Chapter 85: Slaying the Dragon (Part 2)

"You dare...?" Malfoy glared fiercely at Dumbledore, then quickly turned to leave. When Dobby, his house-elf, blocked his way, Malfoy struck him hard with his cane before storming out of the room.

"Mr. Malfoy," Daniel Davis called out as he followed Malfoy out of the room, holding the diary. "I believe this is something you might have forgotten." He handed the diary to Malfoy.

"That's not mine," Malfoy retorted but took the diary regardless. He then handed it to Dobby, who was standing nearby, giving Daniel a venomous glare before striding away. Malfoy was particularly displeased with Daniel, the so-called Muggle Studies teacher. This position had traditionally been seen as a mere formality, but recent changes in the English magical community had given it newfound significance, largely thanks to Grindelwald.

Before Daniel had left Hogwarts, he had given Grindelwald several suggestions, one of which concerned the media landscape in the magical world. While The Daily Prophet was essentially the Ministry's mouthpiece and thus hard to influence directly, there were other publications, like The Quibbler, which often took a contrarian stance. Grindelwald could have easily started a new media outlet, but given The Quibbler's existing troubles due to its non-mainstream content, his support came at a crucial time. He helped to stabilize and expand the magazine, which then began to focus more on changes in the Muggle world, entertainment, and serialized novels. Although it couldn't yet compete with The Daily Prophet, it had gained a much larger following than before, as many in the magical community found these topics appealing.

Additionally, the current Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, could also be a useful tool. Despite being a fraud who stole his stories from others, Lockhart had become a bestselling author in the magical world. Even the Weasley family and Hermione were fans of his books. His influence could be leveraged to spread certain ideas.

"Open it and see," Daniel suggested to Dobby, who looked at him curiously but did as he was told. Inside the diary was a thin sock. Dobby's expression turned to one of ecstatic surprise.

"What are you doing?" Malfoy, having taken a few steps away, turned back upon noticing that Dobby hadn't followed. 

"Master has given Dobby clothes. Dobby is free!" Dobby exclaimed, holding up the thin sock found inside the diary.

Daniel's approach was more calculated than Harry's had been. Harry had shoved one of his thick socks into the diary, which Malfoy could have easily noticed and might have led to Dobby being punished rather than freed. Daniel's sock was much thinner and easier to miss, especially given the diary's current dirty state. Even in normal circumstances, it would be easy to overlook such a sock.

To Malfoy, even though the diary belonged to Voldemort, its filthy state made it unlikely he would handle it himself. Giving it to Dobby to carry was practically a certainty.

"You've cost me a servant!" Malfoy's face turned livid as he saw the sock in Dobby's hand. He immediately drew his wand from his cane. House-elves were expensive and highly valued in the magical world. Only the wealthiest pure-blood families could afford them; even the Weasleys didn't have one.

House-elves played crucial roles due to their inherent magical abilities. Most house-elves had significant magical power and could Apparate at will. If the Ministry of Magic didn't restrict them from owning wands, even ordinary wizards would struggle to defeat a house-elf in a duel.

Hogwarts employed hundreds of house-elves, primarily for kitchen work, tending to the school's gardens, and farming tasks. These elves were why Hogwarts could provide freshly cooked meals almost instantly after being ordered and why the school didn't have to worry about food supplies, as the elves cultivated everything they needed.

Because of their immense value, nearly every magical academy employed many house-elves.

To purchase a house-elf, one had to register with the Ministry of Magic, which also operated special facilities to train them. The wizarding world had fought long and hard to subjugate these powerful beings and turn them into servants.

However, not all elves were subjugated. The goblins of Gringotts, for example, were considered equals to wizards in many respects, save for the prohibition against owning wands.

Over time, there have been calls to improve the treatment of house-elves and perhaps even grant them equal rights to wizards. Hermione, for instance, was a strong advocate for elf rights. Yet, these voices were largely ignored. Freeing the house-elves could potentially lead to a return of the old conflicts, as those calling for their emancipation often overlooked the elves' true capabilities.

Today's house-elves were subdued only through generations of control.

The exact period during which wizards subjugated house-elves isn't well documented in magical history, likely because it happened so long ago. However, it's known that house-elves were already serving wizards by the time Hogwarts was founded.

"Expelliarmus!" As Malfoy advanced on Daniel with his wand drawn, Grindelwald suddenly appeared and disarmed him effortlessly.

Grindelwald's control over his magic was impeccable. His spell disarmed Malfoy without causing him any harm. Most wizards would have been knocked off their feet by such a powerful Disarming Charm, but Malfoy was left standing, albeit weaponless.

The Disarming Charm, "Expelliarmus," essentially worked by creating a magical shockwave similar to the Stupefy charm. In theory, if one could hold onto their weapon with enough strength, they could resist being disarmed. However, the spell also included a vibration component, making it nearly impossible to keep hold of the weapon.

"You..." Malfoy glared at Daniel and Grindelwald as he retrieved his wand, but he turned and left without another word. In the current situation, there was no way he could reclaim Dobby. Even taking the matter to the Ministry would change nothing.

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Dobby stood there, still clutching the sock, tears of joy streaming down his face. "Dobby is free... Dobby is free!"

"Indeed, you are," Daniel smiled at the elf. "And you're welcome to stay at Hogwarts if you need a place."

Dobby nodded gratefully, still too overwhelmed to speak. This act of kindness had given him the freedom he had longed for but never dared hope for.

Malfoy stormed away, fuming, but deep down he knew that the real battle was just beginning. The changes within the magical community, spurred by figures like Grindelwald and Daniel, were reshaping everything he had known. The traditional power structures were being challenged, and he would have to adapt or risk being left behind.

As he exited the castle, Malfoy couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than just a personal defeat—it was a sign of things to come, a new era where even the old pure-blood families would have to find their place in a world that was changing faster than ever before.

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