Alan was delighted by these changes; they didn't just signify Kiki's personal growth, but granted him a deeper understanding of the House-Elf as a species. With Kiki's cooperation, he could conduct close-range observations and experiments that would have been impossible with a wild or hostile subject.
He was particularly fascinated by the House-elves' ingrained psychology of servitude. They possessed remarkable innate advantages, such as an excellent natural sense for magic and the ability to perform wandless casting from birth. Even Kiki, who was considered small for her kind, possessed around 170 units of magic—plenty to outclass the likes of Vivian.
Moreover, their magic operated on an entirely different system. As Professor Kettleburn had noted, the mechanics behind their spells deviated sharply from wizarding theory. This was most evident in their Apparition; even within the anti-Apparition wards of Hogwarts, Kiki could blink from room to room with ease, a feat that made Alan incredibly envious. He had spent hours trying to reverse-engineer the principle, but he found that even when he used the same incantations, the results were subtly different. What Kiki could do, a wizard could not, and many standard wizarding charms were simply incompatible with the elven system.
Alan concluded it was a fundamental difference in biological constitution. The tragedy was that House-elves were psychologically shackled; despite their immense power, they were biologically predisposed to seek a master. They almost always defined themselves through the needs of others, a likely result of centuries of selective domestication by wizards.
While his discipline had made Kiki bolder, her core personality remained anchored in her devotion to him. Alan realized that while he might not be able to erase her nature, he could weaponize it. If he could overcome her timid streaks, he could train a warrior capable of ignoring the most sophisticated anti-Apparition defenses— a perfect special forces operative for assassination and infiltration. No matter how secure an enemy's stronghold, a trained elf could be a dagger thrust straight into their heart.
He imagined the gentle Kiki transforming into a bronze-skinned, muscled commando, outfitted in a tactical vest bristling with gear. The mental image of a "Special Ops Kiki" made Alan's eyes narrow with satisfaction.
"Master, Master! The meat is actually burning!" Kiki's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Ah? Oh, sorry." Alan looked down; a substantial portion of the beef was indeed charred. He hurriedly seasoned it and distributed the scraps to the eager animals at his feet.
The Kneazle was the most impatient, leaping onto Alan's shoulder like a greedy cat and meowing incessantly. The Diricawl and Porlock followed suit, scrambling up his legs as if they'd starve if they were a second too slow.
"Alright, alright, everyone gets a share. No snatching! Hog, get your brothers in line!" Alan shouted, trying to peel the small creatures off his robes.
When he turned, he found Hog's silly, husky-like face only five centimeters from his own. The wolf was staring at the meat with a look of pure, unadulterated greed. He likely wanted to pounce as well but was far too large to pull it off.
Once the menagerie was fed, Alan led the now-full Hog and Kiki deep into the Forbidden Forest, beyond the reach of the Hogwarts wards.
"Master, are we doing another experiment?" Hog asked, trotting along. "We've tried so many methods, and I still can't cast a single spark." He'd grown used to Alan's obsession with research.
"Not being able to cast spells doesn't mean your magic power should go to waste. You have potential that hasn't been tapped yet." Alan smiled, reaching into his pouch to produce two items. "What do you think of this?"
Hog tilted his head, leaning forward to sniff the objects. "A vest?"
Alan held up a thick, leather-like tactical vest and a pair of sturdy goggles. The vest was a dull earth-tone that matched Hog's fur, reinforced with metal plating at the joints. The back featured a circular metal housing—a sphere embedded within the fabric—and several small utility pockets lined the sides.
"This is a specialized tactical harness I've designed specifically for you. It's enchanted to draw magic directly from your body to trigger pre-set spells. Come here, let's see the fit."
The harness was a perfect match. Once buckled, Hog looked remarkably like a Muggle K9 unit, though the effect was slightly undercut by his goofy Siberian Husky markings.
"Mr. Hog, you look very handsome," Kiki said, offering a sincere smile.
"Really?" Hog immediately perked up, striking several poses and preening. He tried to chase his tail to get a better look at the vest, eventually spinning in a frantic circle until he was dizzy.
"Alright, settle down. Let me explain how this works." Alan watched the boisterous display with a shake of his head. Some things, like the nature of a dog, never changed.
"I'm ready, Master! I feel powerful already. Does this vest make me stronger? I feel like I could take down a bull!" Hog bared his fangs, snapping at the air near a large oak.