The Witch and The Hunters

CHAPTER FIVE

Page count: 8

"Giant Squid? Seriously?"

Hermione looked up from her book and towards the voice. It was Sam and he was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest and an amused smile pulling at his mouth.

"Yes, the Giant Squid and he's a sweetheart." He raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Honestly, he is, he likes to have his tentacles tickled, he loves to play fetch and his favourite food is toast, plus, if someone falls in the Black Lake, he rescues them and takes them back to land. Most students are afraid of him but I've passed on my knowledge to my nieces and nephews and when they start Hogwarts, the Giant Squid will have someone to keep him company."

"Ghosts? You actually allow ghosts to occupy a place where children live?"

"They're not vengeful spirits, they're not the type of ghosts you deal with. They don't harm anyone, well except Peeves, but he's a poltergeist that loves to play pranks on the students and professors, particularly the caretaker, Filch, but he's a horrible man so it's understandable." He snorted at her. "Besides, the ghosts are kind of like our mascots, Slytherin has the Bloody Baron, a foul-tempered old bastard and he's the only thing that can control Peeves. Ravenclaw has the Grey Lady, also known as Helena Ravenclaw, the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff has the Fat Friar and Gryffindor has Nearly Headless Nick. Of course, they all died on castle grounds and decided to stay. There are other ghosts but none worth mentioning, well, there's Professor Binns, Professor of History of Magic. Word on the corridors is that he died in his sleep and his ghost turned up to his class the next day, we don't even think he knows he's dead," she shrugged.

He blinked at that, apparently finding it hard to digest that a ghost actually taught children at Hogwarts. "Alright, moving staircases?"

"Yes, and they're a right pain in the arse, especially when you're running late for class. They derail you and you have to wait twenty minutes for the stairs to return you to the correct floor of the castle."

"And talking portraits?"

"Yes, some aren't too bad, others are a nightmare, like Walburga Black, horrid woman she is, well, was. Her portrait was in Grimmauld, Headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix. Whenever she was woken she would scream and spout off blood supremacy bollocks about how we were unworthy to be in her presence and we were befouling the home of her ancestors," she rolled her eyes causing him to chuckle. "You should've been there the day Sirius told her that he wanked off in her bedroom."

He spluttered and she heard a sudden laugh, she turned her head to see Dean walking into the room, looking calmer than he had earlier and laughing joyously.

"Well done, Witch, it's not often I see the Sasquatch speechless."

She took the compliment, even if it was slightly insulting, but it was progress. "If I didn't know she was already dead and buried, I would've thought she'd die in disgust," she smirked in amusement.

"What's a house-elf?" Sam asked, bringing her attention back to him and she noticed the blush covering his cheeks, she decided to leave off on the teasing, getting the feeling his brother would do it more than enough for the both of them. "They're mentioned in the book you gave me."

"House-elves are essentially magical creatures that live to serve wizards and witches, basically they are slaves. Years ago I didn't understand the bond that a house-elf shares with their master and I started this crusade to free all house-elves from slavery. But what I didn't understand at the time was that house-elves love to serve, it's what they live for. Without having a master or family to serve, they have no purpose and if they have no purpose, they die. House-elves can live for centuries and most stay with the family they are first bound to until their death. Even though I understood their need to serve, I wasn't happy with the treatment they received. Abuse, starvation, self-harm, torture. I couldn't stand by and watch these creatures suffer, and so, over the years I worked in conjunction with the Regulations and Control of Magical Creatures Department and together we instilled laws that forbid house-elves from being abused and punished, they are to receive a fair wage and are entitled to holidays, I believe that everyone should have equal rights, no matter their species or background." She said passionately and she forced down the blush when she realised that she had gone off on a rant, and the now three Hunters that stood by the doorway, were staring at her with different levels of surprise and admiration. She cleared her throat. "Any more questions?"