Chapter 8 A Small Debate

Snape's POV

"Headmaster, are you going to let that… child talk to you that way?" Snape questioned, completely floored by the messy-haired teen's attitude. While he had always thought the boy was arrogant, this was beyond the pale. If the amnesiac ever got his memory back, then he was in very deep trouble if that brat maintained this personality. There was no way this new boy would be intimidated into compliance. The Potions Master just hoped and prayed the teen never recovered.

"Alas, there is little I can do," Albus said as he watched his students walk away. "In my haste to cure him, I have lost his trust. He now looks upon me as an enemy," he stated remorsefully. His mind was calculating as to how he could get the girls to make the unruly teen see that he, Albus Dumbledore, was Harry's idol. Then the child would follow along with what was needed. Miss Granger would be of great help, Miss Lovegood however might be problem. While he had never be vilified in the Quibbler, he was not looked up favorably either. The Lovegoods were a very honest and controversial family and never cowed to pressure.

"Nevertheless, you should not let him get away with such disrespect," Severus snarled as he glared at his most hated student's back.

"What would you have me do, Severus? I cannot discipline a child who does not know who he is, or that he is doing wrong," the Headmaster said as he glanced at his protégé. "He is merely a victim of an illness. It could have been the shock of being called as a champion. Or he somehow, he had his memory wiped like poor Gilderoy," the old man stated as he watched his teacher's reaction to that comment.

"If you let him get away with such behavior now, he will never learn," was the rebuttal as Snape did his best not to look at the Bloody Baron, who was smugly sneering from behind the Headmaster. 'Sneaky apparition,' was his thought as he tried to come up with a story about that night. "We have no way of knowing what caused the bra… child's memory loss. Though, him being feebleminded enough for shock to make it happen is not out of the realm of possibilities," he sneered, only to pale a bit when the ghost glared at him.

"I will do my upmost to make sure the child is well cared for, that is all I can do. Now, as to Halloween night…," the voices trailed off as the two men and one ghost moved in the opposite direction.

Harry's POV

Harry heard them talking and ignored the, to him, meaningless words. He tightened his arm around Hermione when she tried to turn back. Luna all but skipped along and led the way. When they got to the kitchens, Luna tickled the pear, and they went through the door that appeared. The three students stood for a second and watched the mass organized chaos. The house elves that greeted them were very busy making dinner for the masses, so they let Dobby tend to the kids. The teens were soon hustled to a table off to the side by Harry's elf friend.

"What can Dobby be getting for the Master and his friends?" the hyper elf asked as he bounced in his sock clad feet. He was just so excited that he could serve Harry Potter. He had many ideas on how to make Master regain his memories. Then again, from what little he had seen of the teen, he liked this new man. This Harry Potter did not seem to need to be saved as much as the old one did. He stood up to old little Master, the greasy Potions Master, and the Headmaster. If this was true then maybe Dobby didn't need to watch him as closely, then Dobby could start to really serve him.

"Hey, Dobby, good to see you again," Harry stated, patting the little guy on the back. "Can we get dinner? Whatever's already prepared is fine. Although, I think Luna wants some sweets," he added, giving the blonde a wink, and was very happy to see she was taking off those cumbersome robes. Her cute little ruffled blouse still hid most of her assets, but he could finally make out some of her curves, which was enough to fuel his teenage imagination.

"Dobby can be doing that," the tiny being said as he snapped his fingers, making platters and plates appeared on the table. There was three types of meat, potatoes of every kind, and a great deal of vegetables. Harry chose ham, potatoes au gratin, and some asparagus. Hermione went with pork chops, baked potatoes, and salads, making Harry roll his eyes at the thought that she thought that she needed to diet. Luna, on the other hand, decided to have a greasier fare. She loaded her plate with roast beef, buttered and gravied mashed potatoes, and candied carrots.

"Thanks, Dobby, but where's the pudding?" the messy-haired wizard asked slyly, glancing at Luna.

"Afters will be served when Master and his friends is being done with the main meal," the elf said stubbornly with a small stomp of his foot. When he had heard the cat professor and the hospital witch say that his master had been eating garbage for the last week, he was horrified. Now he was going to do whatever it took to make sure the teen ate right. He may be a free elf, but he wanted his master to be healthy.

"It is alright, Dobby," Luna said airily as she cut her meat. "I can wait."

"Good," he said with a firm nod in her direction, and then popped away.

"I've been meaning to ask, what is Dobby?" Harry asked between bites, which he took quickly. He was starving, and he didn't remember ever having such a nice meal. The stuff from the Leaky Cauldron's rubbish tip was good, but it was always cold and bland. This was hot and spiced just right. He was going to eat as much as he could. Though, he would stop when he felt full.

"He's a house elf," Hermione stated with a great deal of contempt in her voice, which startled Harry because he didn't think she was the type to discriminate. She saw his confused look and sighed. "I'm not angry with them; I am disgusted that they're slaves. I even started an organization to free them. It is called Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. You're the treasurer," she said happily, jumping up and down in her seat.

