Remus, You Know Me

In mid -April, the weather became increasingly warm.

Gryffindor students have recently lost favor with Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Since winning the Quidditch, many young Gryffindor wizards walk around looking down their noses at people, their smug expressions rivaling those of the annoying Slytherin.

This situation lasted for about a week, and the news that several senior wizards had summoned physical Patronus replaced the Quidditch Championship as the most talked-about topic.

Professor Lupin had more and more teaching assistants, which made Loren and Hermione much less busy.

On Thursday night, while everyone was gathered in the Great Hall practicing the Patronus Charm, Loren, along with Hermione, sneaked into Hufflepuff's common room and gently scratched the pear on the image, making the big white pear giggle and bend over laughing.

"It was your insistence that I brought you here, Hermione. We need to make this clear first: when you see the House-elf, you can't yell at them or use any inappropriate language that might scare them."

Loren led Hermione through the open door behind the portrait.

"Scare them?"

Hermione peered inside curiously. "Will they lose control, like Dobby did to Harry? Are the other House-elf scary too?"

Dinner time had passed, and many House-elf had finished their work and gone off to do other things. Most of the candlelight in Kitchen Kitchen had been extinguished, leaving only a few to stay and prepare for tomorrow's breakfast, as well as in case a little wizard came back for a snack at any time.

"Check the fire!"

"Is the pumpkin cut up?"

"Remember to boil enough water..."

The Kitchen was filled with the House-elf. They seemed afraid to speak loudly, their voices lowered, adding a touch of eeriness to the dark and gloomy Kitchen.

As soon as the two stepped inside, all the sounds in the Kitchen vanished. The House-elf at each post noticed them, scrutinizing them with strange looks, but instinctively shrinking into the shadows of a corner.

Hermione saw a short figure hurriedly dart into the cupboard, making the dishes inside rattle loudly.

It seems that to House-elf, they were something terrifying.

Loren paused for a moment before answering her question, "To them, we are far more terrifying."

Someone must have recognized him, because soon a House-elf nervously approached the two of them, his eyes fixed on Loren with anticipation, as if trying to get some answer from Loren:

"Mr. Morgan, is there anything I can help you with?"

The House-elf's voice was filled with suppressed excitement, its tone sounding like an operatic tremor.

Hermione looked at the House-elf, who was only a little over two feet tall, with long, thin arms and legs connecting to a slender torso, but a large head with protruding eyes the size of tennis balls and a pair of bat-like ears.

Compared to his appearance, what was most striking was his clothing. He wore a strangely colored scarf around his neck, which was noticeably smaller than a normal scarf, and a peculiar little red felt hat on his head.

These things don't match it at all; it looks extremely awkward.

Loren was a little stunned. He hadn't seen Winky in a long time. After their last meeting, he had reduced his visits to the Kitchen to avoid her uncomfortably warm hospitality.

After hearing about Winky from Dumbledore, he had the idea of visiting Winky, but quickly forgot about it and only sent her a cheap gift at Christmas.

Loren snapped out of his reverie and said, "Long time no see, Winky. I don't need anything, but my friend wants to ask you for some information..."

"Oh!"

Loren was interrupted before he could finish speaking by the House-elf named Winky, who looked so excited he was about to faint. An unnatural blush rose on his grey-green cheeks, and he cried out in delighted excitement:

"Mr. Morgan remembers me! Mr. Morgan remembers my name!"

"That's right! I am Winky! I am Winky!"

"I knew it! Mr. Morgan remembered what I looked like the first time, and asked for my name the second time! The great Mr. Morgan certainly won't forget me!"

The House-elf's high-pitched voice stung his ears. Loren waved for him to calm down, looking at him helplessly. "Winky, you're wearing the scarf and felt hat I gave you, of course I recognize you..."

Hermione saw the House-elf Winky, his face displaying a complex mix of shyness and smugness, and his voice softened:

"Oh, yes, yes... This is a Christmas gift from Mr. Morgan to Winky."

"Winky was terrified on Christmas Day. Giving House-elf clothes meant expulsion, and Winky thought Mr. Morgan was disgusted by the things I had done on my own initiative."

