but only when students faced a fatal crisis did he gently intervene, pulling them back from death.
Of course, in this world, that plot didn't happen, and Wade had no way to verify his suspicions.
He just asked, "So you also know... about James Potter and the others becoming Animagus?"
Sirius and Lupin had always thought Dumbledore was completely unaware.
"Of course." Ralph seemed to understand Wade's thoughts. He said, "But I don't report everything to Dumbledore—especially when it concerns student privacy."
"...But you said Dumbledore is your master."
"Yes, but the students of this school are too... I am Hogwarts's House-elf."
"You've never told anyone these things before, have you? Why tell me?" Wade asked curiously.
Ralph tilted his head slightly, looking at him. "Dumbledore believes that Wade Gray would worry about his friends being harmed, and might act rashly out of concern, so it was necessary to explain."
What does he mean by rash behavior? This is clearly legitimate and reasonable concern for my classmates.
Wade grumbled to himself but felt much more at ease.
He thanked Ralph, and also thanked him for his previous help. After Ralph vanished from sight, he returned to his dorm.
Everything in the dorm was still just right: the room was warm and comfortable, the bedding fluffy and soft, and the table, chairs, and miscellaneous items were all neatly arranged.
Wade looked at the pot of hot water on the table and found it incredible to imagine Zoe and the others one day becoming as wise and steady as Ralph.
By that time, he'd probably be as old as a dead tree trunk... if he lived that long...
Holding his water cup, Wade thought of the shy Zoe, the cheerful and talkative Hobby... he thought of Ralph's wrinkled face and his tennis ball-sized eyes...
Suddenly, Wade froze as if paused, Ralph's voice echoing in his ears—
"It is I."
"I am the Guardian of you children."
House-elves rarely referred to themselves as "I," preferring to use their names, like Zoe would always say "Zoe did so-and-so," as if talking about someone else.
But Ralph... he naturally said "I"...
Wade pondered for a moment, then shook his head, letting go of the strange feeling he had just had.
The older you get, the more you discover the true nature of the world... and Ralph might have been influenced by Dumbledore, which is why his self-awareness is a bit stronger than other House-elves.
...
When Carlyle arrived at Hogwarts, before he even had a chance to flip through his books, he first experienced the complex timetable of a third-year Hogwarts student.
Students with fewer electives weren't as busy, but each class required a significant walk to reach the corresponding classroom. In between, they had to contend with the school's moving staircases and the mischievous Peeves, making everyone seem constantly busy.
Wade found himself gradually growing to like Divination Class.
Trelawney still rambled on with her mystical nonsense. Very few students could see through her facade; most regarded the professor with awe.
Trelawney loved it when students concocted tragic prophecies that sounded obviously fake. However, even if Wade's interpretations were as bland and dull as plain water, Professor Trelawney would never deny him.
Arithmancy also started becoming more interesting—though other students certainly didn't think so—as the calculation difficulty increased, so did the accuracy of the divination.
Even Care of Magical Creatures seemed good.
Hagrid brought in various harmless or low-danger magical creatures for the students to learn how to care for them.
Occasionally, a few beasts would appear in his class. Whenever this happened, Hagrid would constantly stand by the creature, watching students interact, greet, and play with the beasts one by one, preventing any accidents.
Time quietly slipped into October.
Carlyle's academic performance was quite polarized—some subjects he was far ahead in, while in others, he slept through from start to finish. When he woke up, he'd say:
"Seriously, Gray, how do you manage not to be hypnotized by that old man?"
Wade replied, "Homework."
Carlyle's spirits immediately lifted. "Really? You finished it all? Let me copy it!"
Wade readily tossed him the homework, but as soon as Carlyle opened it, he was stunned.
"What is this you've written? Key Analysis of the Vanishing Spell? Did we even learn this spell?"
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That year, the king was gravely ill, the successor was young and inexperienced, power had fallen into the wrong hands, and the empire was teetering on the brink.
That year, outside the empire, foreign civilizations watched covetously.
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