Chapter 86: Slaying the Dragon (Part 3)

"Dobby is free. Dobby thanks you," the house-elf said, gazing at Daniel Davis with immense gratitude. After Malfoy had left, Dobby, unlike most house-elves who were conditioned by the International Magical Ministry to be completely subservient to their masters, stood out. He cherished heroic tales and longed for freedom, which is why he had previously warned Harry Potter about Malfoy's schemes and even tried to prevent Harry from returning to Hogwarts.

Harry Potter, despite growing up in his aunt and uncle's household, was a legend in the magical world—a boy with a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, hailed as the savior of the magical realm, the one who had defeated Voldemort. The idea that the mighty Voldemort had been vanquished by an infant seemed implausible, but in the world of magic, it was entirely possible.

Harry's mother played a crucial role in this. Her profound act of self-sacrifice, employing an ancient protective spell, caused Voldemort's Killing Curse to rebound and destroy him. This protective spell was something Daniel had naturally taken an interest in, but unfortunately, it was something Harry's parents had discovered during their explorations of ancient ruins, and with their death, its secrets were lost.

"It's truly a pity that such a powerful spell is no longer known," Daniel mused.

"You're free now. You can leave. If you have nowhere to go, find Harry Potter. Let him hire you," Daniel suggested, taking the diary from Dobby's hands, which Malfoy had left behind in his haste.

"Harry Potter. Dobby understands," the elf said, expressing his gratitude once more before disappearing.

Watching Dobby leave, Daniel's face lit up with a smile. Although house-elves gaining freedom wasn't unheard of, most quickly found new masters, as being free in the magical world was often more of a curse than a blessing. House-elves were viewed as unpaid servants, and no one was willing to hire a house-elf that demanded a salary.

Dobby's quest for a job would be challenging because he insisted on being paid, which was considered absurd in the magical community. Eventually, Dumbledore took pity on him and offered him a paid position at Hogwarts. In many ways, Dobby was an outlier, both among house-elves and within the magical world. To most house-elves, the desire for freedom was laughable.

To Daniel, Dobby was a pioneer of sorts. Yet, Daniel's loyalty lay with humanity; he could empathize with and aid the house-elves, but he was not their liberator.

"Dobby's future search for employment will be tough, so I don't mind helping him a bit," Daniel thought. "After all, Dobby ultimately sacrificed his life to save Harry. Having Harry hire him isn't too much to ask. Given Harry's inheritance, it's a minor expense."

Dobby's ideals would keep him from willingly becoming another household's servant. He wanted his freedom, and even if he earned just a Knut, as long as he got food and shelter, it would be enough. He dreamt of personal liberty and hoped to inspire his fellow elves.

"One day, when technology and culture flourish, the issue of house-elf rights might become a significant one," Daniel mused, imagining future protests in magical society advocating for house-elf liberation. He shook his head at the thought.

This wasn't just idle speculation; it was a likely scenario. There were already sympathizers for house-elves within the magical world, and if the magical and non-magical worlds ever integrated, the call for house-elf rights would surely grow louder.

Having lived in a stable and prosperous country in a previous life, Daniel had never witnessed a protest. But in this world, particularly in the USA, he had seen many, including those by animal rights activists who often broke into farms and research labs to release animals. Even poultry farms were sued for inhumane treatment of chickens.

Conversely, serial killers and murderers often received sympathy instead of condemnation for their heinous acts. This was a mindset Daniel struggled to comprehend.

The Chamber of Secrets and the basilisk problem were quickly resolved once the Ministry of Magic got involved. At Daniel's suggestion, the Chamber wasn't sealed off but instead, a staircase was built leading down to it from the now removed bathroom sink.

The Chamber itself underwent significant renovations. The skeletons, snake statues, and the giant face of Salazar Slytherin were all removed, despite Snape's objections, who valued the relics of Slytherin's legacy. However, outvoted, Snape had to concede, and the Chamber was transformed into a recreation room, equipped with pool tables, board games, and other activities suited for indoor fun. The highlight was a range of specially designed tabletop games.

Daniel's company in England had produced these games, which quickly became popular, much like in the Eastern magical cities. Hogwarts' tabletop games, however, were tailored to the wizarding world.

Designing these games was easy for Daniel. He fed magical world information into his AI, which then integrated ideas from Marvel universe games to create the final products.

With Grindelwald's approval, he and Voldemort were both featured as characters in these games. However, due to Voldemort's infamous reputation, his game saw less play compared to Grindelwald's, whose name was once feared but had since faded from collective memory.