"Spew? You called your organization Spew?" Harry laughed, while he watched her chest bounce.

"It is not spew, it is S.P.E.W," she snapped, slamming her flatware on the table.

"You can call it that all you want, but others are going to call it Spew," our hero stated firmly, glaring at her.

"Not all the elves are slaves," came the dreamy voice from the blonde Ravenclaw.

"How can you say that?" Hermione spat angrily, turning her irate gaze to Luna. "They are bought and paid for, therefore they are slaves," she added with finality.

"Yes, I do concede the point that most are purchased. However, you are under the impression that the ones here are Hogwarts were such. They are as free as Dobby. The only reason they shun the poor elf is because they don't know he's already bonded, and he let the Headmaster pay him for his time since his master doesn't need him at the moment. They need to work and keep busy or they go insane. Hermione, they are quite happy the way things are," Luna stated, narrowing her eyes at the know-it-all. Being raised in the Wizarding World, Luna had a better idea on how things were, and she didn't like when someone who was not raised here came and told her she was wrong. Though, it made her sound like the bigoted Purebloods, in this they had a point. She didn't know Hermione, but she could see the girl was a bit closedminded.

"Prove it."

"Oh, Poppy," the little blonde called cheerily into the air.

"What can Poppy be doing for Missy Luna?" an old female elf came from nowhere and asked. This one was dressed in a pillowcase with the Hogwarts crest on it.

"Poppy, please tell Hermione that you are not a slave," she said, waving her hand in the other girl's direction.

"Poppy is not being a slave," the elf gasped, looking completely affronted that anyone would suggest that she was. "Yous is being another one I see. Poppy is telling Missy we is not being slaves," Poppy said with a small stamp of her foot.

"But, you were bought, and you don't get paid, or medical, or vacations. You're being brainwashed into thinking you like this lifestyle," the bushy-haired girl said kindly, as if talking to a mental patient.

"You is being thinking that we is being human. We is not," the elf answered as if that was all the answer needed.

"What does that matter?" Hermione stated as if it was inconsequential.

"Will yous be going into the forest and telling the horsy people that they must be living in houses and wearing clothes? Will yous be going into the lake and telling the fishy people they must be living on land?" Poppy asked, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not, that's not the same at all," the Gryffindor female harrumphed.

"Poppy is not liking being told she is a stupid critter. Poppy is telling Missy she is putting her point-of-views on Poppy. Poppy thinks Missy would not like being told she should be workings hard and not learning in the schools. We are happy as we is. Why should Missy comes and tells us were are wrong," the kitchen elf stated firmly.

"But…"

"Hermione," Harry interrupted as he looked at all the elves listening in, "they all look happy and healthy to me."

"But they are slaves," she protested again.

"Poppy is not being a slave. Poppy is being bonded to the Headmaster and works like she is supposed to be doing," the female elf stated, stomping her foot again in frustration. "We was not 'bought', we all lost our masters, and was invited here. Or we is being born here after the great Lady Hufflepuff is bringing our forefathers to the castle to works," she explained slowly.

"But you are bonded, you just said so. Don't you want to be free like Dobby?" she asked, the noise in the kitchen stopped, but for the quick intake of breath from hundreds of elves. She dismissed the fact that one of the Founders condoned slavery. 'Helga Hufflepuff was a good woman; there was no way she had anything to do with elves being in the castle,' Hermione consoled herself.

"Dobby is being bonded," Dobby said with a great deal of confusion.

"But your free," Hermione stated with just as much confusion.

"Yes, but Dobby is bonded to Master Harry," the hyper elf said with a look of admiration that the teen in question.

"Oh, you are not making a lick of sense. How can you be free and bonded at the same time?" she snapped at the two elves.

"Master Harry did not buy Dobby. Dobby chose Master Harry," the elf said brightly as if that cleared it all up, which made the other elves feel better about having Dobby about.

"Do you have to do what he says? Do you have to stay with him? Do you get paid? Do you get medical? Do you get vacations?" she fired off, counting each question on her fingers.

Dobby turned to Harry and stated, "Master Harry, Dobby is being sick. Can Dobby go to the healer and not works for two days?" There was a gleam in the little guy's eyes that let Harry know he as just showing Hermione that she was wrong.

"Of course, Dobby," our hero played along. "I hope you feel better."

"Master Harry, Dobby does not think yous should be eating dessert todays. Can Dobby be saving it for tomorrows?" he asked with a wink to Luna.

"Yeah, Dobby if that's what you think is best. You would know better than me," Harry said with a smile.

"Master Harry, Dobby is needing a new shirt," the elf stated, picking at his brand-new kid's shirt. "Can Dobby be having some monies to buy one?" he gave the boy puppy-dog eyes.

"Sure, little guy, as soon as I get to the bank," Harry nodded, thinking he might have to do that for his own wardrobe. If he had money that is, which was going to be his next question when all of this is cleared up. Of course, if Dobby really wanted a new shirt, he would be more than happy to get the little guy one.

"Yes, Dobby gets medical, vacation, and pay," the hyper elf said as he turned back to Hermione, who huffed and opened her mouth to debate.

