Hermione went into the Hufflepuff common room, with Jane.
"Hey," called Ernie. "What are you doing here?"
"I won't stay long," Hermione explained. "I was just wondering if anyone would like to participate in a secret Defense Against the Dark Arts class, taught by Professor Lupin, which may or may not happen.
"I would," Susan said.
"So would I," Justin said.
Hermione sent an owl to Professor Lupin and asked him to come and teach them. She included her long list of Gryffindors and Hufflepuff's wanting to participate if he said yes, and the list Luna made of Ravenclaws wanting to participate, but it had been taking him awhile to respond.
In the meantime, she had other things to occupy her time. For example, her new idea for freeing the house-elves.
She had thought of the idea a while ago, while she was packing to leave for the Burrow and later Hogwarts. She had packed the hand-knit hat Jane had given her for Christmas last year, and the hand-knit scar she had given her for Christmas the year before. Her idea was that Jane knit stuff to leave around the common rooms, to trick the house-elves into getting freed, and maybe she could teach Hermione to knit so she could do it to.
Hermione had not mentioned her idea to Jane. On the train, she determined that Jane had a lot to deal with right now, so she didn't want to ask her to do anything.
She wished she had thought to ask Mrs. Weasley to teach her how to knit, but it was too late now.
Eventually she mentioned this to Neville.
"Maybe you should just ask her anyway?"
"Maybe, or maybe I should try to learn how to knit myself. I wonder how she learned how to knit."
"I recall her mentioning that her grandmother taught her to knit because she had trouble going for car rides and she thought it would help if she had something to do with her hands, and it did."
Hermione found Jane on the grounds, setting up her swing. She mentioned her idea to Jane. "But if you think it's too much work," she added, "it's okay to say no."
Jane pulled out her notepad and pen, and started writing
As Hermione watched her write, she couldn't help but notice that Jane's muggle notepad and pen were an interesting change from the usual quill and parchment, but it was faster and easier to carry around, so it made sense. Still, she couldn't help but wonder how many weird looks she got.
Jane finished, and showed Hermione.
I'm sorry but I don't want to trick them into getting set free. I want them to want to be free.
Would that even work anyway? Finding clothes doesn't seem like the same as your boss giving them to you.
Hermione stared at her, for several seconds, "Your probably right," she said, sadly.
Jane wrote again, and then showed Hermione.
At least you're trying, but fixing many years of brainwashing is probably going to take many years.
Hermione read that and realized that she did not know much about how muggle human slavery was ended, or how long it took. She would have to find out.