Vid flipped through Hermione's proposal and said, "I took a look, and the short-term goal of your House-Elf Rights Promotion is... to ensure House-Elves receive fair wages and a good working environment."
In the proposal, a detailed list of various tasks that House-Elves are responsible for, along with the wages and leave they should receive, was provided.
"And your long-term goal," Vid turned to the next page, "is to liberate all House-Elves from slave conditions, improve their legal status, allow them to use magic wands, and even strive to have an Elf in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Fantastic Beasts?"
"That's right." Hermione nodded firmly, saying, "Of course, I know it's difficult, so we can achieve the short-term goals first! The first step is to ban Wizards from cruelly mistreating House-Elves!"
After pausing for a moment, Hermione looked at everyone and said, "I've found that many Wizards abuse and beat their House-Elves, wasn't Dobby treated like that in the Malfoy Family?"
"But Hermione..." Padma said in confusion, "This isn't the first time you know about this, right? Why did you suddenly have... have this idea?"
"Yes, yes, but I thought it was an isolated case!" Hermione frowned, saying, "After all, it's Malfoy, right? They would treat their Elf this way, honestly, I'm not surprised. Later, I heard about Dobby being employed by Vid..."
Her gaze turned to Vid, a conflicted and complex expression on her face: "I heard about the working conditions you provided for him, and I thought that was normal. Unexpectedly..."
She took a deep breath, saying angrily, "Unexpectedly, other House-Elves don't have this treatment! Even Hogwarts is the same! Over a hundred Elves work day and night, without sick leave and allowances, without any proper treatment!"
Hermione's voice was filled with disappointment and disdain, as if saying— Dumbledore is just like that.
Everyone looked at each other.
Theo said, "But, Hermione, perhaps you don't fully understand... House-Elves like working for Wizards. It's their nature."
"They don't need wages and freedom, Elves consider such things as insults," Michael added.
Vid raised his hand, and everyone quieted down.
"Hermione, I believe you're right, the enslavement of House-Elves by Wizards is indeed a historical remnant, and most people turn a blind eye to the suffering of Elves." Vid said.
"Your idea is very brave, very noble. Even though many people may laugh at it, history will prove that fighting for equal status for other races is correct, even ahead of our current era."
Everyone looked at Vid in surprise, only Michael pursed his lips and whispered to Padma beside him, "I bet there'll be a 'but' later."
Hermione blushed from Vid's praise, and shyly but joyfully said, "Actually, I just feel... this is a serious social injustice, and wrong behavior should be corrected."
"But from your proposal, I've only seen a description of the current state of House-Elves and the two goals of the society." Vid put down the proposal, looked at Hermione, and softly asked, "What specifically do you plan to do?"
Hearing this, Hermione immediately became spirited, unconsciously imitating Professor McGonagall's teaching posture, and said seriously:
"I've certainly thought it over!"
"First, develop membership, participants need to pay two Silver Sickles, and we can use these funds to print flyers."
"Then, I plan to persuade Hogwarts' House-Elves first, let them know they're being enslaved and should demand wages and leave from the school, which is their due!"
"Next is to free the school's House-Elves. I've checked, we students can be considered masters of Hogwarts. If I give them clothes, they might gain freedom!"
Everyone became uneasy at these words— why does every move target Hogwarts?
Especially the last action to free Elves, it sounds truly feasible!
They exchanged a look, then Harry quietly asked, "Hermione, if the school has no House-Elves, who would help us clean and cook?"
"We can work ourselves! Or pay to employ some people to clean public areas!" Hermione glared at Harry, "Harry, do you think we must rely on oppressing House-Elves to maintain life?"
"No, no." Harry weakly explained, "You know, at the Dursley Family, I was almost like a House-Elf."
"Exactly!" Hermione slapped the table and said loudly, "So you should understand more, we urgently need to change the miserable situation of Elves!"
"But directly freeing House-Elves, this approach seems too radical." Vid said, "Hermione, have you thought about— after gaining freedom, what would Elves rely on to survive?"
He provided an example: "Initially, Dobby struggled to find work and nearly wandered the streets. Just one Elf like this, if over a hundred Elves were freed simultaneously... have you thought of their consequences?"
Hermione was speechless for a moment, hesitatingly saying after thinking for a while, "The world is big, there should be... opportunities to find work, right? Didn't Dobby get employed by you?"
"Yes. But assuming they all find employers, that's rather wishful thinking. Without a family, Elves might starve, or turn to crime, killed by radical Wizards— is that what you want?" Vid said.
Hermione said nothing, pursed her lips, but her face still showed disagreement.
"Let's do this," Vid said, "You think they should gain freedom, not be enslaved; I think hastily freeing them would worsen the Elves' situation. Most people think House-Elves like being enslaved... but whichever it is, it's still our own thoughts."
Hermione's gaze shifted as she looked up at Vid.
"This is still Wizard arrogance, Hermione." Vid hit the nail on the head, "If you want to do something for them, you should first listen to the real needs of Elves, instead of directly deciding for them."
"I suggest you don't rush to develop membership, force Wizards to change their ideas, but should first conduct a survey to know what Elves need."
"Don't ask if they want freedom— that will make most Elves very resistant and affect your subsequent activities. You should ask them—"
"Do they feel tired from daily work? Do they have time to rest? How are they treated after making mistakes? Do they have sufficient food and shelter? Can they get treatment if injured?"
"Would receiving their master's gratitude make them happy? If they received some pay, what would they want to buy?"
"If they have the chance to try different jobs, would they want to change? What's their most liked job? What do they dislike? What's their view of Dobby's current life?"
"If one day they left Hogwarts, would their life improve? Would they want to change their current situation? If they could freely arrange their life one day, what would they choose to do?"
"Only by understanding Elves' real thoughts can you make feasible plans— do you think my suggestion makes sense, Hermione?" Vid asked.
Hermione looked at those gray eyes, the candlelight casting mottled hues in his eyes, rendering the winter fog-like eyes into a warm orange.
She was momentarily speechless, the shameful heat rushed to her face. But soon, Hermione's face brightened again with the glow of an idealist.
"I understand, I need real and reliable data, so I can think from the perspective of House-Elves!"
She immediately went into work mode, drawing out a blank scroll of parchment from her bag, focused and quickly writing the survey report.