Magic (5sos/l.h. Hogwarts AU)

Chapter 57

~A/N~ I'm rereading Harry Potter and genuinely I think I forget how good the books are because of all the fanfiction and headcanons, but the real books are better than all that
Enjoy the chapter!
Leila xx

For the first time, the Feast didn't feel like a hectic rush of catching up and desperately hoping no one hated me, renewing friendships and gossiping, stressing over new timetables and classes. For the first time, it wasn't a whirlwind of emotion, nerves and deja vu, or hysteric giggling that lasted all night long.

For the first time, it was... peaceful, almost as though we had never left, just ended classes for another day and come down to dinner to de-stress and decompress.

It was nice.

The other Gryffindors had greeted us with a friendly wave, not going out of their way to jump up and hug us but that was ok, because my closest friends were still happy to see me and I knew that - not worrying about it like I had in previous years. The usual questions of, "how was your holiday?" and, "go anywhere exotic?" were the main focus of conversation, and it was relaxing and simple to settle back in.

The only thing that was different was Hermione's new obsession - it was natural for her to have one, and she had decided on house elves.

"Don't you just think it's ridiculous?" she said to us for the third time, Luke and I sighing but Calum nodding furiously. Harry and Ron had turned away, seemingly incredibly relieved that we were now the subject of her ranting, and Ginny, Michael and Ashton had struck up their own conversation to avoid being a part of ours.

As much as I had agreed with the girl at first, her incessant complaining was giving me a headache and all I wanted was for it to stop. Of course, Calum was in favour of her words due to his thing about magical creatures, and I wanted to hit him over the head for encouraging it.

"They're treated like slaves! They are slaves! It's disgusting, how some wizarding families think they can just stomp over these elves like they're scum and use them for their own benefits only!"

"I've always thought that," Calum said, "ever since I first found all the house elves working in the kitchens."

"Not these kitchens, surely?" Hermione gasped as Nearly Headless Nick floated over, quickly catching on to our conversation.

Calum nodded grimly, and Hermione looked horrified. "There are house elves here? At Hogwarts?"

"Certainly," said Nearly Headless Nick. "The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred."

"I've never seen one!"

"Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they?" said Nick, in a tone that suggested it was obvious. "They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning... see to the fires and so on... I mean, you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house elf, isn't it, that you don't know it's there?"

Hermione looked as though she were about to combust, so I took the opportunity to step in. "Hermione, I think they enjoy it-"

"But they get paid?!" she ignored my desperate attempts to calm her down. "They get holidays, don't they? And - and sick leave and pensions and everything?"

"Sick leave and pensions?" Nick snorted. "House elves don't want sick leave and pensions!"

All of a sudden, Hermione threw her fork down and pushed her plate away. "Slave labour. That's what made this dinner. Slave labour."

As much as I agreed and wanted to do the right thing for species equality, I felt it wasn't worth forfeiting my meal so continued to chow down on my chicken, as did Luke and Calum. After all, a hunger strike wasn't going to get the house elves sick leave and pensions.