61 — A Hunting We Shall Go . . .
Castor hurried into Sir Walker’s office, nodding to James Wootton at his desk as he passed him.
The head of MI5 was looking at documents on his desk as Caster came to a halt, the door closing behind him. “Sir,” he started without preamble, “Princess Twilight has cancelled all appointments and meetings for the day. She called me at six-thirty and said something important has come up. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to keep the appointments for tomorrow, either. She said that due to circumstances, she was unable to explain further.
“This is unlike her, and I thought you should know.”
Sir Walker sighed and looked at his desktop. He picked up a photo and silently handed it to Castor.
It was long-shot surveillance photo. It showed the Main Six, as he and the others had started calling them, crossing the street in front of Eleven Magnolia Road. From the shadow-lengths, it was early morning not too long before she had rung him up. With them were six men he immediately categorized as guards from the way they boxed the others in their formation. That and the long swords they clearly had sheathed over their backs. This was the first sign he had seen of the Equestrians carrying weapons on this side of the portal.
Also in the picture was Ambassador Blueblood. The other two he didn’t recognize, but were very distinctive. The woman was tall, literally head and shoulders over the others, with dark flowing hair. The man was as tall as Twilight, but with long, multi-hued blue hair. They, too, had swords sheathed on their backs, as did Twilight. The woman had a broad smile and seemed excited. The others looked grim.
Considering they were ponies on the other side, the placement of the swords seemed logical.
He shook his head. “I don’t recognize any of the new ponies.” He stared at it a moment longer. “But the woman is clearly one of the Princesses, based on her crown. Princess Celestia has light coloured hair, so unless she used a dye or something else I would guess that this is Princess Luna.”
Sir Walker nodded. “That was taken at six-fifteen this morning. They haven’t emerged from the house. The front curtains are open and they were seen going into one of their trunks shortly before seven.
“Something is up. We’ve alerted the military and have a Lynx helicopter squadron with engines running and combat crews on the flight-line. Two other squadrons are on alert. Maximum ETA is three minutes for a strike, or five for a landing. We also put three Harriers on station ten kilometres out with an ETA of 45-seconds.”
He looked up at Castor and held out his hand for the photo. “Ambassador Blueblood is in his office. Perhaps you could ask him if this,” he tapped the photo with a finger, “is something we should be worried about.”
۸- ̰ -۸
They were all gathered around him in the darkened room that was the Chamber of Secrets. The only signs they were not in the Chamber itself were the statue-like versions of himself and Fawkes off to one side of them and the complete lack of any sounds or movements.
“And here we are,” Dumbledore said.
They stood in a small group around the memory Headmaster, the Phoenix still on his arm, but in the process of taking off. The Headmaster had his wand in his other hand and the tip was just starting to glow. Neither the bird nor the Headmaster were moving. “As you can see there is some light in the Chamber,” Dumbledore said, “But I felt more would be required.” He looked around at them. “To make the memory go onward, simply say ‘forward.’ To stop it, say ‘stop.’ To go back, say ‘reverse.’” The memory around them followed his instructions, coming to a stop when it couldn’t go any further backwards. “When you are ready to leave, say ‘exit.’” His empty office appeared around him. He ducked his head down into the pensieve again. “Nothing in here can harm you, nor can you affect anything,” he continued explaining to the Atlanteans.
“What. A. Dump,” he heard Miss Dash say.
“Dash!” came the quick reprimand from Princess Sparkle, looking scandalized.
“Well, it is,” protested the rainbow-haired witch. “It looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in, like, a thousand years!” She made a disgusted face as she lifted one foot up.
Dumbledore looked at her and wondered if she was making a joke or being serious. It was difficult to tell.
Pinkie Pie, in the meantime, was making a game of walking through the memory Headmaster and trying to make him move. The others were examining the room.
He shook his head at Miss Pie’s strange antics. Most wizards and witches were too afraid, at first, to try to physically interact with the people in a memory. “This is the main Chamber, the snake is behind a door in the statue’s mouth.” He pointed it out. “This way, you may familiarize yourselves with the Chamber’s layout so you aren’t caught unawares when we go in there. I will go now to inform the Professors, and then the students, of today’s ‘holiday.’” He smiled at them as he said, “Exit.”
Almost as soon as he was out, the one called Rainbow Dash joined him. “That’s kinda freaky, ya know?”
“Don’t you wish to examine the Chamber?”
