"Begging for other people's mercy won't win you equality."
Ginny twirled her quill and suddenly came out with that remark.
Hermione turned to look at her, her mouth half open.
Ginny shrugged and put her quill back in the ink bottle.
"I didn't say it. The professor did. So, how's your search going?"
Oh. The people around them nodded. That certainly sounded like something the professor would say.
Hermione shook her head and pulled out the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Regulations Compendium.
"It's much worse than I expected. I've gone through every publicly available law and regulation from the Ministry of Magic, and there are only seven provisions about house-elves in total. Of course, I already knew that, but..."
Ron frowned. "Seven? You're joking. I remember there being over seven hundred rules on fouls in Quidditch matches alone. The entire house-elf species only gets seven provisions?"
The others looked astonished too.
Hermione nodded, as though holding back a ball of fire.
"I checked the legislation for other intelligent species. Werewolves have the Werewolf Registration and Protection Act. Of course, I think that should be repealed too, since werewolves can all make a choice now, but at least it recognized their status as intelligent beings in the past. Giants have the International Giant Peace Treaty, which lays out their territories and right to survival. Even Dementors have the Azkaban Employment Agreement, which clearly defines their permitted range of activity and the limits of their duties. Veela have the Regulations on Entry and Exit Administration for Nonhuman Intelligent Species..."
"All these species, however dangerous or rejected they might be, at least have a place in the law."
Her voice rose higher and higher.
"Only house-elves have nothing. They're the species closest to wizards, yet they're also the most invisible group. Nobody