Chapter 336 Similar Plan
"Where's Malfoy?"
"I didn't know you and Draco were so close that you cared about him so much."
As the wedding banquet entered the feasting process, Harry and Ron tore chicken legs together while thinking about the questions that Della had asked just now, which could be regarded as an attack.
Harry is not as good as Della in handling interpersonal relationships, but he is definitely a person with a lively mind and delicate emotions. After a period of buffering, he came to his senses and got rid of the embarrassment of being ridiculed by Della, and suddenly realized that Della was avoiding the questions she didn't want to answer by diverting conflicts.
Is Della avoiding mentioning her relationship with Draco?
This was not very natural, because Della had never avoided Draco's actions in the past year, especially in front of them. Harry had to admit that the three of them no longer had any impact on the couple's relationship like it did in the second year. In short, there was no need for Della to avoid Draco's questions to them.
That is right...
Harry's eyes moved to Maggie, who was calmly cutting steak. Just one look at her, and Harry almost forgot his previous thoughts. He wanted to rush over and strangle her neck to question her. However, with Ron's chewing sound and Hermione's sobbing, as she had not yet completely recovered from the emotions of the wedding, he barely held back and tried his best to use another cognition to reduce his hostility towards Maggie.
Even if it was a part of Voldemort like the diary, Tom Riddle in the second grade had no memory of Voldemort's later life. He could force himself to separate Tom from Voldemort who attacked his parents.
Moreover, judging from Maggie Riddle's caring behavior towards Della, there is a possibility that he is really Della's brother, because Harry subconsciously feels that Voldemort will treat Della very badly.
The tender steak oozed a small amount of blood under the pressure of the knife and fork. Harry stared at the blood, feeling a little nauseous and his throat strangely dry. After his thoughts took a detour, he returned to the question he had been thinking about at the beginning - Della should have avoided talking about Draco in front of Maggie Riddle.
But why?
Harry was even more confused. He could see that Maggie was dissatisfied with Draco, but anyone would feel dissatisfied when someone who was so good to Della chose to be with the willful and childish Draco. Moreover, Della didn't seem to care about Maggie at all before.
As he thought about it, Harry fell into another trance. Maggie, Maggie, he was very close to the little snake Maggie who had this name before. But now the existence of that lovely snake seemed to be completely covered up. It was only after he called this name several times in his heart that he finally dug it out from his memory.
Maggie was so likeable, and Maggie Riddle so terrible, that Harry had never really thought of them together.
"Della," Hermione's voice was unsteady due to sobbing, "How did you manage to make them fully awake?"
Before Della could answer, Maggie on the side sneered, causing everyone to look at him. Della also glanced at him. She ignored Maggie and only looked at Hermione. "I don't have any skills to praise. I just used the form of an order to let them go on a trip at the beginning."
"And that's not the way you learn," Maggie added, as Hermione's eyes lit up. "If the house-elves at Hogwarts really thought of you as their master, they'd admit that your wool socks meant dismissal."
"Don't be surprised, you are a celebrity, Miss Granger," Maggie smiled, "I talked to Quasi and Nayla, and your little story of hiding clothes is being told by every house elf."
"What does this have to do with you?" Ron, who was still in a cold war with Hermione and did not particularly agree with the 'vomiting' principle, frowned and looked at Maggie. "At least Hermione is leading us to do good things."
Hermione turned her head and looked at Ron. Her eyes, which were already shining with tears, became even brighter. Then she looked at Maggie and her voice became steady. "Yes, this has nothing to do with you. We have goals we want to strive for."
"And you think freedom is the end? How is this different from reading a story and only seeing the happy ending of a fairy tale?" Maggie laughed softly, the cold silver mask hiding his quick gaze towards Della. "Let me tell you more about the daily necessities of life."
"We all know that the long-lasting stigma of house-elves being restrained by their masters is a punishment for the defeat many years ago, but without the restraint of their masters, wouldn't the magic of house-elves still be dangerous?" Maggie leaned closer to Hermione. "Have you ever thought about this? Or do you think that even if the powerful magic of house-elves is not restrained, their good character will make them harmless?"
"I don't buy into the idea of punishment," Hermione said seriously. "They are being humiliated now, and that's obviously something that needs to change."