“Nah, not just yet. We’ll take turns, keep one of us out in case something comes up and you need us out of that thing early.”
He nodded. A sensible plan. “Then I will see you in about an hour and a half.” He used his wand to lift the sack of coins, turned, and left his office. The house-elves had told the staff to meet him at the staff-room. He had just enough time to reach it before the professors would begin to show up. He leisurely walked down the corridor — no staff-meeting ever started on time, after all. “Skiffy,” he said.
“Skiffy is here, Master Dumbles,” came the quick response.
He gave the house-elf his instructions, and the coins.
۸-_-۸
The tapping of Dumbledore’s knife against the golden goblet at his place setting half-way through breakfast drew Harry’s, and everyone else’s, attention to the standing Headmaster. “Good morning to you all, I hope you’re enjoying this morning’s repast.” He beamed broadly at them.
Harry couldn’t help but notice that the expressions on the Professors at the Head Table were decidedly mixed. Many looked excited, several looked scared. Professor Quirrell somehow managed to alternate between scared, disappointed, and angry.
“I have an important announcement to make. Thanks to the activities of some students,” he did not look at the Gryffindor First Years, but nearly everyone else in the room did, “I believe we have discovered the entrance to Salazar Slytherin’s fabled Chamber of Secrets.”
The hall erupted into excited chatter among the half- and pure-blood students, except the Slytherins, who all just gasped and stared. There was more than a little speculation that the “princess” from yesterday had been involved. The timing was just too good to be a coincidence.
Harry, Hermione, Myrtle, and the fillies just grinned at their friends’ astonished and or puzzled expressions. And high-fived each other. This did not go unnoticed among the other students.
Dumbledore tapped the goblet again to get their attention.
“If this is true, then this is a most momentous moment in Hogwarts’ history, the opening of a chamber untouched since the Founders era.”
Professor Quirrell scowled heavily at that statement.
“And, yes, when we have finished thoroughly exploring the Chamber, we will conduct tours of it for all students.”
Professor Quirrell’s scowl grew darker.
This time the excited chatter was more difficult to bring under control. Harry thought the poor goblet might break before order could be restored.
“However, all the rumours regarding the Chamber say that there is a monster hidden there. If that is so, then to explore the Chamber might awaken the beast and possibly endanger us all.”
Professor Quirrell seemed to be almost pleased at the thought.
There was an excited low chatter among the students at the thought of danger just below their feet.
“It has been suggested that we wait to explore the Chamber until summer.”
There was a disappointed sigh and many exclamations of “oh, no!”
Professor Quirrell returned to scowling
“Alas,” he continued, “doing so leaves the possibility that the beast, if it is there, could awaken at any moment and attack the students, as it has reportedly done in the past.”
This time the Hall was quiet. He smiled confidently at his audience. Most did not know of the events that took place forty-eight years ago. They only knew that Myrtle had died back then in a mysterious accident.
“Rather than wait and hope the beast, if it is there, stays asleep, I and several professors will explore the Chamber today. Naturally, we can’t have you, the students, in the castle while we do this. It would be far too dangerous for all concerned.”
They listened in rapt attention, with many worried glances between the more timid students and a low murmur spread across the Hall.
“Thus it is, you will be delighted to hear, that I am cancelling classes today and declaring it a Hogsmeade holiday for the entire student body.”
This time the Hall erupted into cheers. Rather than tapping the goblet, the Headmaster had to set off a mild cannon blast from his wand to attract their attention.
“I understand that this has caught you all unprepared, and that exploring Hogsmeade without funds would be a disappointment to many, especially our younger students who hadn’t anticipated being allowed to visit Hogsmeade until their third year.”
He smiled at them, eyes twinkling.
“If you will all look under your plates, you will find a sickle.” He had to stop as the outcry at finding an entire sickle sitting under their plates again took over the Hall.
After another cannon blast, he continued, “You may spend this in any manner you desire, you do not have to repay it. In addition, the Hogsmeade eating establishments have been instructed to supply a reasonable lunch to each of you, at no cost. You just have to sign your name on the receipt and Hogwarts will pay for it. If you are in doubt about something you want to order, any of the professors or prefects will be able to assist you.”
The room burst into excited chatter once more.
Professor Quirrell still scowled at the room in general.
Dumbledore tapped the goblet again. As the room still, he gave the students a stern look.
