Albus Potter, Classmates and Elves

Ch 30 The Meeting After The ICWW

Minor but very good additions by Deb.

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The first Tuesday after the International Conference of Witches and Wizards, right after dinner, a group gathered in the drawing room of Twelve Grimmauld Place to discuss the conference. Harry and Ginny were there, along with Hermione and Ron. The four MELL students, Albus, Rose, Cleopatra and Scorpius were there. Elves were represented by Dobedo and his mate Harriet Tubman, Mitzi and her mate Fritz.

Harry and Hermione explained what had taken place at the meeting of the Magi. Ron added, "From what I and the other shopkeepers heard, there was more than the usual amount of grumbling, because everyone knew major Elf and Goblin meetings were going on at the same time. Many Magi were furious that Magi were not leading these meetings or even allowed to attend.

"Everything blew up Friday after Mary's talk to the meeting. Everything became increasingly tense Saturday as Elves and Magi started to talk, negotiate, fight. We have had Elves slowly and at times secretly buying things from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, not that they are very good customers, but they are doing it more openly now."

Fritz interjected, "Elves do not usually buy silly toys."

"We are working on that," Ron kidded.

Fritz shook his head. You could tell he did not have much use for "silly toys."

Harry asked the Elves, "What did happen at your meetings?"

The Elves looked at each other, trying to figure out who should speak. Finally, Harriet started, "Very complicated. Very complicated.

"Secrecy will be lost soon. All the Elfish people will be revealed to the No-Maj world. We have to decide what we will be. Leaders tell us that if some of us are slaves some of the Magi and others will consider all of us slaves."

"Slaves a very harsh word," Fritz interjected.

"Slaves, or former slaves. Not equal beings," Harriet insisted. "It is a harsh word. It is a harsh treatment of beings not considered fully human. We can all be equal to humans or none of us can be confident we will be treated as equal."

"All did not agree, but the leaders did," Fritz confirmed. "We must all be equal to humans, not slaves but not gods, just equal beings."

"Galadriel and Thorin mating this week, and they will take their place as head of the High Elves," Harriet informed the group. "Not back at Hogwarts, but staying at Switzerland and traveling around the world talking about freedom and responsibility."

"That sounds simple enough," Ron thought out loud.

Everyone looked at him like he was crazy.

"Goblin wives met and many decided that they did not want to be called a 'Goblin wife,'" Harriet said. "They want to be an Elf instead. They want their mates and themselves to be High Elves, not Goblins. To many there is an undesirable history connected to being a Goblin."

"How did that go over," Harry wondered.

"Like a failed levitation spell," Harriet replied as she brought her hand up and let it fall flat on her lap. "The Goblins thought they could out shout the Goblin females, but the females did not bring clothing or food to their mates. The females ended up more or less unified, and the Goblins were fighting among themselves. The females won a battle, but there is a long and painful reconciliation ahead.

"Mutneset and a rather large group of females that acknowledged her as their leader were at the heart of the controversy. She rose to the top of the Goblin hierarchy by being very smart, by being an immense help to Zefenslot, and by arranging marriages or mating's between her many children and other Goblin families. Females Goblins have always worked in important back room roles in the banks and businesses, but have been treated as slaves by male Goblins all too often.