191 Total mess

They had been working on homework for an hour or so when the portrait hole opened and Hermione climbed into the common room carrying a sheaf of parchment in one hand and a box whose contents rattled as she walked in the other. Crookshanks arched his back, purring.

"Hello," she said, "I've just finished!"

"So have I!" said Ron triumphantly, throwing down his quill. Ron had finally finished his predictions for his life during the next month.

Hermione sat down, laid the things she was carrying in an empty armchair, and pulled Ron's predictions toward her.

"Not going to have a very good month, are you?" she said sardonically as Crookshanks curled up in her lap.

"Ah well, at least I'm forewarned," Ron yawned.

"You seem to be drowning twice," said Hermione.

"Oh am I?" said Ron, peering down at his predictions. "I'd better change one of them to getting trampled by a rampaging hippogriff."

"Don't you think it's a bit obvious you've made these up?" said Hermione.

"How dare you!" said Ron, in mock outrage. "We've been working like house- elves here!"

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"It's just an expression," said Ron hastily.

Arth glanced at his predictions and frowned.

It said that he would have a nice relaxing year. Funny when considering he was trying to only prophesied his life for a month.

"What's in the box?" Ron asked, pointing at her box.

"Funny you should ask," said Hermione, with a nasty look at Ron. She took off the lid and showed them the contents.

Inside were about fifty badges, all of different colors, but all bearing the same letters: S. P. E .W.

"Spew?" said Harry, picking up a badge and looking at it. "What's this about?"

"Not spew," said Hermione impatiently. "It's S-P-E-W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."

Arth raised an eyebrow.

"That was a thing?"

"I've only just started it," said Hermione briskly.

"Huh interesting. What's it about? Other then helping elves."

Hermione brandished the sheaf of parchment at them.

"I've been researching it thoroughly in the library. Elf enslavement goes back centuries. I can't believe no one's done anything about it before now."

"Hermione - open your ears," said Ron loudly. "They. Like. It. They like being enslaved!"

"Our short-term aims," said Hermione, speaking even more loudly than Ron, and acting as though she hadn't heard a word, "are to secure house-elves fair wages and working conditions. Our long-term aims include changing the law about non- wand use, and trying to get an elf into the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, because they're shockingly underrepresented."

Arth frowned.

"I can understand the second part, but wages? You are asking for the impossible Hermione."

"Why is it impossible?" Asked Hermione defiantly. "Is it because you think wizards are to prideful to notice that they are treating eves like slaves?"

"That's not the point Hermione. What I'm trying to say is that house elves honesty enjoy work."

"What do you know?"

"I know common sense. You should read it. It's by Thomas Paine."

"Just because some elves like serving doesn't mean all of them do. Stop assuming all house elves are the same. And even then, they should get more rights! They should get paid."

"Hermione, for God's sake. It's an offense to a house elf if they get paid for their services. do you understand? THEY DON'T WANT TO BE PAID."

"What about Dobby? He is a house elf and he wants to be paid."

"He is an oddity. There are always bound to be some who are different."

"Well of Dobby can desire to get paid, then do can the rest."

"Stop being a hypocrite. You said to stop generalizing the whole house elf because of one example but here you are doing the same thing."

"IT DOESN'T MATTER! THEY SHOULD STILL BE GIVEN WAGES! ITS BASIC RIGHTS!"

"THERE IS ALSO SOMETHING CALLED VOLUNTARY WORK HERMIONE! THEY CAN WORK FOR MONEY IF THEY WANT BUT LEAVE THEM ALONE IF THEY DO NOT!"

"WE NEED TO TEACH THE HOUSE ELFS THAT THEY DESERVE TO BE PAID ARTH!"

"NO WE DO NOT! YOU ARE TRAMPLING ALL OVER THE ELVES PRIDE AND BELIEFS!"

"WHY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND ARTH? I THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD TAKE MY SIDE!"

"WHY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO IS RUDE AND MEANINGLESS!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ARTH! SO STOP ACTING LIKE YOU DO!"

Arth was about to yell back when he noticed all of the looks they were receiving due to the commotion.

Arth rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Fine. I'm done."

Harry wore a confused look.

"Done? What do you mean-"

"I'm done with this. You do whatever. I don't care anymore. Just know that you are doing something wrong."

Hermione glared at Arth in return.

"I'm going to do what I want, so don't get in my way."

"Fine," said Arth turning around and walking up the stairs. "I'll leave you alone. In fact, I'm going to pretend that you do not exist."

Harry watched Arth storm up the stairs and Hermione glare furiously at the disappearing back of Arth while breathing heavily.

A few seconds after Arth left, Hermione started to tremble and break into tears.

It was a total mess.