“Do not take advantage of our largesse, this is not an excuse to order extravagant meals. We will review the receipts and anything deemed excessive will be billed to your parents, with the explanation that you deliberately disobeyed instructions. Detentions will be assigned, as well.”
He smiled. “However, you may provide your own funds, or you may use however much of your sickle you desire, to pay any additional charges for items the servers indicate would be over the limit. Or to supplement your order with additional items.”
This was met with silence.
“Breakfast will conclude in fifteen minutes. Prefects and Professors will escort all of you back to your dorms to change into appropriate clothes, and thence to Hogsmeade. Attendance will be taken by the Prefects at the Hogwarts’ gates to make sure no students remain in the school.” This time he was staring at the Weasley twins, who were trying to look innocent. “Anyone in the school after that time will receive a month in detention.” He paused. “With Professor Snape.”
Harry was sure, from their expressions, that most of the students would obey his injunction. The twins, however, still looked like they were plotting how to escape notice. And Professor Snape was giving the students at Slytherin Table a stern look. Any detentions involving them would be especially harsh, seemed to be his message.
The Headmaster sat back down and the Hall erupted into an excited babble, yet again, but at a much higher volume. Most ignored the food remaining on the tables in favour of plotting exactly how they were going to spend their day. Ron, however, while clutching his sickle in one hand, was endeavouring to eat as much as he could in the little time remaining for breakfast.
Myrtle appeared to be matching him bite for bite, but managed not to look like she was imitating a starving pig.
۸- ̫ -۸
“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Ambassador,” Castor said as he was escorted into the man’s . . . pony’s? . . . office. Man, because he wasn’t a pony right now.
Blueblood nodded at him with a faint sneer. “It isn’t a problem. My schedule is rather open at the moment. That will change as word gets around, I’m sure.” He didn’t offer Castor a seat. “What seems to be your problem?” he said condescendingly.
“As you know, Princess Sparkle cancelled all her appointments today, a bit suddenly. I was hoping you could tell me if something was wrong. She isn’t sick, is she?”
The prince just stared at him, blinking.
Into the silence, Castor said, “I also heard a rumour that one of your princesses, Princess Luna, might have come through the portal this morning with her.” He raised an eyebrow inquisitively.
The ambassador continued to stare at him with a blank expression. Finally he leaned forward, putting his arms and hands on the desktop, and laced his fingers together.
“You should be very careful about listening to rumours, Mr. Searle. Frequently, they are made up, with no basis in fact.”
Castor smiled, “Hence my coming to you. I’m not a diplomat to dance around the questions that need asking.”
The Prince, Castor thought, had a very good poker face.
“Princess Sparkle is in fine health. Something came up which I cannot speak to you about. It shouldn’t take long to resolve.” He leaned back in his chair.
Castor stood and thought a moment. What would require the Princess, possibly one of their rulers, and an armed escort, that didn’t directly involve the British government?
“Would this have anything to do with the hidden wizards that the Prime Minister mentioned when we met Princess Celestia?”
They again engaged in staring at each other.
After another moment, Ambassador Blueblood said, “I really don’t know what you are suggesting. I can assure you, your government need not concern itself with what Princess Twilight Sparkle may or may not be doing today. Nor with whom. Simply put, something came up that required her presence. Nothing more, nothing less.” He leaned forward again. “In fact, some might consider your government becoming involved to be meddling in an affair in which you have no standing. Some people might even take offense at such actions.”
The staring contest started again.
Blueblood leaned back, “As Lady Applejack might say, don’t upset the applecart.”
Castor slowly nodded. “I thank you for taking the time to explain this to me, Ambassador.”
“It was my pleasure,” Blueblood said crisply. “Feel free to come back and ask questions anytime.”
It was as obvious a dismissal as you could get. Castor bowed, “Until we meet again, Ambassador. I hope you have a pleasant day.”
The first real smile came up on Blueblood’s face. “Oh, I shall, I shall indeed.”
As Castor turned to leave, he noticed a Monopoly game-board on a side table by the window. There was already one house on a property, and places set for two players. As he closed the hallway door, exiting the waiting-room/secretary’s office, he could see into the Ambassador’s office through its open door. He saw the Ambassador sitting at the side-table as his secretary took the seat opposite him.
Castor set off to his office to see about an appointment with the Prime Minister. It seemed prudent to voice his suspicions on what the Equestrians were up to. And to prepare an official report while he waited.
