With this newfound bounty, Skyler was in high spirits and decided to linger a while longer. Engaging in a friendly conversation with Elder Goober, he ventured to ask about the selection process for elves to become elders.

“Elder Goober, if I may ask, how do the elves at Hogwarts go about choosing their elders?” Skyler inquired politely.

Elder Goober, unaffected by Skyler’s politeness, responded in a calm and normal tone, “Not to worry, sir. Your question is not presumptuous at all. Among the elves, there is no official hierarchy. The position of elder doesn’t involve managing other elves. Our tribe’s ancestors established this tradition…”

Skyler’s curiosity led him to contemplate the history of Hogwarts. When the school was founded, each founder had specific responsibilities. Rowena Ravenclaw handled the interior design, Salazar Slytherin recruited professors, Godric Gryffindor managed the intelligent creatures around the castle, and Helga Hufflepuff took charge of daily maintenance, including cleaning, purchasing, and kitchen operations.

(Note: Hogwarts had a different history during a more prosperous era. The number of employees and students was not as limited as described in the original book. McGonagall served as an assistant teacher before becoming a professor. In the original book, the student count dropped to 41-80 due to Voldemort’s war. The increased mortality and reduced fertility led to a shrinking wizarding population in Britain. This book posits a setting where the number of students in the 1990s was 600, and the pre-Voldemort era had 1,000 students.)

Hufflepuff serendipitously gained the allegiance of a House-elf, and with the assistance of that elf, discovered more of their kind. Touched by the brutal and inhumane treatment house elves endured during the Middle Ages, Hufflepuff brought them to Hogwarts, providing a secure haven. While she didn’t attempt to liberate the house elves like Hermione did later in the original book, Hufflepuff offered them the best working and living conditions possible for the time, earning profound respect from the house elves.

Skyler speculated that the first House-elf to join Hufflepuff might be the supposed ancestor of Elder Goober. Goober himself promptly validated this assumption.

“Yes, our ancestor was the initial elf to follow Master Hufflepuff, the great Wooby. He established the tradition of appointing elders. Before each elder’s demise, they must designate the next heir. The elf inheriting the elder’s position also inherits the secrets of our House-elves, and Hufflepuff’s saucepan is one of them.” Goober explained with a serious look on his face.

“Elder Goober, I didn’t mean to pry into the secrets of your race. I was merely curious about Hockchi’s whereabouts. Hogwarts: A School History documents his achievements, like helping He Chipach sever the Demon Tree Soul Eater and establishing a greenhouse for herb cultivation. However, the school history remains silent about his ultimate fate.” Skyler replied with his palms facing toward Goober, explaining that he meant no harm.

Elder Goober fell silent, his expression inscrutable even to Skyler’s keen observations.

“Elder Goober, have I asked something I shouldn’t have? If you’d rather not answer, it’s okay. I was just curious, and I don’t need to know,” Skyler hastily added, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“Fate,” Goober sighed.

Skyler refrained from interrupting Goober’s contemplation, patiently awaiting his words. As he took a deep breath, he observed the other House-elves start whispering against each other.

“In all these years, you are the first person to inquire about the great Wooby’s whereabouts, and you’re not even a Hufflepuff…”

Elder Goober’s gaze subtly shifted, and he continued, “Since you’ve successfully navigated Master Hufflepuff’s test and sought to know where Master Wooby went, I will share with you…”

“Our house elves are, in fact, one branch of the elves…”

Skyler remained unsurprised by this revelation. Following the magical history class that day, he learned that elves originated from the ancient elves, a lineage lost in the annals of history alongside ancient Dragons and Giants.

Descendants of the ancient elves manifested in various forms, and house elves scattered across Europe were just one manifestation. Other examples included the malevolent elves inhabiting Germany’s Black Forest, Irish dwarfs, the Yumbo in African folklore, Tanuki from the East, and more. Strictly speaking, they all fell under the umbrella term of Elvish Creatures.

“In ancient times, to evade conflict, our eldest ancestors—the ancient Elves—created a hidden realm as a refuge for their descendants. However, many descendants, unwilling to spend their lives in seclusion, harbored a deep desire to explore the outside world. Some clandestinely left the secret realm, giving rise to entities like evil spirits, dwarfs, Yumbo, civet cat people, and us…”

“With the assistance of Master Hufflepuff, we House-elves have discovered a path back to the secret realm. Hence, every House-elf at Hogwarts will autonomously return to the elven realm upon reaching the twilight of their years. There, they will embrace death. As for me, after appointing my successor as elder in a few years, I will journey back to the ancestral elven land.”

So, is this the most significant secret passed down through generations among house elves? The existence of the ancient elves’ secret realm has endured to the present day.

If avaricious wizards were to discover this, the implications would be dire. They would undoubtedly seek to exploit and enslave more elves and make them do their bidding. It makes sense why house elves guard this secret so closely.

Skyler promptly discerned that something was amiss. Ravenclaw’s intricate heir-selection trial, involving finding, repairing, and activating a crown, followed by perusing an extensive collection of books, suggested that Hufflepuff’s test, as a co-founder of the Big Four, couldn’t be as straightforward as deciphering a Gurunis magic talisman. While Hufflepuff’s writings in the Rune Guide might seem dispassionate, cracking a single symbol would likely be within the capability of numerous professors and gifted students over the past millennium.

Skyler couldn’t help but ponder: Could Hufflepuff’s genuine trial be situated in the elves’ ancestral land? Perhaps this crucible served as a decoy, constituting a fraction of the actual test. Satisfied with this apparent challenge, students might overlook the true trial.

The pressing question now was, “Tell me, Elder Goober. How can I go to the ancestral land of yours without doing any harm to your kin? I believe the test that came from Mrs. Hufflepuff herself doesn’t end with me knowing the tip of your historical where from.”

