Enslavement and Freedom

Hearing Li Wei describe the miserable plight of the house-elves, Hermione could not suppress the pity rising in her heart, nor the urge to save them.

But for the moment, she had no idea where to begin.

She looked at Li Wei, seeking help from the friend who had never disappointed her.

"Li Wei, is there really no way to save the house-elves?"

"How can the Wizarding World still have slavery?"

"Are these poor house-elves born to be enslaved by wizards?"

Although England was a monarchy, the Queen had long since lost most of her power as a sovereign and existed merely as a symbol of the nation.

Hermione simply could not accept the existence of slavery, much less the reality of house-elves being enslaved.

"Hermione, I know you want to save the house-elves, but the fundamental question of emancipation is whether the slaves themselves want to be free."

"When the food is brought over later, you can ask Keeney and Marty whether they want freedom."

"If they do, we can go to the professors and the Headmaster and ask them to set the house-elves free!"

"I believe Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall will definitely agree!"

Li Wei casually humored Hermione. Of course, he knew Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall would agree, but the question was whether the house-elves themselves would be willing.

He had said before that the terrifying thing about enslavement was not being enslaved by others, but enslaving oneself.

Unless the house-elves' deeply rooted beliefs were changed, what Hermione wanted to do could never succeed.

In truth, Li Wei did not particularly want to completely liberate the house-elves either.

To grant complete freedom to such a large group of magical beings who had once been enslaved by wizards and who possessed wandless magic...

What would be the