۸-_-۸
Forewarned, Harry and the girls had prepared themselves for the day. Hermione, of course, had stuffed nearly all her course books with plenty of paper, quills, and ink into her rucksack. If the opportunity to study came up, she intended to seize it with both hands. Harry and Scootaloo had merely pocketed their shrunken trunks in case they, or the other two fillies, needed anything.
The group relaxed in the common room as the rest of the Gryffindors rushed around in a minor panic. If they forgot anything, they wouldn’t be able to come back and get it part-way through the day.
Percy waited with them, and corralled the twins when they first came down.
“Professor McGonagall,” he said, “has insisted that I, and the two of you, escort the Gryffindor First Years during the day. If you try to sneak off by yourselves, she said, you’ll each serve a week’s detention alternating with Professor Snape and Mr. Filch. That is, on one day, you get Professor Snape,” he pointed at one twin, “while you get Mr. Filch,” he pointed at the other. “And you switch them the next day.” He gave them a smirk, “And if you try to pretend to be the other, she’ll hex one of you orange and the other bright-blue for the rest of the year.” He then grinned “Plus, if you do get in trouble, anyway, the First Years will be right beside you.”
“That’s unfair,” one twin said.
“That’s playing dirty,” said the other.
“Very effective, though.”
“Yes, indeed it is.”
Percy nodded. “Yes, it is.” He stared at them intently. “She especially doesn’t want you sneaking back into the castle. She said, ‘a distraction while we are dealing with Slytherin’s Monster could kill innumerable people. And the twins are a distraction!’”
Harry spoke up, alarmed at the prospect of detentions, “But I bet no one knows Hogsmeade as well as you two, right?”
“Yeah,” said Sweetie Belle, “You can show us all the neat places that the other students don’t know about, or avoid.”
“And we have Professor McGonagall’s permission to do it as long as we don’t cause trouble!” concluded Scootaloo.
The twins looked intrigued by Scootaloo’s comment. She was right, after all. McGonagall had only said don’t cause trouble. That left the field wide open for other activities that they hadn’t considered. They grinned widely at each other and began chortling.
Percy lost his confident look and began to look worried. After a month of getting to know the twins, Harry knew he had every reason to be worried.
There was also the complication that, as third years, they shouldn’t know anything about Hogsmeade that their brothers hadn’t told them. They shouldn’t have any personal experience. Yet . . . they seemed to think that they knew more than anyone else.
The twins turned as one, and dashed back up the stairs.
In short order — they were on a schedule — the Gryffindors were assembled in their dorm’s Common Room. A quick check showed that all members were present.
Professor McGonagall had arrived by that time, with Professor Vector, the Arithmancy professor, and she had a few words for them. McGonagall gave them all a severe look and said, “This is an unusual circumstance. Professor Vector will be in charge as I will be assisting the Headmaster. I expect you all to be on your best behaviour.”
She stopped to stare at the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan. “Your best behaviour.”
She looked across the rest of the students. “The Hogsmeade residents and storekeepers are not prepared for this impromptu holiday the Headmaster has declared, nor that it will involve the entire student population. Be patient. Be polite. I expect the older students to keep an eye on the younger ones, and to help them if they ask for, or appear to need, help. If you start trouble, there will be detentions and loss of Hogsmeade privileges later this year.
“For the First and Second Year students, this means a loss of Hogsmeade privileges when you reach your Third Year.” She gave them another hard look, and nodded, her expression relaxing a tiny bit. “However, that does not mean you cannot have fun, just don’t get into trouble doing it. Listen to the Professors and Prefects in the village, and you should be just fine. And don’t spend all your knuts at the first shop you visit!”
They were marched out of the castle in a column of fours, with the Prefects as escorts on the sides and back to prevent any stragglers from escaping. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick watched as they left the castle.
They arrived at the Hogwarts’ Gates in time to see the last of the Ravenclaws, supervised by Professor Quirrell because Professor Flitwick was remaining behind, pass through the gates with the Hufflepuffs queued up for their turn. Slytherin was behind the Gryffindors, laughing at their formation, and strolling leisurely, with Professor Sinistra as their supervisor for the day. The Slytherins’ Prefects had given them the warning from their Head of House, and none dared draw his ire this early in the year, especially as he was still upset over Friday’s incident with the Gryffindors. To say he was especially excessive in his punishments was an understatement.