The most successful game, however, was one based on "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." It allowed players to learn about magical creatures and how to handle them, earning widespread acclaim and even coverage in the Daily Prophet. This was partly thanks to Newt Scamander, the book's author, who despite his age, was still vibrant and passionate about magical creatures.

Due to Newt's endorsement, the game became popular not just at Hogwarts but also in other magical schools. "The Quibbler," a magazine that often opposed mainstream views, also heavily promoted it. With Grindelwald's backing, "The Quibbler" had risen to become the second most popular publication after the "Daily Prophet."

"This stuff is surprisingly good!" Students flocked to the newly renovated recreation room every weekend. The allure of games and snacks from the non-magical world significantly reduced the number of students visiting Hogsmeade.

Despite Hogsmeade trying to incorporate similar entertainment concepts, it couldn't compete with the recreation room, especially because Daniel brought in snacks and drinks from the non-magical world. Hogwarts had never seen such delectable treats before his arrival, and now even Slytherin students were hooked, including Draco Malfoy.

Initially, many Slytherin students complained to their parents about this new influence, but most received howlers in response, scolding them for fussing over trivialities. The new snacks and games even solved some major employment issues for the Ministry of Magic. Though the magical population was small, job opportunities were scarce, leading to fierce competition for positions, akin to a Muggle government job hunt.

While wizards wouldn't starve, there was a significant difference between merely surviving and enjoying a prosperous life. Some pure-blood families outwardly dismissed the importance of these new industries, but secretly, many were keen to get involved, except for those like the Malfoys, who clung to their pride.

"Ron won again! This guy is really good," Daniel noted. He occasionally hosted tabletop game tournaments in the recreation room, offering significant prizes like Galleons, potions, and flying brooms. Ron was frequently one of the top players, winning numerous rewards and surpassing Harry in popularity among the students.

Ron's main competitor was Hermione, the brilliant young witch, while Harry didn't particularly excel in these games. This created some tension between Harry and Ron, as Harry, due to Daniel's influence, no longer held the same spotlight.

The magical world differed vastly from the non-magical one. In the latter, tabletop games were just that—games. But in the magical realm, they came to life, much like wizard chess, with characters moving and interacting.

Daniel pondered that with time, they might even achieve holographic-like projections using magic.

To manage the recreation room, Daniel hired Ron's brothers, the Weasley twins, along with some financially struggling students. The twins, who would later sacrifice much in the coming battles, had a knack for managing the place.

With Daniel's help, he was determined to prevent their tragic fate. He envisioned partnering with them to open stores, knowing they had a natural talent for entertainment and business.

"Dumbledore is still no match for Grindelwald," Daniel reflected. While the magical world in England was slowly changing, this was mostly limited to the region. Dumbledore, despite his many titles, wielded his primary influence in England, with some impact across Europe, but nowhere near the reach of Grindelwald.

In terms of strategic vision and decisive action, Dumbledore lagged behind Grindelwald. While Dumbledore had decided to take action, he hesitated to confront the Ministry of Magic head-on, unlike Grindelwald, who had already mobilized his followers.

In Germany, Grindelwald's stronghold, the changes were more profound and rapid. His followers, though puzzled by his commands, executed them without hesitation.

"Good thing I didn't rely entirely on Dumbledore," Daniel thought. Beyond the magical world, the non-magical world was also undergoing a quiet transformation. Changes in England and Germany were gradual compared to the rapid developments in the Eastern magical city, where technological innovations like electric scooters and color televisions, long suppressed by the magical world's influence, were emerging.

New fashion trends and innovative products, including the revolutionary mobile phone, were starting to appear. Daniel had chosen this Eastern city as the starting point for these changes, not only because it was his homeland but also because its infrastructure

, even in an alternate world, was unmatched.

Introducing mobile phones to the Western world would have been challenging due to the capitalist restrictions, whereas the Eastern city's rapid development and infrastructure allowed for quick adoption. In the West, capitalist forces would resist such changes, prioritizing profit over progress.

Daniel delegated these projects to his team while he focused on Hogwarts, serving as a guest professor for Muggle Studies alongside Grindelwald. However, he spent most of his time learning flying car technology from Hagrid. Despite his outward simplicity, Hagrid possessed a remarkable talent for mechanics. In a non-magical world, he might have been a genius in vehicle modification.

Hagrid's flying motorcycle was his creation, and Daniel was eager to learn from him, hoping to one day introduce flying cars to the world. In the Marvel universe, many companies aspired to create flying cars, but only Coulson's Lola was a true success. Anti-gravity technology was tightly controlled by Tony Stark, and while S.H.I.E.L.D. had access, it was for internal use only, not for commercial exploitation.

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