The Crouch ancestral home stood on the outskirts of London.
After Shawn and his companions entered the austere old house, Barty Crouch Sr. led them to the study.
Although Crouch belonged to the Sacred Twenty-Eight pure-blood families, he lived simply, with only one house-elf servant.
His house-elf was named Winky. Just then, she emerged with a tray from the wide-open entrance to a secret chamber inside the study.
She was a relatively clean female house-elf.
Seeing her master return, Winky pleaded pitifully.
"Master, young master has been very good lately. He isn't as agitated as before. He only wants to go out and watch a match."
Barty's attitude toward house-elves was no different from that of other old-established pure-blood wizards. His face stern, he snapped coldly.
"Since when was it your place to plead for him? Get out!"
"Please don't be angry, master. I was wrong, I was wrong."
Winky hurriedly apologized and cautiously left the study.
Shawn watched calmly.
Although he rather liked loyal, capable house-elves and would even befriend the Castle's house-elves out of "hypocritical self-interest,"
he would not play the bleeding heart and start campaigning for liberation and human rights.
When it came to nonhuman creatures,
he could offer them a certain measure of respect. Improving their living conditions a little was the greatest kindness Shawn would extend.
After dismissing Winky, Barty immediately became deferential again.
"My lord, my son is confined in there. I've been keeping him under the Imperius Curse.
Some time ago, You-Know-Who returned to England and contacted him through the Dark Mark, so he broke free of the Imperius Curse and was agitated for quite a while.
I know my son. He's only behaving himself now to lull me into letting my guard down."
Shawn nodded and stepped into the secret chamber.
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