The older Slytherins were keeping a close watch on the First through Third years, however. The younger ones tended not to believe that punishments would be handed out easily. They were wrong. It would be up to the older years to keep them under control. Or their Head of House would have words with them.
Still, after the stern talking-to’s given them, neither the Gryffindors nor the Slytherins wanted to test their Heads of Houses’ patience. At least not today.
Most of the school stopped outside the gates and watched as they closed. It was very odd for the older students to see Mr. Filch on this side of the wall instead of scowling at them from the inside as he usually did. He even was carrying his cat, Mrs. Norris.
No sooner did the gates close than there was a brief flash of light.
Harry was not surprised that he could see a shield now encompassed the entire school. No one would be leaving or entering.
Hagrid gave them a wave, then turned and headed for his hut.
The crowd milled around and slowly started to make their way into Hogsmeade.
۸-_-۸
The Headmaster smiled after he finished casting the Homenum Revelio charm. He looked over at his guests, who were watching him. “There, the only people left in the castle are ourselves and the professors, who should be here shortly.” He waved his wand again, and said, “Monstra domum revelio . . . and the house-elves have also evacuated.”
Twilight looked at him curiously. “You have house-elves here? Those are the bipedal creatures you hold in slavery?”
The Headmaster looked at her sharply, as the others watched in surprise. They hadn’t heard of house-elves previously. The princess was frowning heavily, as were most of the rest. Rainbow Dash appeared especially agitated.
He shook his head. “Not slaves, although some wizards treat them as such.” He sighed. “House-elves are powerful magical creatures who enjoy work for the sake of work. However, they require a source for their magic. The only way they can get that magic is by bonding themselves to a wizard, or a magical place such as Hogwarts which has many wizards living there. If they are deprived of that magical source, they wither away and die, much as a plant dies if you don’t provide it with enough water.” He shook his head sadly.
“It is more of a symbiosis between the wizards and the house-elves. Wizards don’t actually provide the magic, they are merely a conduit for the magic that house-elves need. By accepting a bond with a house-elf, the wizard provides the house-elf with access to the magic they need to survive. By accepting the bond, the house-elves provide their labour to do things for the wizard, work, in exchange for the magic. The house-elves get the magic they need, and work to keep them happy. The wizard profits from the labour provided by the house-elves.”
He stopped and sighed dramatically, “House-elves become extremely attached to their bonders, their masters, and nothing is worse to them than having their bonder discard their services, to cast them out. Not only does this doom them to a gradual and painful death, they see it as a complete failure on their part. They believe that they are no longer worthy of having a master. They believe that no one will ever want them as a house-elf, and they fall into despair. They are more distraught over the loss of their master than the prospect of dying.” He again shook his head sadly. It was really such a waste when things like that happened.
“Some wizards take advantage of that attitude and treat their house-elves quite severely, knowing the creatures won’t resist for fear of being cast out.”
He looked at the princesses serenely, “Hogwarts takes in any house-elves who find themselves without a master, either because their service was terminated or their master died without any near relatives to take over. They bond to Hogwarts itself. The castle has more than enough magic for them to live and grow, with the staff and students as a whole providing the access to the magic they need, as well as plenty of work to keep them happy. You’ll find no house-elves who are mistreated here!” he ended severely.
The princesses exchanged frowning looks, but nodded.
“If you like, after we deal with the basilisk, I can call several of them for you to speak with, to alleviate your worries about their treatment.”
Still clearly unhappy, that, at least, got several of the Atlanteans to nod in agreement.
۸-ꞈ-۸
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Is this the canonical explanation for house elves? Only ask because I've seen it in a few stories now.
Either way, Blueblood is still a questionable choice for ambassador. Too much ago on that stallion.
But it's a fool's bet to ask if the twins are going to check the secret passages. The proper bet is if the shield will block it or not!
sees title
HI ho the dairy-o a hunting we shall go!
EVERYTHING!
I kid.
Well it looks like the magical world is going to be found out becuase the Equestrians are going back and forth unexpectedly.
9237231
Canon only says that Helga Hufflepuff brought them to Hogwarts so they would not be abused.
I like this house elf explanation a lot.
And next chapter we well see what new spawn of madness will ensue.
The relationship between the British Government and the Equestrians are already getting rocky. How long will it be before the British Ministry of Magic will be involved?
Omg, is twilight gonna start that ridiculous house elf protest shit, I hope not
9237231
Read the IDW comics. He's actually a pretty good ambassador.
