Elves and Bio-Alchemy

Chapter 108: Elves and Bio-Alchemy

"Bio-Alchemy?"

Wade's first thought was of walking tin-can men, then he recalled what he'd learned from books: "Like the Sorting Hat and Wizard's Chess?"

Professor Morrie smiled.

"Wizard's Chess and the Sorting Hat may seem similar, but they are actually quite different."

He raised a finger, and the lid of a box on the table opened. Black and white chess pieces marched out in a line, squabbling as they took their places on the board.

The White Queen glared at Wade, clearly displeased: "Hurry up and play! Don't you have any commands?"

On the other side, a knight yelled, "Let me charge! I want to break through the enemy's army!"

Professor Morrie nodded, and the chess pieces immediately fell silent.

"This is Wizard's Chess," Professor Morrie said. "Sometimes it gives people the illusion that they have life and thoughts. But in reality, that's not the case—do you know why?"

Wade thought carefully.

He hadn't played chess much, but because these pieces were so interesting, he had collected a set himself and would let them battle it out on the board when he was bored.

After observing them many times, he noticed that these seemingly lively pieces actually behaved very rigidly.

"They always display similar personalities, say similar things… Occasionally there are some changes, but they don't truly grow, nor do they learn from their failures."

"Exactly. So these are just toys disguised as having thoughts."

Professor Morrie had the chess pieces return to their box, then continued:

"Injecting thoughts into inanimate objects, making things like mirrors, measuring tapes, and Flying Broomsticks seem to have their own ideas—that's just a low form of Bio-Alchemy."

"But the Sorting Hat is different. If you converse with it a few more times, you'll find that fellow is actually quite thoughtful."

"It genuinely thinks independently and makes its own judgments, rather than rigidly selecting students according to the Four Founders' ideas."

Wade bit his lip slightly, recalling when the Sorting Hat had rejected him.

Well, of course! Not only does that thing have thoughts, it's also very good at being sarcastic.

"But the Sorting Hat isn't truly alive either… It has a mind, but it can't reproduce or metabolize."

"True Bio-Alchemy—which in ancient times was actually called Life Alchemy—is capable of refining true living beings, and you're not unfamiliar with its most successful creation. Guess what it is, Wade…"

Wade lowered his head, pondering.

Bio-Alchemy… true living beings… capable of self-reproduction… successful creations…

He had learned about many magical creatures from books, but he had encountered very few in person.

A moment later, Wade looked up and said with certainty, "House-elves."

Professor Morrie smiled with satisfaction: "Precisely, House-elves."

"Legend has it that in ancient times, wizards, feeling inconvenienced by their distance from human society, brought forth various elves from nature."

"Golanlin helped artisans improve their skills and create tools;"

"Dwarf Elves provided assistance on farms, some even making shoes for people;"

"Cellar Elves helped manage food and wine, though they would also steal wine to drink themselves;"

"Cobbers helped milk cows, collect eggs, and clean yards;"

"Brownies, on the other hand, performed housework with extraordinary speed and efficiency, but if given payment, they would disappear forever."

"At the same time, due to the malice of wizards, many unpleasant elves were also born from swamps, from under tree roots, and from dark forests."

"Goblins caused disasters, Red Caps hunted for blood, Imps made animals sick, Pixies led people astray, and Burdocks scared children at night."

"Some of these elves have become legends, and we don't know if they truly exist; but some… you'll learn about in Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

Wade nodded: "Red Caps are in the third-year textbook… So House-elves are descendants of those benevolent elves?"

Setting aside the idea that the entire world revolves around wizards, even if the legends of the magical world sound incredibly imaginative… they could very well be true.

"To say 'descendants' is too gentle, Wade."

Professor Morrie said, "To be precise, ancient wizards used extreme methods to try and strip away the parts of those elves' bodies that weren't beneficial to humans—"

"Such as laziness, thievery, mischief… and dignity."

"The very first House-elves were born from these experiments."

"However, their magic was too weak, greatly reducing their work efficiency, and they were even often harmed by livestock."

"So ancient wizards made further modifications to them—integrating Goblin blood, giving House-elves powerful magic as well."

"But Goblins don't seem to consider House-elves as their kin?" Wade asked.

"Of course not," Professor Morrie said slowly. "Goblins are very proud. In their eyes, House-elves are lowly creatures, not worthy of being called kin."

"After gaining powerful magic, House-elves also became unwilling to be enslaved by wizards."

"Their predecessors—like Brownies and Dwarf Elves—though they enjoyed working for wizards, were proud creatures. If they felt insulted, they would even harbor ill will towards their masters."

Wade nodded. "So that's why A History of Magic records the House-elf rebellions."

More than half of the wars between wizards and other races in A History of Magic were with Goblins, so many students didn't notice the subtle distinctions in the descriptions and conflated the Goblin rebellions with the House-elf rebellions.

"That's right," Professor Morrie sighed. "Though not many times, House-elves have rebelled a few times too."

"Wizards couldn't bring themselves to completely destroy these creations, so they could only reform their minds and erase their personalities again and again, implanting the mark of absolute obedience in their heads, making them happy to be enslaved by wizards."

"That's how the most ideal servants were domesticated."

"But there's one thing, rooted in the soul of these creatures, that wizards could never eliminate—and that's the inherent desire for freedom that life possesses."

"So, there's an unchangeable contract between wizards and House-elves: when their master gives them clothes, they gain their freedom."

"But..."

Wade recalled the attitudes of the House-elves toward freedom in the original story, and the exiled House-elf named Winky.

"Almost every House-elf I know despises freedom. If they're cast out by their master, they feel deeply ashamed and are heartbroken."

"Yes—heartbroken."

Professor Morrie's smile held a hint of mockery.

"Exiled House-elves are free; they can go anywhere—including their former master's home."

"But tell me, have any exiled House-elves ever gone back?"

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