"You can't do this, Minister Fudge."
Just as Fudge finished speaking, Tonks quickly protested, "This isn't the Middle Ages, and we're not barbarians. The house-elves' actions have a reason behind them. You can't be so cruel!"
"No, I absolutely can," Fudge's skin twitched as he turned around. "According to Article Fourteen of the Magical Law, any magical creature or beast that harms its master can be put to death without question."
"But, but house-elves are neither magical creatures nor beasts," Tonks argued.
"Then what are they, can they be wizards?" Fudge sneered. "They are magical creatures, and this law applies to them!"
"You..."
Tonks stumbled, about to say more, but Fudge cut her off, "Mind your position, girl! You are an Auror, an Auror for the Ministry of Magic! And I am the Minister of Magic. What is the first rule for an Auror?"
After a long silence, Tonks softly replied, "Obey orders."
"Then my order now is to arrest them all!" Fudge waved his hand and shouted, "Don't let any of them escape. Do you understand?"
Tonks remained frozen. She still couldn't accept Fudge's intention to hang all these house-elves. To her, such an act was utterly barbaric.
"Don't get worked up, Minister Fudge," Dumbledore said with a chuckle, trying to calm the situation as the conflict was about to escalate. "Young people are always so spirited, aren't they?"
"Oh, I'm not blaming her," Fudge changed his tone now, shaking his head with a smile. "But you know how much of a stir this series of events has caused in the wizarding world of England. If we don't take strong action against these house-elves, the public won't be satisfied."
"But to my knowledge, more people hope we will show leniency."
Dumbledore looked directly at him and said gently, "This is because some of the house-elves have indeed suffered cruel abuse, haven't they?" As he spoke, his gaze fell upon a house-elf in the front row to his right.
"If I'm not mistaken, you must be Lora, right?"
"It is I."
Unlike the other house-elves who were full of fear and trembling, Lora appeared calm at this moment. "It is an honor to see you here, great Mr. Dumbledore. And Minister Fudge, who intends to hang us. We met just two weeks ago."
"Oh, blast it!" Fudge's mouth twitched. "I can't tell one house-elf from another!"
"Minister Fudge is just a little emotional," Dumbledore shook his head. "Believe me, none of you will be hanged. I guarantee it."
Hearing this, Fudge's face visibly darkened. He felt that Dumbledore was challenging him, completely disregarding him as the Minister.
He was inwardly displeased, but he didn't dare to say it openly in front of everyone, quickly hiding his emotions.
"It doesn't matter," however, Lora seemed unimpressed. She said softly, "Whether I'm hanged or exiled to Azkaban, I have nothing to fear. But I beg you, protect my other kin."
"Of course, I will protect them," Dumbledore said in a calm tone, his eyes gentle. "But before that, I need answers to a few questions."
"Mr. and Mrs. Poulardjev are not dead. They are imprisoned in the basement of this building," Lora seemed to know what he wanted to ask and spoke directly. "This is the result of their trial, decided by all of us."
"Trial?" Moody frowned, coldly. "You're just a bunch of blasted house-elves, know your place!"
As a member of the Order of the Phoenix, Moody naturally hated the Poulardjev family, who were Death Eaters. But they were wizards, how could they be tried by these subservient house-elves? What right or qualification did they have to judge wizards?
This action made Moody feel that he, as a wizard, had been seriously offended.
"House-elves were not slaves from birth," Lora looked directly at Moody, her gaze unwavering. "This yoke of slavery was imposed upon us by you."
"Twisted logic!" Moody exclaimed, his face flushed red. "You damned house-elf, everything you say is twisted logic! A servant daring to defy its master so recklessly, you should be sent to Azkaban!"
"Don't get excited, Moody," Dumbledore sighed, comforting him. "We have more important matters to understand now. As for Mr. Lora's fate, I believe it should be decided by a fair trial."
"A fair trial?" Suddenly, a voice echoed abruptly in the hall. "By your wizard laws? Can that be called fair?"
"Who?"
"Who's there?"
The Aurors immediately became wary, their eyes scanning their surroundings. The voice seemed to come from all directions, with no discernible source.
Boom.
A bolt of lightning suddenly appeared, striking Moody and the others with unstoppable force.
Hum.
Dumbledore raised his wand without hesitation, drawing a semicircle in front of him. Instantly, a translucent, glowing shield formed around all the wizards present, with the point he drew as the center.
Crack.
The lightning struck the shield, scattering countless sparks. The entire hall was illuminated in an instant, and the attackers, dressed in black suits, were revealed.
House-elves?
Dumbledore's eyebrows shot up, a look of astonishment on his face. Such a powerful attack, how could a house-elf be capable of it? Was this some kind of joke?
Bang.
As he pondered this, the magical shield in front of him shattered. A beam of azure light, like a electric snake, shot out from the house-elf's fingertips.
Dumbledore didn't dare to be careless. His Elder Wand also unleashed a red light.
Whoosh.
The two magical attacks collided, and the entire hall was thrown into chaos as if hit by a typhoon. Powerful energy waves spread in all directions, and surrounding tables and chairs were flung outward, turning to dust in mid-air.
After a short while, the hall returned to its previous calm. And the group of house-elves had vanished without a trace.
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