Just as the stalemate was about to spiral out of control...
The sharp scrape of a chair against the floor broke the stagnant silence.
The first to act was not a house-elf.
It was a student.
At the Ravenclaw Table, Padma Patil stood up.
She was an upper-year girl who often visited the Kitchen to consult the house-elves for her research into "making everyday magic more convenient."
Her gaze fell on the house-elf named Xiaomi.
The little fellow, who had earned the title of master by pioneering the "fusion of Chinese pastries and the Shaping Charm," was now trembling with fear, both hands clutching the hem of his tea-towel clothing.
Padma sighed softly.
Without hesitation, she walked straight through the crowd to Xiaomi's workstation.
She bent down and spoke in a gentle tone, as an equal:
"Xiaomi, don't be afraid. I'm here to help."
Her voice was quiet, yet it carried clearly throughout the Great Hall.
"I happen to have some new ideas about your application of the Shaping Charm to pastries. I'd like to discuss them with you."
Those words deftly turned "help" into an "academic discussion."
Xiaomi jerked his head up. Tears swam in his enormous eyes, which reflected nothing but the girl before him, as though he had witnessed something impossible.
A small crack had been torn in the stalemate.
Immediately afterward, a somewhat shy-looking boy at the Hufflepuff table also plucked up his courage.
His gaze fixed on Binns, the master of classical sauces standing in the corner.
Overcome with nerves, Binns was wiping his gleaming-clean hands over and over with a cloth.
The Hufflepuff boy hurried over and spoke with a slight stammer, but utter sincerity:
"Sir... I, I'm pretty good with a knife. I can help you prepare the onions and carrots. I promise