"It was the newcomer Dobby who brought Winky to his senses. He told me that the young wizards of today think differently than the wizards of the past..." Winky recounted the situation in a rambling manner. "Dobby also received a stocking from Harry Potter, Winky also had stockings, but Dobby didn't get a scarf and a felt hat; only Winky received a scarf and a felt hat..."

Loren felt that his eardrums no longer hurt, but his brain started to ache.

Hermione looked at the House-elf's bare feet and asked curiously, "Where are your socks? Why aren't you wearing them?"

Winky looked at her smugly. "Socks will wear out after a while. Dobby's socks have already worn out a pair, even though he bought them with his own money. Winky's socks won't wear out. Winky will keep the socks that Mr. Morgan gave her!"

"..."

Loren fell silent for a moment.

In the shadowy corner of the Kitchen, many pairs of eyes, each the size of a tennis ball, stared intently, their bright eyes reflecting a look of envy.

Hermione felt extremely uncomfortable under that gaze, and she couldn't help but say, "But socks are meant to be worn. If they get worn out, you can just change them, right?"

Winky's gaze began to show displeasure, and he shouted, "Winky won't ruin the socks! He certainly won't ruin the socks Mr. Morgan gave him! No, absolutely not!"

"But--"

"No! Absolutely not!"

"Sock--"

"No! Absolutely not!"

"..."

Whenever Hermione tried to say something, she would be interrupted by Winky in an even louder voice. His displeasure and wariness made him seem like Hermione was a bad woman.

As Loren listened to the back-and-forth conversation, he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on, even though he had anticipated a similar scene before bringing Hermione here.

"... You can buy more—"

Absolutely not!

"Stop for a moment..." Loren interrupted the heated exchange between the two sides. "Winky, find us a quiet room. We have some questions for you."

"It's my pleasure!" Winky puffed out his chest excitedly and straightened his crooked scarf. "Please come this way, Mr. Morgan!"

The two followed behind Winky, gradually moving away from the prying eyes in the Kitchen.

Loren tugged at Hermione's sleeve and whispered, "Remember what we agreed on before we came, Hermione? You scared them."

"I'm so sorry..." Hermione said dejectedly, "I couldn't help but want to correct his misconceptions; their thinking is so distorted..."

"If you want to change them, this method won't work... Take it slow."

"I'll try my best..."

Five minutes later, they arrived at an abandoned storage room. Winky found two chairs for them, while she stood opposite them, maintaining a delicate distance between them.

This scene resembles an interrogation of a criminal.

Hermione frowned, and thinking about what had just happened, she pursed her lips and didn't ask for anything more.

"I can find another table and serve you some tea and snacks..." Winky was clearly delighted to be reunited with Loren and asked warmly, "Black tea or Pumpkin Juice?"

"No need for Winky."

"How about Butterbeer? I know that's the little wizard's favorite!"

"No need."

"How about Hot Cocoa? Mr. Dumbledore loves it in the evenings. I can bring his portion over first!"

Loren waved his hand, both amused and exasperated. "Really, it's not necessary, Winky. We mainly came to ask you for some information."

"Oh, okay..."

Winky lowered his head dejectedly, his small felt hat obscuring most of his face. The next second, he raised his hand to adjust the hat, then looked up again with a warm smile, "Ask away, Mr. Morgan, I'll answer whatever I know..."

Hermione composed herself. "It's like this, I'd like to know how ordinary House-elf survive. Besides being employed by Hogwarts and having contracts with wealthy families, do you have any other members of your kind?"

"Clan members?"

"They are other House-elf."

"Oh, the other House-elf, the House-elf that nobody wants..." Winky's voice was slightly shrill, and he unconsciously clutched the scarf in front of his chest.

"Some House-elf are born unwanted. If they are lucky, they will find an owner before they starve to death... Others are too lazy and are kicked out of their homes by their owners. No one will sympathize with these House-elf, and they usually don't survive the winter of that year."

Hermione's throat tightened and her heart clenched at those two simple sentences. "Can't you support yourselves?"

