Renouncing Magic's Child

After lunch, they all settled in to read the next chapter. They were getting closer to the end of this particular book and Sirius was getting nervous. He knew something bad was going to happen. It seemed inevitable at this point.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione ... Mr. Crouch lately.

"I thought it was odd that you were asking," Percy said. "It's not like you to care about my work, Ron."

They used Hedwig ... Dobby his new socks.

That brought a smile to nearly every face in the chamber.

The house-elves gave them ... gillyweed, Dobby, you really did," said Harry.

Several people nodded their head in agreement. The house elf had really been a massive help for Harry.

"No chance of more ... supported by four elves.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Ronald really was obsessed with food.

"We should get some stuff ... hurried off to get some more.

Sirius smiled at his son's thoughtfulness.

"Dobby, where's Winky?" ... she gave an enormous hiccup.

Barty gave a distressed whimper. Winky was his friend. His only friend.

"Winky is getting through ... that stuff," Harry said.

"Butterbeer is strong for a house elf," Poppy said quietly. "A year or two drinking like that and she'd... Well, she wouldn't last long."

But Dobby shook his head ... they returned to work.

Hermione huffed. She still didn't understand why the other house elves hadn't been kinder to Winky. She was clearly hurting.

Lucius, seeing Hermione's confusion, said, "It's not a lack of empathy. They know that the school would help Winky if she would just accept a new bond."

"They've been where Winky was," Minerva said. "Most of them come from bad homes. But usually they settle quickly into the new routine and are able to resolve their inner pain by becoming part of the Hogwarts family. They were offended she wouldn't let them help her."

"Winky is pining, ... Dumbledore is her master now."

Minerva nodded. "She won't improve until she realises that she cannot go back."

"Hey, Winky," ... judge the Triwizard Tournament."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Not the most tactful thing to talk about."

Winky's eyes flickered ... staring blurrily at Harry.

"That definitely won't help," Theo said with a shake of his head.

"Master - hic - ill?" ... all by himself..."

"Now she'll probably blame herself," Lucius said with a sigh.

"Other people manage ... Hermione said severely.

"Not helping," Mrs Granger said.

"Winky - hic - is not only ... the most secret... "

Everyone leaned forward expectantly.

"What?" ... "You is - hic - nosing, you is."

"She won't tell you anything," Lucius said. "She's not dissolved her side of the bond. That can take time."

"Winky must not talk ... Harry Potter is not nosy!"

Harry chuckled lightly at how quickly Dobby came to his defense. He was a good friend.

"He is nosing ... pry and poke - hic -"

"Sounds like you hit a nerve," Tonks said. "It's probably something that has happened before."

Winky's eyelids drooped ... hiding her from view.

Barty was crying now. He tried his best to hide it. It was especially difficult because Mad Eye had refused to leave his side since earlier, even going as far as to sit with him through lunch. But Moody must have noticed because he tightened his grip and allowed Barty to hide his face in the man's side.

"We is sorry you ... judge us all by Winky, sirs and miss!"

Everyone looked a little sad as they heard that.

"She's unhappy!" ... masters to be served."

"For the Hogwarts house elves," Minerva began, "Hogwarts is a sanctuary away from abusive masters. They can't understand why Winky doesn't appreciate that she is now somewhere safe, where she will be loved and appreciated."

"Oh for heavens sake!" ... look at Dobby!"

"Hermione," Mrs Granger sighed. "You might not agree with how they live but you need to respect their choices. Even if you were right and it was slavery, the way you handle people who are abused and trapped is not by getting angry with them. If you were right, then they were the victims. Show them some empathy, not more disrespect."

"Miss will please keep Dobby ... looking scared.

Lucius frowned.

The cheery smiles had vanished ... mad and dangerous.

Ron laughed. That was exactly how they had looked at her.

"We has your extra food!" ... "Good-bye!"

"I don't think anyone has been chucked out of the kitchens before," George said, whistling loudly.

The house-elves crowded ... Winky about Crouch!"

Arthur sighed. "She most likely wouldn't have told you anything anyway."

"Oh as if you care ... the food!"

"She's not wrong there," Ginny laughed.

It was an irritable sort of day ... evening on his own.

Hermione and Ron both grimaced. They hadn't realised that they'd made their friend so uncomfortable.

Pigwidgeon was much too small ... large package between them.

"Let's hope no one spots that going into the cave," Tonks said.

Harry leaned on the windowsill ... carriage shortly afterward.

