Soon, Professor Horace Slughorn went to "entertain" the other students.

Matthew and the others sat down together and continued to eat this slightly shabby, but delicious breakfast.

"Are there a lot of house-elves at Hogwarts?" asked Hermione softly as she ate.

Her impression of the creature "house-elf" was very unfamiliar.

Even only in the classroom of Professor Bathilda Basshat...... The professor of the history of magic class is very old, and every time she goes to class, she needs a few house-elves to support her. It's also the only chance to encounter such a creature at Hogwarts.

"That's right, almost a hundred. Matthew replied, "They are responsible for the daily housekeeping of the whole castle...... Otherwise, Mr. Pringer will not be able to do it alone!"

"Oh my God, do they stay in the kitchen all day?" Hermione looked surprised, "I rarely see this creature in the castle......"

"Oh, they rarely leave the kitchen during the day," Neville replied, "and come out at night to clean up...... Take care of the stove or something...... I mean, you shouldn't have seen them, right? The sign of a good house-elf is that you don't even know he exists, right?"

"What's the matter with people not knowing they exist?" Hermione frowned visibly, a little disagreeing with Neville's words.

"Yes, that's their duty, isn't it......" Neville replied as a matter of course, "for house-elves, their highest right is to obey their master's orders and serve them for generations without causing them the slightest discomfort, so ......"

"That sounds ...... It's kind of like a slave ......" Hermione glared at him suddenly, looking visibly disgusted.

"Well......" Neville replied casually.

"But do they get paid?" Hermione continued, "do they have holidays? and- do they have sick days, allowances, all of these things?"

Neville chuckled, "Vacation...... How can house-elves pose-possibly need a vacation...... There are also house-elves who don't need sick leave and allowances, and they don't even need ...... salary."

"What, they don't even have a payroll?" Hermione questioned, incredulous.

"So they're on strike!" she said, huffing, "and they're not happy with the treatment...... That's why they went on strike...... It is just, just as the weavers of Silesia did in 1842, and the silk weavers of Lyon did in 1831......"

"It's just an exception...... Neville shook his head quickly, "As far back as I can remember, house-elves have always been proud of their labor and ashamed of being free to hang out...... How could they possibly do such a thing as a strike......"

"Why don't we go to the kitchen quietly?" Hermione suddenly suggested, "just after breakfast?"

"This ......," Neville hesitated for a moment, "I don't know where the kitchen is......"

"We can ask someone, we can ask Professor Slughorn...... He'll know!" Hermione looked very serious.

"No need," Matthew said suddenly, shaking his head, "I know!"

"Great, Matthew!" Hermione looked at him with great amusement.

......

"Let's go!" Hermione said eagerly, as she settled her breakfast.

Matthew didn't waste any time, and nodded quickly, and only Neville glanced at the unfinished bacon roll with some regret.

Eventually, though, he gave up.

"Are you done with breakfast so soon," Professor Slughorn enthusiastically escorted them out of the office, "If the kitchen problem hasn't been solved by noon, you can come back again;

"Yes, Professor!" they quickly thanked, "Thank you very much!"

I have to say that after joining the slug club, this is a real benefit they get.

Those ordinary students are probably hungry all morning.

"Matthew, lead the way!" Hermione looked at Matthew expectantly.

"Well, follow me. Matthew, with his two friends, descended the marble staircase into the foyer below.

At the bottom of the stairs, he turned left and hurried towards a door.

This leads to the basement, but not in the direction of the Slytherin common room, which ends in the Hufflepuff common room.

He and Neville followed Hermione down a stone staircase, not a dimly lit underground passage that led to the underground classroom of Potions class. Instead, they found themselves in a wide stone corridor, illuminated by torches all around, and decorated here and there delightful pictures, on which the main thing was to eat.

"It should be around here. Matthew glanced at the pictures on the wall.

Finally, he poked Neville in the arm, pointing to the drawing behind Hermione.

"Right here!"

The picture shows a huge silver bowl filled with fruit.

"It's just a portrait......" Hermione looked confused.

Matthew slowly approached, his index finger outstretched, and he gently scratched the large green pear on the drawing. The pear squirmed, eating and laughing, and suddenly turned into a large green doorknob.

"It's amazing!" Neville couldn't help but exclaim.

Matthew grabbed it and pulled the door open, then waved his hand and motioned for his companions to follow.

......

Passing through the previous door, you are greeted by a room that is almost the size of a classroom.

The surrounding stone walls were stacked with glittering copper pots and iron basins, and at the other end of the room was a large brick fireplace.

Obviously, this is the kitchen of Hogwarts.

It's just that there is no one...... This includes ghosts, wizards, or house-elves......

"Where's the house-elves?" asked Hermione softly.

"I don't know...... Matthew shook his head honestly, "I just know that the kitchen is here......"

"Where do you listen?" Neville pointed to an iron door in front of him, "There seems to be a voice inside, go over and take a look-"

The three of them hurriedly tiptoed over.

"Smack...... Syllable...... Inside ......the iron gate, there was a loud noise.

There was also the sound of a creature moaning, sounding very painful.

The door was not locked, but was hidden.

Through the crack in the door, they could clearly see the situation in the room—

The castle's keeper, Mr. Pringer, was holding a thick, long leather whip in his hand, and he looked fierce.

He was merciless, whipping the little ones sitting on the ground with his leather whip......