As in he got the Yaks to be buddy buddy with them and go to a spa.
9237245 While the muggle government might be suspicious cancellations happen all the time, such is the nature of diplomacy if for no reason than to say to the other party we aren't at your bock and call. Probably their biggest worry is Twilight and the others are in negotiations with other governments doubly so with Luna showing up
9237231
I believe canon states that house elves were very much enslaved by wizards but after so long not only did House Elves become so used to being slaves they can't imagine living any other way but wizards no longer see a problem with it as it's just how it's always been. Make no mistake House Elves are slaves but it's not an easy issue to fix since House Elves don't actually want to be free.
Hogwarts does treat their house elves well though at least for as long as Dumbledore was headmaster.
Nice explanation in regards to the house elves. It even gave Ol' Dumbles a bit of justified bite towards Twilight, though one can hardly blame her lack of knowledge as to their social status. I'm also intrigued about Mundane Britain's satellite surveillance of the Equestrians, and what their ultimate reaction might be at being soundly rebuffed by our friend, Blueblood. Super happy for an early chapter, and I can't wait to see the inside of the Chamber!
Well the mundane humans are getting antsy, they know something's up, for certain sure. While the Equestrian's business is their business, the British government will not be pleased to contemplate that a foreign nation is apparently conducting spec-ops in their territory.
Worst case scenario, the Basilisk somehow gets loose and outside school bounds, they have to run it down, and the whole thing turns into the Scorponok battle from the first transformers movie. While such an event would no doubt be exciting, it is hardly the optimal first-contact scenario for the magical and mundane worlds.
The house elves tidbit was interesting, although unnecessary. Sure, it'd give the ponies a higher moral ground still, but the wizard society Holding wrote was quite honestly a mess, so ymmv.
Yeah, considering the power magic represents I'd be wary if a Princess came through armed and giddy, too. I wonder it they'll start referring to them with capital "P"s?
I can't imagine what Fluttershy would do to the basilisk if it woke up angry at them. I'm expecting the Fluttershy from dragonshy to appear and give it a good tongue-lashing.
No. Just no. Twilight is not entitled to criticize wizards using house-elf. Her treatment of Spike is really strange. And ponies seem to treat sheeps and cows in the same manner as good wizard treat elves. They don't have moral high ground here, this is where "Equestria is better" fails.
I'm not sure how to feel about the house elf change. I get that it was done because he has been crapping on wizards non-stop for a while now and this is a nice way of throwing them a bone. On the other hand, I kind of like the way house elves are handled in canon since it helps to show that wizards have their own dark moments in history where they have done some awful things similar to muggles showing that the two sides aren't all that different.
Then, of course, it keeps wizards from coming off as complete monsters by explaining that while plenty of people don't agree with keeping the house elves enslaved it's not a problem that can be easily fixed since its hard to free slaves that don't want to be free.
i feel like albus just spun a tale.. and twisted the truth here.
9237302
I went looking, and I ca;t find anything in canon that explains the house-elves. None of the wikis mention it. nor does Pottermore. I think it is simply ignored.
9237364
Their relationship with sheep and cattle seems just as nebulous as the wizard/house-elf connection. It appears that the ponies trade food and shelter to the others in exchange of wool and milk. I don't see anything in the show that really shows anything more than that. There isn't a suggestion that the others are restrained or prevented from leaving if they so choose.
9237331
I wouldn't call it unnecessary. House elves are a big topic in almost any story that goes into wizard culture, since it's one of the harshest examples of wizard supremacy thinking. It might not have been necessary to add in this chapter, but it would have to be brought up shortly or readers would have started wondering about it.
9237366
9237369
Well, it's not so much a change or a lie as Dumbledore just focusing more on what Hogwarts does right. On the topic of house elves the school handles them pretty much as well as one can given their magic biology and culture (even Dobby hired on at Hogwarts if I remember right, because even for a free elf there is no better place in Britain). The explanation in this chapter was pretty good and fits what little information the canon provides, that being freed is more of a disgrace to the average house elf than a good thing. I think it was also implied at some point that many house elves fired by their old masters fall into an almost suicidal depression, or at least I think it's a popular fancanon in stories.
He did admit that other wizards abuse them and basically blackmail them with freedom, but right now his main goal is rather reasonably getting back into the Atlanteans good graces after they called him out on several things (whether they were right or wrong on those, he still needs this possible new political faction on his side), and telling them how much worse off house elves are at other wizards probably helps with that.