"I was still cross with her," Hagrid muttered.

Unwilling to go back ... snarling at each other,

"Don't blame you," Blaise said.

Harry watched Hagrid digging ... quite as good as usual.

"The elves wouldn't do that!" young Filius laughed.

When the post owls arrived ... from the Slytherins."

"That's a good idea," Lucius said with a sharp nod.

"Good thinking!" ... looking disappointed. "It's -"

The students in the chamber all groaned. They remembered this.

But to her bewilderment ... deliver their own letter first.

The adults sat forward, wondering what the hell was going on.

"What on earth - ?" ... "It's - oh how ridiculous -"

"What is it?" Amelia asked.

She thrust the letter at Harry ... cut out of the Daily Prophet.

Now the aurors were all looking at the book in concern.

YOU ARE A WICKED GIRL ... YOU CAME FROM MUGGLE.

"That is a hate crime," Amelia pointed out. "Did you report it?"

"Er... No." Hermione grimaced.

"Inform a teacher?"

"No."

"Your parents?"

"No."

Amelia sighed. Why the hell not, she wanted to demand, but really what was the point. This had happened years ago. "If something like this happens again, I want you to report it immediately."

Hermione nodded.

"I won't stand for that," Amelia said sharply. "Not against anyone and especially not against a child."

"They're all like it!" ... Ouch!"

Amelia's eyes widened in horror.

She had opened the last ... large yellow boils.

"Bubotuber pus," Severus said angrily.

"Undiluted bubotuber pus!" ... Sprout where you've gone..."

"You never told me why she was in the hospital wing!" Professor Sprout grumbled. She would have done something about that if she'd only known about it.

"Why didn't any of the teachers notice the number of owls?" Amelia demanded. "Students don't usually receive so many, do they?"

"Er..." Minerva sighed. "No. I don't have a reasonable answer for you. I also don't understand how that got through the wards."

"I warned her!" ... she'd better watch out for herself."

Amelia sighed. She couldn't blame the children for not knowing what to do. This was just another example of how the Hogwarts staff wasn't big enough to deal with the number of students. She wasn't sure she could even really blame the teachers for the situation. The Great Hall was full of students, they couldn't possibly be expected to notice everything. That's why they needed more teachers. More eyes. More ears.

Hermione didn't turn up ... Why was she so upset at breakfast?"

The Slytherins all sighed. Draco grimaced. Pansy was horrid. Even to the people she called her friends but especially to everyone else.

Harry ignored her ... politely puzzled at all the attention.

"Nifflers," young Luna said excitably.

"These're nifflers," ... jumped backward.

That got a round of laughter from the children and even the adults cracked a smile.

"Useful little treasure detectors," ... an get ready ter set 'em loose."

"That's a brilliant idea for a lesson, Hagrid," Minerva said with a small smile.

Harry took off his watch ... sniffed enthusiastically.

"That's adorable," Astoria said with a sigh.

It was really quite cuddly ... Pansy Parkinson was listening.

Theo rolled his eyes. That witch was the worst sort of gossip. Luckily she wasn't very sneaky.

It was easily the most fun ... filled his lap with coins.

The students all talked among themselves about the brilliant lesson they had had that day.

"Can you buy these ... "I on'y buried a hundred coins.

"Absolutely not," Mrs Weasley said. "No nifflers in the house."

Oh there y'are, Hermione!" ... Vanishes after a few hours."

Ron grimaced, remembering how embarrassed that had made him feel.

Goyle emptied his pockets ... Honeyduke's chocolate for a prize.

"Nice," George said, slapping Ron on the back.

The bell rang ... other carriage window.

Hagrid sighed. He really shouldn't have held that grudge for so long.

"What yeh done ter your hands ... bubotuber pus.

"Wait!" Amelia said crossly. "So, you told Mr Hagrid? You did report it to the school?"

"Well..." Hermione sighed. "I guess."

"Mr Hagrid, did you inform her head of house or the headmaster?"

"Er... No." Hagrid looked abashed. "I should have done that, shouldn't I?"

Minerva shook her head, adding one more thing to her mental list of things to do. Hagrid clearly needed more training in the responsibilities of being a professor. It was hardly his fault that no one had bothered to do it before now. If anything, it was hers and Albus's fault.

"Aaah, don' worry," ... jump in a lake. '"

"Those should have been reported too," Amelia said with a small sigh.

"Why bother?" Hagrid asked. "No one cares about me. I'm half giant."

