Harry Potter and the Hidden Treasure (Volume 3)

Chapter 475 Evan's Tracking Magic

Winky's perspective was that of the vast majority of house-elves, and those like Dobby were the minority.

The long oppression had led them to form this mistaken and abnormal concept.

The most terrible thing about house-elves being slaves to wizards was that they themselves agreed to it.

Evan knew this, but others did not.

Upon hearing Winky's words, Harry asked in confusion, "What's wrong with it, shouldn't they be paid?"

Winky seemed quite horrified by the idea and slightly closed her fingers, half-hiding her face. "House-elves are not paid, sir!" she said in a choked squeak. "It's the worst, worst idea. It's bad. It's a shame for us."

Upon hearing her words, Hermione raised her eyebrows. Evan knew it meant she was uncomfortable with what Winky was saying and wanted something to be said.

In fact, the next moment, she turned her eyes to Evan with an inquisitive look on her face.

"I paid Dobby, and he had days off!" whispered Evan, "Four Galleons a month and a day off."

"That's it!" Hermione furrowed her brow even more. "I never knew you were exploiting Dobby and being so stingy with him!"

Evan wanted to give Dobby more Galleons and holidays, but the house-elf did not accept them at all.

In fact, every time he asked him to do less or spoke a few words of care, he cried with his thigh in his arms.

Eventually, Evan gave up and stopped asking him. For house-elves, more work meant more happiness!

But Hermione obviously did not think so. From her expression, it seemed she thought Evan was taking advantage of cheap labor.

She knew Dobby's work. He was Evan's full-time servant, available 24 hours a day.

With such a heavy workload, he could only receive one Galleon a week. What was the difference between him and slaves?

Meanwhile, Harry's conversation with Winky continued.

"There's nothing wrong with being paid. Dobby should also have fun," said Harry.

"House-elves should not have fun, Harry Potter!" said Winky firmly from behind her hands, looking angry, addressing Harry by his full name. "House-elves do as they are told. I do not like heights at all, but my master sends me to the Top Box and I go, Harry Potter." She looked towards the edge of the box and swallowed.

"Why has he sent you up here if he knows you do not like heights?" Harry frowned discontentedly.

"The master, the master wants me to save him a seat, Harry Potter. He is very busy," said Winky, tilting her head towards the empty space next to her. "Winky wishes to be back in the master's store, Harry Potter, but Winky does as she is commanded. Unlike Dobby, Winky is a very good house-elf."

She gave another scared glance at the edge of the box and hid her eyes completely again.

There was silence, and everyone looked at each other. Only Hermione was frowning angrily.

"These house-elves are very peculiar, aren't they?" muttered Ron.

"They might be even stranger than Dobby," Harry agreed.

"They just think too naively, but in essence, they are not bad," said Evan, looking anxiously at Hermione, "house-elves have their own way of life and customs, and we should not pretend to be all-powerful by trying to interpret their views as we please or even try to intervene."

He did not know if Hermione had heard, and hoped she would not come up with something like saving the house-elves and changing their world.

But Evan thought if Hermione didn't, it wouldn't be Hermione!

It was one of Hermione's traits, and also part of her charm. Some things were meant to be and could not change anyway.

Evan pondered for a moment. Instead of worrying about Hermione, he should do something within his reach.

He quietly pulled out his wand and pointed it at the empty seat next to Winky, and subtle magic silently fell there.

It was Evan's tracking magic that allowed him to take control of his current position within a certain range.

Voldemort and the vampires could save Barty Crouch Jr., but they could not engage in a fierce fight. The crazy events that happened in the ruins of the fallen Centaurs couldn't happen here at the site of the Quidditch World Cup.

Suddenly, Evan remembered: each time he saw the evil god approaching, in the end, due to the lack of flesh and blood, it could not sustain the speed of expansion of its enormous body, which eventually led to its collapse and the appearance of cracks.

The expansion of the evil god seemed endless. What would it be like if there were 100,000 people to provide it with flesh and blood?! It would probably cover all of England and extend beyond the atmosphere.

Such a monster would be terrifying!

Soon, everyone's attention shifted from Winky to the Quidditch field.

Ron took out his Omnioculars and began testing them, gazing intently at the crowd on the other side of the stadium.

"Incredible!" he said, turning the replay knob on the side. "I can make that old man pick his nose over and over again... over and over again."

"Did Hermione just say there will be a presentation of the Team Mascots before the game? What could that be?" Harry asked curiously.

"Oh, it's always worth seeing," said Mr. Weasley, "You'll be impressed by the finale."

"This is a tradition of the World Cup. National teams bring creatures from their homeland to put on a small show," said Sirius to Harry, "They are all very peculiar things. One year they brought over 30 phoenixes."

Dumbledore had a phoenix named "Fawkes," a magical creature with golden feathers and great magical power. The phoenix is very rare, with origins in Egypt, India, and China, and phoenixes in different places have slight differences.

But overall, they are all very ornate. It was hard to imagine what it would be like to see more than 30 phoenixes flying around the field.

The stands gradually filled over the next half hour.

Mr. Weasley kept shaking hands with people who were clearly very important wizards.

Sirius mostly responded with disdain. He sat in the corner and whispered to Evan about the wizards' past. In front of them, Percy stood up so often that he seemed to be trying to sit on a spiky porcupine.

When Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself, arrived, Percy bowed so low that his glasses fell off and broke.

Very embarrassed, he quickly repaired the lens with his wand and then remained seated.

When Cornelius Fudge greeted Harry as an old friend, Percy cast jealous glances at him.

Then, Fudge saw Sirius and Evan sitting in the corner and approached them with a smile.