9237394
Well I mean they don't go into details about how it started but it's stated several times by several different characters that house-elves are slaves who must do anything their master asks of them.
It's also explained to Hermione in book 4 that you can't just go around freeing them because most of them are happy with things as they are. Even Dobby admits to just enjoying the work.
In the end Twilight is not going to make a SPEW
Tree Sap, lots and lots of Tree Sap... I'm thinking Whomping Willow involvement levels of unexpected Tree Sap.
Nice to see this new chapter too.
9237399
you've also got the female house elg, from the book that made the dark mark during the quidditch match. from what i remember, she became alcoholic when she was fired.
I don't think Malfoy is appropriately cowed yet to not steal Neville's remembrall. And I don't think Harry would be the one confronting him about it in this case if only because he doesn't get the chance.
9237433
Also, my prediction for the great climactic battle against the basilisk:
9237308
It's a rebuff, no question, but it's also something else. Bluey's phrasing comes under the heading of the TV Trope "Oddly Specific Denial." And I think Her Majesty's Government is going to notice that right away.
Yeah, they're going to realize that (a) Da Wizards dun goofed again and (b) Equestria is reluctantly riding to the armed rescue of said Wizards.
9237405
To paraphrase Chicken Run, "What if we don't want our freedom?"
On the house elf issue it pays to remember their roots. They spawned from the old fairytales about Brownies, the little folk that help around the house, but leave and never return when thanked.
The Mundane/Equestrian/Magic politics is fine and all, but i'm more worried about Quirrel and him having an entire castle to himself while they are dealing with the chamber.
I want to know when Quirrell season comes in?
sitting hear cleaning my gun's.
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He's out of the castle watching the students.
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Except he's riding herd on the Ravenclaws, with the Prefects. Plus, the castle is sealed off. And Wormtail hasn't yet returned to his employ to tell him about the secret tunnels between Hogsmeade and Hogwarts.
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Nice. I might use some of that, if you don't object.
Too many to count. Plus, if nothing goes wrong, I would say we are in the wrong universe.
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Uhhhhhhh, It wasn't if they were thanked they would leave, but if they were insulted, or patronised, or sometimes if they were given a name (see Puddlefoot), or if they are acknowlelged, or exposed, or laughed at...
As with all these myths, there are a thousand different ways to do right or wrong, although considering how Dobby leaves the Malfoy's the Gift of clothing seems to be the rule here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownie_(folklore)#Gifts_of_clothing
You know, while Twilight may personally take issue with the concept of Slavery, I don't think it's actually a foreign or even forbidden act in Equestria. After all, various characters in MLP have used variants of the phrase "don't look a gift horse in the mouth. What's more, in Trade Ya Twilight herself has to arbitrate in over what essentially boils down to an Indentured Servitude Agreement between Rainbow Dash and the pony she traded the Orthros for the Daring Do book with in order to get Fluttershy out of the deal.
So now Fluttershy and Hermione get to form a chapter of SPEW? Maybe bringing more ethical treatment and "paid" positions.?
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Yet Applejack, with Winona's assistance round them up and herd them like a livestock. Also we never saw cows in show taking any jobs. They simply seem to be perfect agreement with notion of primitive pony-guided live, which is essentially the same thing as house elf mentality and social role. Twilight words are hypocritical rant.
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Neither of those points inherently to slavery. We have no proof that Kreacher was forced to obey, only that he did obey. It is quite possible that disobeying would severe the connection between Elf and Human, and that is why he obeyed. It is also quite possible that more than one form of the bond exists, and that some are slaves, but others aren't. I would not put it past the Black family to have a darker form of this bond than normal, to make sure there elves cannot escape.
And Dobby's negotiations, contrary to what you think, prove just how free elves can be. He may have negotiated for less, but he still negotiated. Slaves don't get to negotiate anything.
Interesting, wonder if their will be be something will screw up. Nice to see the two stories finally cross each other
I guess that's a good house elf backstory as any.
My head cannon was after losing an attempted genocide war against humanity, they was offered Indentured Servitude or death.
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Well, Dobby was free at that point but prior to that, he served Lucius until Harry tricked him into accidentally freeing Dobby. My point was that House Elves are so use to being slaves that even those who are free still seek to simply work not caring about proper compensation. Dobby only saught freedom because Lucius treated him poorly.
But Dobby does state that house-elves are slaves.