"I care," Amelia said. "I care that people are attacking you based on your heritage. I would have helped you."

"Ah, but it wouldn' have been some'in for yer to deal with," Hagrid said. "Some auror would have got the case and just plain up ignored it."

Amelia didn't know what to say to that. She could only hope that he was wrong. But perhaps that was naive. There was certainly plenty of prejudice in the DMLE, and she hadn't succeeded in stamping it out yet. Nowhere close. "Well, you know me now, Mr Hagrid. If an auror ever ignores your report, you come straight to me. You hear me?"

Hagrid nodded, blushing brightly.

"No!" ... Chuck 'em straigh' in the fire."

Amelia sighed. Not the worst advice. It would be better to report them but at least she wouldn't be distressed by them. Or endangered.

"You missed a really good lesson," ... tell me about the gold?"

The Weasleys all groaned. They could guess where this was going.

"What gold?" ... it disappeared?"

"I didn't notice," Harry muttered. "I was too distracted, worrying about my wand being missing."

Harry had to think ... my wand, wasn't I?"

The adults all nodded. They could understand that. Being without your wand in a situation like the one they had found themselves in must have been terrifying for the young wix.

They climbed the steps ... pocketful of Galleons goes missing."

Mrs Weasley tutted but didn't say anything. She really was trying her best not to let her temper run away with itself.

"Listen, I had other stuff ... Chudley Cannon hat for Christmas."

George sighed. He didn't understand why money was such a big problem for Ron. Sure, they didn't have much, but they had enough.

"Forget it, all right?" ... "I hate being poor."

Arthur looked towards the fire. This was difficult to hear. He didn't like that his choices had upset his son.

"We're not that poor," George said with a huff. "There are plenty of people who have less than we do."

Ron shrugged.

Harry and Hermione ... Wish I had a niffler."

"That wouldn't help," Charlie said. "You'd probably just get in trouble for theft."

"Well, we know what to get you ... it's the last thing I do!"

Rita glared at the young witch. She hadn't forgiven her for trapping her in a jar!

Hate mail continued ... the whole Hall to hear.

"Okay, you can't tell me the staff aren't aware now!" Tonks complained. "Why didn't you do anything?"

The teachers all looked taken aback. Howlers weren't a common occurrence in the Great Hall. They should have noticed. But then they didn't all attend breakfast at the same time and most of them did tend to leave before the post owls arrived so that they could prepare for their first class of the day. It wasn't a good excuse but it was all they had.

Even those people ... she wrote about me last time.

"That's very mature of you," Severus said with a smile.

"I want to know how she's listening ... he walked away from the class.

Several people laughed at Harry's twitchy ears. Theo remembered just how cute Harry had been that day.

"Well, Rita's definitely not using ... anywhere near the lake!"

"Presuming he's telling the truth," Moody growled.

"Hermione, is there any point ... had you bugged," said Harry.

"Bugged?" Arthur asked, causing Hermione to quickly explain the muggle concept of bugging.

"Bugged?" ... read Hogwarts, A History?"

"Nope," Ron said.

"What's the point?" ... if it's illegal, I'll have her..."

Amelia grinned at the young witch's determination.

"Haven't we got enough ... "I'll do it on my own!"

Harry sighed. "More arguing."

She marched back up the marble ... Hate Rita Skeeter badges?" said Ron.

Hermione glared at Ron but he simply shrugged.

Hermione, however, did not ask Harry ... Her face fell when she saw it.

Mr Weasley gaped at his wife in surprise.

"Your mum doesn't read ... "Gets it for the recipes."

"MOLLY!" Arthur growled. "You didn't!"

"Sorry, Hermione," Molly said quietly. She really shouldn't have done that.

The Grangers frowned. On one side, the woman was certainly not obligated to give Hermione anything but... still. That had been needlessly cruel. Worse than if she'd given her nothing at all.

"It's okay, Mrs Weasley," Hermione said with a small smile.

"No. It's really not. It was very immature of me and I really am very sorry," Molly said, moving to give the girl a hug.

Hermione looked sadly ... a well-deserved break.

"Right," Ron said.

He is sending in regular owls ... Happy Easter.

"Percy, that was kind of rude," Bill pointed out.

Percy sighed. "I was very stressed. I'm sorry, Ron."

The start of the summer term ... the champions about the third task."

Everyone sat forward in concern. They knew it would involve a labyrinth of some sort and they knew that there was talk of creatures. This was not going to be good.