Sensing Magic
by Teddylonglong
Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.
"Harry!" Misty stared at him and Lucy in apparent surprise. "Is something wrong?"
Harry quickly told her about the founders' quarters, the spy chamber and the conversation between Dumbledore and Minerva. "What can we do to prevent Dumbledore from doing so? If the elves were bonded to him, they'd never have a chance to possibly be freed."
Misty quickly put the phials into the shelf she was just rearranging, before she motioned him to follow her. "Let's speak with Barney. As the head house-elf, he will know what to do."
Barney patiently listened, just like he had always done when Harry still had attended his class together with Nina and Tony.
"Thank you for immediately acting on this 'threat' as I'd like to call it. I understand that you wish to help the house-elves. Do you have any specific plan?"
Harry sighed. "Would it be possible to speak to all house-elves together? I can imagine to bind them to me for the time being and send them all to the Isle of Elves for a holiday until the beginning of the school year. Then, when they return, I'd call them together again and free them all. They will be allowed to work at Hogwarts as before, however, will be paid and receive their days off like any other employee."
Barney nodded in apparent understanding. "What if there are some who do not wish to be freed?"
"Are there any?"
Barney shook his head. "That I don't know. Are you ready to speak to them right away?"
"Misty, will you stay with me please? Teddy is keeping Neville company in the founders' quarters and can't join me here."
Misty nodded, reassuringly. "Of course. I will be with you."
HP
Ten minutes later, the Hogwarts house-elves had laid down their work and were assembled in the large dining room in the elves' quarters. Twinkle, the headmaster's personal elf, and Malcom, Minerva's personal elf, had not been invited, nor had the free elves. Together with Lucy, Harry stood in front of them between Barney and Misty.
"Do you want me to speak first?"
Harry cast Barney a grateful look. "Yes please."
Without mentioning anything about the headmaster, Barney explained about Harry being the owner of Hogwarts and wanting to renew the bond with the elves.
"You all know Harry. He is one of us and the only human allowed to stay on the Isle of Elves. On the Isle of Elves, Harry is known as the saviour of the elves, because he works for the freedom of elves. He has already seen to it that about a dozen elves were freed. I will now cast the spells to renew the bond and divert it from Hogwarts herself to Harry."
Suddenly, a soft voice penetrated Harry's mind. 'Harry, this is Hogwarts speaking. I believe that you're doing the right thing here, and I appreciate it very much. I don't believe that the headmaster has the elves' best interest in mind.'
'Hogwarts?' Harry thought back in disbelief.
'Yes dear. I won't keep you longer now. When you return to the founders' quarters, please go into the parlour. It is the only room, where we can freely communicate with each other without using telepathy.'
'All right, Hogwarts,' Harry replied, when he suddenly felt extremely happy. 'The bonding has been diverted,' he realised and smiled at the elves in front of him, who were looking at him in apparent expectation.
"Hello and thank you for bonding with me." He let out a deep sigh, wondering how to proceed. "I wish for all of you to take two weeks of holidays right away, which I want you to spend on the Isle of Elves. During these two weeks, please consider if you wish to work at Hogwarts as free elves or remain house-elves. If you decide on being free elves like, for example, Misty here, you will receive money for your work just like the other employees, and you will have two days off every month. Otherwise, there won't be any difference. You will work for me as long as you wish to do so. Please think about the matter. If you are uncertain, you could, for example, discuss the matter with the elder elves."
"We cans not simply goes to speak with the elders."
Lucy diverted her head to show Harry a small elf.
"What is your name please?"
"I is Licia."
"Licia, you can go to see Bandhu and tell him that I sent you. I will inform him that I am sending you all to the Isle of Elves right after this meeting."
Licia nodded, still seeming uncertain.
"If anyone does not have a place to go or any other problems with returning to the Isle of Elves, please come to see me during the next few hours. Otherwise, I expect you all to be gone for two weeks and to return on August 20."
"Master Harry!"
"Please just call me Harry. Who are you?"
"I am Nobi. Can we be freed right away?"
Harry smirked. "If that's what you wish, I can free you right away." Turning to Misty, he asked, "Misty, could you perhaps provide some jumpsuits with the Hogwarts crest on them?"
"Of course. I'll be back in a blink."
An instant later, Misty returned together with Cicero, carrying a bag with white jumpsuits. Pulling one out of the bag, she added the Hogwarts crest. "Like this?"
"That's brilliant. Thank you so much." Harry smiled and handed it to Nobi. "If you wish to have it in another colour, you may change it of course."
"Nobi would like dark green."
Only a handful of other elves came to be freed right away, among them Nina and Tony, Harry's friends.
HP
By the time Harry and Lucy returned to the founders' quarters, it was almost time for dinner.
'I wonder what Dumbledore is going to do, when dinner doesn't appear on the table,' Harry thought in anticipation. 'Oh well, we can simply eat at home. I haven't cooked ever since I came to live at Hogwarts, but it won't be a problem, especially as there should be enough ingredients to cook a meal in the elves' kitchen.'
"Sorry that it took me so long." He cast Neville and Teddy an apologetic look. "Let's head to dinner, and please don't tell anyone what you know."
"You look as if you had played a prank on someone."
"Ahh, Teddy, you know me too well. All right, in a certain sense, yes. You mustn't tell anyone, but I sent all house-elves to the Isle of Elves for two weeks."
Teddy and Neville stared at him, open-mouthed.
"That's a good prank indeed." Neville shook his head in apparent disbelief.
"Well, please don't give me away," Harry repeated, as they walked the short distance to the Great Hall.
"Of course not." Neville gave him a comforting nod.
"Why would we? We're going to enjoy the headmaster's reaction." Teddy grinned in apparent anticipation.
tbc tomorrow...
Thank you so very much for the kind reviews for the previous chapter. I appreciate it very much, and my muse really needs the feedback. Thank you.