"So you also know that it is a change, not a creation that can be done out of thin air," Maggie said slowly, "Obviously you haven't looked up enough information. Regarding the possible problem I just mentioned, in addition to the master, house-elves are also subject to a second implicit constraint. When they lose their master, they must abide by the law and social morality."
"Isn't this what should be done?" Hermione frowned, not understanding what Maggie meant.
"This is too Gryffindor," Maggie sighed. He sighed and looked at Della, and took the initiative to talk to her, "Would you like to explain it to her for me, Della?"
"After being fired, house-elves have no savings. Unless they receive subsidies, they will most likely go hungry before being accepted by new masters," Della said calmly. "The constraints of laws and morals are meant to prevent them from taking extreme actions when they are desperate. However, wizards are too harsh on elves, so stealing for food is not allowed."
"So, if the free house-elves don't lose their freedom, the most likely thing is that they will starve to death while begging," Della looked up at Hermione, whose pupils were shaking. "Even if a few elves are so hungry that they break the restrictions and steal food, they will turn themselves in to the Ministry of Magic after eating in self-harm. The law is also very harsh on them, but prisons with food and water are probably better."
"No, that's not right," Hermione shook her head in protest. She said anxiously, "I'm not saying that house-elves have absolute freedom. They don't even have to leave their current homes. It's just that they need more respect and proper compensation."
But Hermione's initial efforts were aimed at liberating the house-elves, Harry, who had been silently observing Maggie, thought so, and Dobby came to Hogwarts because he could not find a job outside that was willing to pay him.
"The problem is, you haven't considered the darkness before dawn before they gain respect and rewards," Maggie continued, the smile on her lips was cruel and visible to the naked eye, "or we can put it another way, what is your tolerance for the number of house-elves who starve to death if you insist on liberating them? In other words, after considering what you can do, how many elves can you accept dying because of your vision?"
"What—" Hermione's eyes widened at the overly blunt words.
"Do you understand what I mean by a happy ending to a fairy tale? The result that satisfies you at that moment is far from the ending." In this situation, Maggie should be talking about Hermione's innocence, but somehow she also seemed to point out Della's innocence. "Don't take it for granted. The world and people are very complicated."
"I will help Hermione, too," said Harry, who also did not particularly agree with the 'vomiting' idea. "I still have an inheritance, and I will try my best to help. At least I won't let the house-elves starve to death."
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione, who was originally on the verge of collapse, suddenly had tears in her eyes again. Although the shock and despair in her eyes were still there, she was really moved by her two friends who supported her in this way.
Maggie clapped her hands twice and praised without any emotion, "What a touching friendship. It makes me look forward to the happy ending you want, Miss Granger."
"You can actually change your mindset, Hermione," Della, who seemed silent in this conversation, spoke up. She looked down, avoiding anyone's gaze. "Instead of asking for a reward that is difficult to pay, it is better to just get rid of the reward."
"House-elves are not a small group. They have been scattered for a long time," Della said, her voice unexpectedly heavy. "If you can provide a self-sufficient piece of land to accept and coordinate the liberated house-elves, they can slowly survive as an independent group. It's not to say there will be no losses, but the losses will be smaller. In the long run, they can become centaurs in the forest or mermen in the Black Lake."
“Although it’s hard to say whether they are respected or not,” Della added, “the insults hurled at them will definitely be isolated.”
As Hermione listened to Della's words, a light completely different from when she was supported by her companions slowly dissipated the shock and despair in her eyes. As she suddenly realized what was happening, Maggie's voice sounded with satisfaction and pleasure.
"Yes, that's right," he clapped his hands again. It was just as casual as before, but it revealed an indescribable passion. "People of the same kind are always the best answer."
Della looked at Maggie, and Maggie looked at Della. The two finally looked at each other tonight, and then silence appeared again.
Harry looked at the two Riddles. He wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he thought of Draco again and for some reason he suddenly felt sorry for him.
He had a feeling that Draco was about to be abandoned, just like Hermione was about to give up her previous immature plan to liberate the house-elves.
It was a very strange idea, a very strange analogy, but he just couldn't help having this weird cognition.