Well-thought out preperations for the Hogsmeade holiday - minimises most of the loopholes.
Although I do wonder where the Muggle intelligence agency put their cameras, that they could get a line of sight into the house.
My thoughts on what might go wrong?
I would actually like to see mayhem, CMC style. And Tree sap. Maybe for the entire group? Even the teacher or something?
But I ditto the idea that Malfroy faces off wit the Pegasus.
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No, he doesn't. He mentions house elf enslavement, yes, but he in no way states that all house elves are slaves. As mentioned before, it is quite believable that the darker families would find a way to twist the house elf bond into slavery. That does not mean the bond itself is slavery.
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Its technically enslavement, just because neither side has a problem with the arrangement doesn't make it less true. Rowling herself stated they are slaves
If anyone complains, I'll mix pepper with their floo powder.
Somepony falls off their broom at height and has to go all flappyhorse to not splat?
Or Scootaloo decides the broom is just too slow after all and does her own wing thing. :D
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Except that the ponies are not being portraited as infallible at all. Their perceived success is due have a different set of tools (their approach to magic - more versatile, in opposition to wizard's overspecialization), preparation time and planning, and due different experiences in their world, another point of view and attitude, that in this case, it is allowing them to notice the blind points of wizards and question their attitudes (there even an episode of MLP - Applejack's Day Off - exactly about one person noticing a problem in another's routine)
Do the ponies have blind spots of their own? Of course - the difference is that they could be more open about correct them. The information trade between Equestria and UK have the potential to make ponies realize such blind spots that they aren't aware before (An evalution by Castor of Equestria's military could change a lot in the upcoming events).
What the story is doing is portraiting a culture clash, and since the ponies are at the moment, the outsider looking back, they are noticing the problems in Wizarding Britain. When humans began to explore Equestria, we will see the inverse.
Awww. I was hoping to see a dead (or reformed) basilisk this chapter.
It would be even better if Castor had noticed the game board was labeled Monopony, and had place names he had never before encountered (but were vaguely familiar to names he knew).
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I disagree, in the show, the ponies are shown to be just as goofy and nonsensical as wizards. The idea that there is any kind of reasonable excuse for them being portrayed as infallible here is just silly. One of the things I really like about MSD is that the ponies are learning just as much as the wizards in the exchange of culture, there's never this idea that the ponies could do better than wizards at everything just certain things.
One of my favourite jokes was when the ponies didn't bother to read the instructions to the enchanted trunk and wound up getting eaten by the thing because they honestly had no reason to expect that would happen. In this story, the ponies have no difficulty adapting to wizard magic and that kind of sucks the fun out of the whole scenario.
Twilight even excels at politics despite the fact that she hasn't been a princess for very long. We should be seeing her making silly mistakes due to her inexperience and having to rely on Blueblood's expertise. The fact that their first meeting with the muggles went exactly the way they wanted it to go was a real wasted opportunity, it would have been far more interesting if the ponies had been truly caught off guard before they were ready and had to come up with a plan to deal with the situation, maybe even contemplate obliviation if they had made contact with the wizards first. Instead, it all works out perfectly without a single hitch and that's just honestly the least entertaining option the story could have gone with as it just gave us several chapters of ponies explaining things followed by the muggles reacting to what they have been told.
The point is that you are blind if you haven't noticed the blatant favouritism happening in this story from day 1. It doesn't ruin the story but it certainly keeps the story from being as good as it could be.
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House elves can be entirely relevant if Twilight (or Luna!!) offers to hire several of them from Hogwarts to go to Equestria to serve there, if only to get to know them and their culture. I suspect the ponies might check the elves thoroughly to see if there are any compulsions or enchantments and the like, perhaps ask them about how they do their magic. And how would house elves react in a world bursting at the seems with magic? Would they need a bond?
It seems like a minor topic, but it can become a major one, depending on how the story approaches it.
If some house elves won't be allowed to leave due to making Hogwarts run less efficiently, I can see the ponies offering some of their professional servants in exchange, paid for by the crown for their time at Hogwarts. It'd let them see how the house-elves operate there, as well as exactly how much work they do. I can easily see a single house elf do several times more work than a professional servant, that's not something to just ignore or sweep under the run. The wizards have made a slave caste that are far more efficient servants than themselves!
Broomstick lessons... things that can go wrong: A pony gets the munchies and eats the sweep of a broom. :)