"Dobby, do you know Winky?" Hermione asked, thinking that there was one elf that would prove her point.

"Dobby is knowing her. She is being very unhappy right now, because she is having no one to serve. She is being crying alls the times, and drinking butterbeer," the tiny elf stated as his ears drooped.

"Who is Winky, and why is she important?" Harry asked, he could use another elf to help him get through his … situation. He was sure that his jailors wouldn't let him out anytime soon, so maybe they could do things outside his prison for him.

"Winky was Mr. Crouch's elf. He was the official man in the Hospital Wing. He freed her because she supposedly used a wand. She didn't, but I'll tell you that story later. The point is she is a free elf," the brunette stated, folding her arms defiantly.

"And from the sound of it, she is not happy about that," the only male debated. And then he looked at Dobby and said, "Dobby, can you ask Winky if she is looking for someone to bond with?"

"Harry," was the aghast response from his 'friend'.

He held up his hand and watched Dobby.

"Dobby will be asking her, but she is needing to be sober first," the elf said with a grateful smile. Winky didn't deserve to be so unhappy and he would be more than happy to share Harry Potter with her.

"Thanks, buddy," Harry said, clapping him on the back.

"But… but…" Hermione started.

"You're not going to change their minds. You should fight for better treatment for those who are slaves and beaten, like poor Dobby was. But I can tell you right now, they will always bond with a witch or wizard. Hermione, elves are not human, they are creatures, sentient, yes, but still creatures. And you should not foist your human views on them," Luna stopped her before this got any further. The elves had done their best to let this girl know what's what, but she's stubborn. In Luna's opinion she could now flounder her way through the world she now found herself in. Maybe when a few things came to pass, she would learn, but right now they were at a standstill.

"Oh, by the way," Harry added his two cents worth. "I quit as treasurer, unless you change your platform. If these guys are happy as they are, then who am I to tell them otherwise?" The bushy-haired girl looked like she was going to snap at him, but he held up his hand and stated, "You need to be very, very careful about what you say next. I have tolerated you this long because you say we are friends. However, from the reaction of those around me, including yourself, I am nothing like I once was. Who knows how I will react," he said, narrowing his eyes at her in challenge.

Hermione snapped her mouth shut and nodded, though her mind was rapidly going over just who this new Harry was. She was beginning to wonder if she should stick around, perhaps she needed to back off and look at this situation from afar. The Harry she knew would have agreed with her. She often wondered if it had to do with his upbringing. But, right now she didn't want to alienate him. Observe, yes, estrange, no.

"Dobby, Poppy, thanks for dinner. I'll call Dobby when we're ready for dessert," Harry said to the two elves with a thankful smile. He quite like house elves, they seemed happy, helpful and nice.

They gave him a cheerful smile and went back to what they were doing before Hermione tried to 'free' them. The kids ate in silence until their plates were cleared. Then Harry called Dobby, who brought them afters of chocolate cake, treacle tart, and some vanilla pudding.

"Those is being your favorites," the elf said, tugging at his shirt, but wearing a huge smile.

"Thank you, Dobby, I'm sure we'll enjoy it," Harry said, and the girls nodded. Dobby beamed at them and then popped away. "Oh my God, that smells good," the dark-haired wizard said when he got a whiff of the treacle tart. He took a big piece and fell on it like a man starved. After scarfing down a few bites, he turned the conversation to his money, and if he had any. "Hermione, you said the school was paid for, does that mean I have money?"

That question made Luna choke on her food. Harry pounded her on the back until she could breathe again. "Oh Merlin, that was a funny question," she said cryptically, while giggling.

"Why was it funny?" he asked, taking another bite of his dessert.

"Harry, the Potters were a very well-to-do and influential family," the blonde Ravenclaw stated with a huge smile.

"Oh, I didn't know that," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"You never really looked. I mean, it is in the library. If you know where to search," Luna said with a negligent wave of her hand.

"Be that as it may, how do I get my money?" Harry interrupted, looking at his favorite blonde girl. Well, she was the only blonde that he knew, but right now she was his favorite, and he didn't see that changing soon.

"Well, you could write the goblins at their bank, Gringotts, or you could just go there," she offered with a shrug.

"Oh, yeah, I can do that," the messy-haired amnesiac said, and then deflated. "I don't know how to get there, and I'm sure none of my keepers will take me," he said morosely.

"Why don't you just use your Invisibility Cloak, go to Hogsmeade and call the Knight Bus?" the little blonde asked with a quirk of her head.

"You're forgetting that I've forgotten. I don't know anything you just mentioned," he answered, tapping her nose, making her scrunch it up in a cute way.

"Oh dear, it appears the nargles are back," was her answer.

So, Harry took off the bottle cork necklace and put it back on her. "There you go, that'll chase them off."

"Thank you, Harry; it's just what I need," she gushed as if it weren't hers to begin with.

"Great, you can tell me all about this Invisibility Cloak and stuff," he said mischievously. "And then we'll plan my escape."

None of the trio noticed the door opening and two figures making their way towards them.

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