The elves, possessing this knowledge, would assuredly guard the secret from wizards.

Methods such as separation, mental manipulation, and soul control could potentially extract the secrets, but Skyler vehemently rejected such dark practices.

His past entanglement with black magic had left an indelible mark, and he was determined to avoid succumbing to its influence again.

Goober finally showed an expression similar to a laugh, he chuckled for a bit before finally staring at Skyler. Behind those stares, Skyler could see Goober’s eyes lit up with an infused light of magic similar to when a wand is casting.

“Young Master, that’s on you to figure out. Prove yourself before the House elves and the Hufflepuff before you dare to dream of stepping inside our ancestral realm.” Goober answered while his expression returned to normal.

Returning to his bedroom, he summoned Dobby before him.

“Dobby has been by my side for the longest time, witnessing my growth since childhood. It’s impossible for him not to harbor feelings. However, everything changed after I acquired the soul chapter of “Abatel” and delved into the realm of soul magic.

During one summer vacation, before my first encounter with Voldemort, I conducted an experiment on Dobby. In my exploration of still unfamiliar soul magic, I implanted an “irresistible” suggestion in Dobby’s mind, compelling his loyalty to me.

It was around that time that my mindset began to evolve. The ability to manipulate the emotions, desires, and thoughts of others at will—how can I put it? It’s undeniably thrilling to feel above everything else. I faced moments of hesitation, self-doubt, and anxiety as my proficiency in soul magic rapidly grew. However, an unexpected event involving Meredith, coupled with the frustration and guilt it triggered, strengthened my resolve to pursue power. This led me to cast aside caution and plunge deeper into the dark arts.”

Skyler’s monologue inside his heart led him to look at Dobby with a caring look. He couldn’t even dare to look at him for more than a second. I feared that he might cry upon realizing what kind of stuff he made Dobby went through…

Confronted by Dobby’s fanatical and unwaveringly loyal gaze, recalling the shared past of our childhood, and reflecting on what I had subjected him to, I sighed and spoke softly, “Dobby, I am sorry for what I’ve put you through…”

Dobby seemed a bit bewildered, standing there dumbfounded, awaiting Skyler’s command. Unbeknownst to him, what he was about to receive was Skyler raising his wand and uttering, “Liberatio Anima!”

The Spell that Skyler learned from one of the books he had read. A counter spell for the Imperius Curse that he had perfected to return one’s self into what it was before the mind control spell taken effect.

Dobby’s heavy head shook, his entire being swaying, and with an unstable gait, he eventually settled onto the ground.

“How are you feeling, Dobby?” Skyler inquired gently.

“Dobby is okay,” Dobby mumbled, still grappling with the drowsiness in his head. He pointed to his temple and added, “It’s just a little dizzy up here…”

“I owe you an apology, Dobby,” Skyler contemplated for a moment and decided to be forthright. “I used some magic on you previously, and it may have had an impact on your mind. But now, I’ve rectified it for you.”

“Master doesn’t need to apologize to Dobby,” Dobby widened his eyes. “Dobby actually knows that he could be free in the first place. Even though it was Harry Potter who did it, you, the young master, secretly contributed as well. You provided Dobby with employment, and for that, Dobby is deeply grateful. In Dobby’s heart, he has always regarded the young master as the true master…”

House elves are an exceptionally unique species, and their loyalty doesn’t solely adhere to ancient family contracts. For instance, creatures like Kreacher can only pledge allegiance to certain individuals within the family, opting for deception and conspiracy against others who are part of the same household.

When a house-elf hasn’t truly surrendered, they’ll go to great lengths to find linguistic loopholes in the orders given by their nominal master. They can even clandestinely engage in activities that may harm the owner, all within the bounds of the owner’s directives, though they must endure severe self-punishment afterward.

“There’s only one path to earning the true loyalty of house elves, and that’s by treating them with kindness.” In the original book, Sirius met an indirect demise after making this crucial mistake.

The sentiments Dobby expressed now undoubtedly laid bare his genuine feelings for Skyler. Skyler, however, shook his head. “Dobby, you’ve taken care of me since my childhood, and I’ll never forget the times you endured punishment from Karkaroff to shield me. Bringing you back to freedom is the least I can do for you. As for having you work for me, well, I suppose I am using you to carry out tasks for me…”

“No!” Dobby interjected loudly, “In Dobby’s heart, the young master is a good friend. Assisting the young master is Dobby’s happiest and proudest achievement!”

Skyler’s gaze suddenly sharpened. “Dobby, do you genuinely believe that? Aren’t you angry at all for when I cast a spell on you?”

“Dobby doesn’t know,” replied Dobby, shaking his head stubbornly. “But Dobby knows, little master, you will definitely not harm Dobby!”

“Innocent!” Skyler sneered, his tone turning cold. “Then, what would you do if I cast a spell on you again?”

“Dobby believes the young master won’t do this!” Dobby declared confidently, puffing out his chest without fear.

“Dobby… you are a bit silly, but so adorable…” Skyler lamented inside his heart.

Skyler sighed, closed his eyes, and spoke quietly after a moment. “Thank you, Dobby. Thank you so much.”

“Dobby, I need your help—note that this is a request, not an order. You can choose to refuse, and I will never blame you.”

“Young Master, please say,” Dobby responded firmly. “Dobby will do his best to help you.”

Skyler then shared with Dobby about the inheritance of Hufflepuff, requesting Dobby’s assistance in guiding him to the ancestral land of the elves. Skyler solemnly assured Dobby that this time, his intentions were solely for Hufflepuff’s inheritance, with no ulterior motives towards the other elven races re

siding in the ancestral land.

Without hesitation, Dobby patted his chest and agreed. “Anytime, Young Master!”