Chapter 670: Indeed, How Could It Be Him?
Chapter 670: Indeed, How Could It Be Him?
"Give it a rest, Hermione, those House-Elves don't need rest. They'd be happy to work all day long!" Ron sneered.
Hermione glared at him, about to retort, but then she noticed Ivan suddenly stand up, toss his utensils aside, and run off toward the exit.
"Ivan? Where are you going?" Hermione shouted, but Ivan didn't stop to explain and quickly disappeared down the corridor of the Entrance Hall.
Hermione hesitated for a moment, guessing where Ivan might be headed, and then she also dropped her utensils and followed him.
"Are they not planning to eat anymore?" Ron asked, looking curiously at Ivan and Hermione as they left their seats.
"How should I know?" Harry was equally puzzled, completely in the dark about what was happening.
...
Once out of the Entrance Hall, Ivan immediately opened the Marauder's Map and began to examine it.
Thin, black ink gradually appeared on the parchment, outlining the entire castle and the names of the people inside.
Ivan's eyes immediately fell on a moving name.
Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody!
Ivan frowned deeply, and after a moment, he put the Marauder's Map away.
When he looked up again, he was already in the castle's basement. Ahead of him was a wide stone corridor, brightly lit by torches on the thick stone walls, which were decorated with various pictures of food.
Ivan quickly walked up to a painting of a large fruit platter and reached out, gently tickling the green pear. The pear squirmed and giggled, then suddenly transformed into a large green doorknob.
Ivan grabbed it and was about to push the door open when he heard hurried footsteps behind him. Turning around, he saw Hermione.
"Hermione, what are you doing here?" Ivan was puzzled.
"Of course, I'm here to help!" Hermione said firmly. "I'm very familiar with these House-Elves and have interacted with them many times!"
Ivan nodded helplessly. Since she was already there, he couldn't very well send her away. He grabbed the doorknob and pushed open the door to the Kitchen.
Inside was a spacious room, as large as the Great Hall above. Along the stone walls, there were many gleaming copper pots and pans, and at the far end was a large brick fireplace.
The most striking feature was the four long wooden tables, arranged exactly like the tables of the Four Houses in the Great Hall above.
Ivan could see the short House-Elves scurrying around, placing beautifully prepared dishes on the tables. Moments later, these dishes would vanish, presumably summoned by the students.
"Every House-Elf works tirelessly, making no mistakes, yet they can't live any better", Hermione said, sounding disheartened.
Ivan didn't respond. In fact, the House-Elves at Hogwarts were better off compared to their counterparts who served in Pureblood families, where their lives were far more miserable.
Their arrival didn't go unnoticed by the observant House-Elves. The nearest ones immediately stopped their work and gathered around Ivan, while Hermione was completely ignored.
The House-Elves were wary of her because she often came to spread what they considered "evil" ideas.
"Halsmaster, may I ask what you need?" the lead House-Elf said with great enthusiasm.
Ivan crouched down, trying to make eye contact with the House-Elf, and asked gently, "I'm here to ask you about something. I've heard that Professor Mad-Eye Moody often asks you to prepare a midnight snack. Is that true?"
"Yes! Master Mad-Eye Moody told us he needs to investigate suspicious individuals in the castle, and he usually stays up very late, so he needs an extra snack. We're very happy to help!" the House-Elf said proudly.
Ivan nodded and, without minding the cleanliness, sat on the floor and began to think.
The House-Elves quietly gathered around Ivan, not moving a muscle. Hermione also refrained from speaking, not wanting to disturb Ivan's thoughts.
After a long while, Ivan seemed to come back to his senses and looked at the House-Elves again. "Have you ever cleaned Professor Mad-Eye Moody's office? I visited it once, and, well, how should I put it... it was very messy!"
"Master Mad-Eye Moody never lets us enter his office. He says it contains many dangerous items, each of which could be lethal", the House-Elf replied, sounding quite dejected.
"I see." Ivan slowly got up from the floor, dusted off his clothes, and said, "I suddenly feel like having a midnight snack. Could you prepare one for me, just like what Professor Mad-Eye Moody requests?"
The House-Elves eagerly got to work.
...
About ten minutes later, Ivan pushed open the door and left the Kitchen, enthusiastically bid farewell by the House-Elves. Compared to when he arrived, Ivan now held a tray with a half steak, a large hot dog, a few pieces of mousse cake, and a few sweet treats.
"Do you want some, Hermione?" Ivan cut off a piece of the hot dog and took a big bite, then offered the tray to Hermione.
Hermione shook her head. After hearing so much from Ivan, she had no appetite left. She quickly asked, "Are you suspecting Professor Mad-Eye Moody?"
"But... how could that be?" Hermione found it hard to believe. Mad-Eye Moody was a legendary Auror and had helped them a great deal this semester. He was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor she had ever seen!
"Yes, how could that be..." Ivan nodded in agreement, taking a bite of the mousse cake as he spoke.
Hermione bit her lip, her brown eyes fixed on Ivan. She could tell he was being evasive.
Ivan scratched his head. He didn't want Hermione to get involved in this, but he couldn't keep it from her now. He pointed to the tray in his hand and said, "Do you think Professor Mad-Eye Moody is a big eater? He eats three meals a day, snacks on a lot of sweets, and then runs to the Kitchen for a midnight snack..."
Hermione looked at the tray in Ivan's hand and immediately understood his point. The midnight snack was substantial enough to serve as dinner for two people.
"So, what if I told you that Professor Mad-Eye Moody might be feeding someone else? Otherwise, why wouldn't he just eat in the Great Hall or the Kitchen? Why carry a tray around, always in such a hurry?" Ivan speculated boldly.
(End of Chapter)
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