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"Thanks Hermione. What is with all the knitting anyway?"

I shouldn't have asked as I am 'treated' to the idea of S.P.E.W. Currently, still having an elf in my employ, I listen to her positions and she makes several valid points. I consider mentioning this to her, but when she gets to the part about leaving all the Hats and such lying around, I have to stop her.

"Hermione, do you really think that will work?" The look on her face seems to indicate that she does. "You don't get it do you? Only the owner can free an elf. You don't own the elves of Hogwarts. They do your laundry, so they handle your clothes all the time. An owner can give the elf clothes as a chore to clean them. It's only when they give them clothes, in anger outside of a 'chore' that it frees them. Technically, Professor Dumbledore 'owns' all the elves and I can't really see him mistreating them or allowing them to be mistreated. Why don't you go to Professor McGonagall and ask to speak to the Headmaster himself about it? I think your heart is in the right place."

Ever since she assembled an airtight case to defend Buckbeak last year only to have it completely ignored by the Ministry, all too willing to placate Lucius, she's had a mad on for creature rights. Though in retrospect, Hagrid might not have been the best choice to deliver a legal position. Still, it's commendable what she's doing.

"And you suddenly have all the answers!" Uh-oh, someone doesn't like having their parade rained on.

"No I don't. But you've have you spoken to any elves about this yet? Have you spoken to anyone who owns an elf? I'm sure you've read up on whatever you can find in the library, but those are words written by people. It's like what Binns teaches us about the Goblin Wars. We always hear the Human side of it, but never the other side. I've been wondering what the Goblins tell their children. Look, I'm not trying to pick a fight or even tell you that you shouldn't do this. All I'm saying is if you want to do this thing, you shouldn't rush into it. Approach this like a debate and even play devil's advocate and look for the argument of why House Elves should be enslaved. That way when you run into someone who doesn't agree with you, you've already prepared for what they'll say."

She looks like I just hit her with a powerful Confundus charm. Maybe it was her rash emotional side that Hat saw that made it put her in Gryffindor rather than Ravenclaw. I had been worried that just learning Occlumency wouldn't be enough to keep her occupied, but now I'll be doing extra work in the Infirmary and she'll be doing this whole House Elf thing. That should really keep her busy. She leaves, still in a bit of a huff, but when she calms down it should make sense to her.

The Lie I've Lived, Chapter 6