108

Chapter 108: Elves and Biological Alchemy

"Biological alchemy?" Wade pondered, briefly recalling the tin man and what he had read. "Is it similar to the Sorting Hat and Wizard Chess?"

Professor Murray smiled knowingly.

"Wizard Chess and the Sorting Hat may appear similar, but they are fundamentally different."

He gestured, and a box on the table opened. Black and white chess pieces emerged, bickering and positioning themselves on the board.

The White Queen glared disapprovingly at Wade. "Are you going to make a move, or are you just gawking?"

A knight across the board shouted, "Let me charge! I'll break through their defenses!"

Professor Murray nodded, and the chess pieces immediately fell silent.

"This is Wizard Chess," he explained. "It sometimes gives the impression of having thoughts and life. However, that's merely an illusion—do you know why?"

Wade thought carefully.

While not an avid chess player, he found these animated chess pieces intriguing and owned a set for amusement.

The more he observed, the more he noticed their rigid behavior.

"They always exhibit the same personalities and say similar things... Occasionally, there are variations, but they don't truly evolve or learn from mistakes."

"Exactly. These are toys mimicking thought," Professor Murray said, returning the chess pieces to their box.

"Infusing consciousness into inanimate objects, making them seem sentient—this is rudimentary biological alchemy."

"But the Sorting Hat is different. If you engage with it, you'll find it remarkably thoughtful."

"It independently reasons and decides, rather than rigidly adhering to the four founders' ideals when sorting students."

Wade gritted his teeth, recalling his own Sorting Hat experience.

- Yes! That thing is not just thoughtful; it's downright quirky.

"But the Sorting Hat isn't truly alive... It possesses intelligence but lacks the ability to reproduce or metabolize."

"True biological alchemy—formerly known as life alchemy—involves creating actual living organisms. You're familiar with one of its most successful creations. Any guesses, Wade?"

Wade lowered his gaze, pondering.

Biological alchemy... creating living beings... capable of independent reproduction... successful creations...

While he had read extensively about magical creatures, he hadn't encountered many firsthand.

After a moment, Wade looked up confidently. "House elves."

Professor Murray smiled approvingly. "Correct, house elves."

"Legend has it that ancient wizards, finding mundane life cumbersome, conjured various elves from nature."

"Gnomes aided craftsmen in perfecting tools;"

"Hobgoblins assisted farmers, some even making shoes;"

"Cellar sprites managed food and drink, often swiping a sip for themselves;"

"Brownies milked cows, gathered eggs, tidied yards;"

"Brownies managed household chores with extraordinary speed and efficiency. If well-treated, they'd serve faithfully, but slight their pride, and they'd vanish."

"At the same time, darker elves spawned from swamps, tree roots, dark forests, and wizard malevolence."

"Goblins wrought havoc, Redcaps thirsted for blood, Boggarts sickened livestock, Pixies led astray, Bogies spooked children."

"Some are the stuff of legends; others, tales touched on in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Wade nodded knowingly. "Redcaps are mentioned in our third-year textbooks... Are house elves descendants of those elves?"

Amidst a wizarding world centered on magic, these myths, though fantastical, often proved factual.

"'Descendants' is too mild a term, Wade."

Professor Murray clarified, "Ancient wizards resorted to extreme measures, stripping 'undesirable' traits—laziness, thieving, mischief, even dignity—from elves."

"The first house elves emerged from these experiments."

"However, they proved magically feeble, with compromised work efficiency, often preyed upon by livestock."

"Wizards thus fortified them, infusing goblin blood to bolster their magical prowess."

"But goblins don't acknowledge house elves as kin?" Wade queried.

"Absolutely not," Professor Murray affirmed. "Goblins are fiercely proud. To them, house elves are lowly creatures undeserving of kinship."

"With augmented magic, house elves grew averse to wizard enslavement."

"Their predecessors—like brownies and gnomes—relished serving wizards, yet their pride was such that insult could foster animosity."

Wade nodded thoughtfully. "That explains the elf uprisings recounted in History of Magic."

Confusing goblin and elf uprisings was common, given the glossing-over in many magical history accounts.

"Yes," Professor Murray sighed. "Though fewer in number, house elves, too, revolted several times."

"Wizards hesitated to obliterate their creations, instead repeatedly erasing personalities, instilling absolute obedience—ensuring house elves would willingly serve."

"Thus, the 'perfect' slave was tamed."

"Yet one thing, integral to their very souls, evaded wizards' tampering—elves, born yearning for freedom."

"Hence, wizards and house elves forged an unbreakable pact: 'When clothes are presented, freedom's granted.'"

"But..."

Wade recalled elves' stance on freedom from the original tales, and a certain exiled elf named "Dobby."

"Nearly every elf I know loathes freedom. Exiled, they often suffer shame and misery."

"Yes—misery," Professor Murray's smile was tinged with bitterness.

"Exiled house elves are free to wander—returning even to their former masters' abodes."

"But ask yourself, how many exiled elves ever return?"