Hermione added, "I mean you're hardworking enough to do housework, make all sorts of valuable food and drinks, and even magical tools... Why can't you live on your own without a wizard?"

"A filthy thought!"

Winky's eyes widened, her tennis ball-sized eyes almost popping out. "What filthy and disgusting thoughts! It's not enough to betray your master, you actually! You actually!"

Winky was too excited to speak, and Hermione asked incredulously, "How is this betrayal?"

"..."

Hermione and Winky then fell into another argument where they were talking past each other. As House-elf, Winky and Hermione, as a human, had fundamental differences in their understanding. What was a matter of course for Hermione was an unforgivable sin in Winky's eyes.

Hermione believed that House-elf were perfectly capable of surviving on their own, even if they had to find a place to farm.

Winky almost fainted just hearing the words "leave the wizard".

It was only thanks to Loren's mediation that Winky didn't storm off.

When Loren pulled Hermione away from the Kitchen, Winky seemed relieved and left happily, while Hermione, who had been arguing heatedly, was still gritting her teeth in anger.

"They should see a psychologist!" Hermione exclaimed. "No, they should be locked up in school until their mental deviations are completely corrected!"

Loren whispered a warning, "This sounds like brainwashing."

"..."

The Patronus's glow in the Great Hall remained soft and bright. Under the silvery-white light, Hermione slowly calmed down. Over the next week, Hermione visited Professor Bubage much more frequently.

Sometimes he would even take notes, sometimes filling dozens of pages with a single conversation. Loren even suspected that it was some kind of political party's ideology.

As time passed, on the night before the full moon in April, Loren completed the Transfiguration into Fire Salamander in the virtual space of the Fantasy Book, but he still couldn't unleash the Fire Salamander's magical Magic Power and couldn't stay in the Blue Belladonna Flames.

He didn't continue exploring and trying; there was something more important to do on the full moon day—to test whether Professor Lupin could use Animagus Transformation to counter Werewolf Transfiguration.

April 24th, Sunday evening.

The setting sun had been obscured by the western hills, leaving only pale yellow ribbons of clouds hanging on the horizon, their lingering dim light illuminating the path outside the Castle.

Harry and Ron walked beside Lupin, Harry asked in a low voice, "Professor, are you sure?"

"I don't know either."

Remus Lupin glanced at the clouds on the horizon and slowly exhaled. "You should return to the Castle immediately. I haven't drunk the Wolfsbane Potion, and I might hurt you after transforming."

"I've thought about this for a while!" Ron said with a hint of pride. "We specifically asked Headmaster Dumbledore, and he's already waiting for us in the Shrieking Shack. With the Headmaster there, there's nothing to worry about!"

Lupin: "..."

Professor Dumbledore is still as unreliable as ever.

As they spoke, they arrived in front of the Whomping Willow. Harry nimbly darted over and pressed down on a knot on the tree. The three of them then crawled into the tunnel one by one. After a long and dark tunnel journey, they arrived at the base of the Shrieking Shack.

Ron was the most eager, taking the lead in lifting the wooden plank and crawling out. He then stood silently at the entrance of the tunnel, motionless.

Harry followed closely behind, then stood silently at the tunnel entrance, as if petrified by the Basilisk's gaze.

Lupin was puzzled as to what they had seen, and quickly rolled over and crawled out—

Looking at the group of people in the room, Lupin felt a little tired and remained silent for a moment. "Why is everyone here?"

Madam Pomfrey, standing on the far right, replied, "I am the Healer; I should be here."

Turn left and you'll see Professor McGonagall: "I'm the professor of Transfiguration, I should be here."

Headmaster Dumbledore smiled but didn't say anything, probably thinking that it was only natural for him to be there.

Loren said softly, "I'm concerned about the professor; the principal agreed to let me come here."

"Me too..." Hermione shrank behind Loren, nodding repeatedly.

What Lupin found most unacceptable was that Flitwick and Professor Sprout were also nodding in agreement.

On the far left is Snape, who said calmly, "I am Potions Master. If the Transfiguration fails, I have Wolfsbane Potion with me."

Harry and Ron stood to the side, looking stunned and at a loss.