Hogwarts: My Grandmother is the Queen

As the sun gradually approached the mountain peak, Hermione glanced at her watch and realized with a start that it was getting late.

"Good heavens! We've been talking for so long!" She quickly stood up. "Thank you, Your Highness Henry, this afternoon was really... really enjoyable."

"Me too," Harry stood up and said sincerely, "I hope... I hope we'll have a chance to talk again sometime."

Ron also stood up, brushed off non-existent biscuit crumbs from his robe, hesitated for a moment, looked at Henry, and said in a muffled voice, "The... tea... was pretty good."

He paused, then added, his voice clearer than before: "Thanks."

This thank you was no longer the mumbled "thank you" from the hallway that morning; it seemed like a significant improvement.

Henry smiled and saw them to the door. After the trio left, he closed the door and let out a soft sigh of relief.

The afternoon tea was more successful than he had anticipated, not only making a name for himself in Gryffindor but also successfully taking the relationship a step further—earning an invitation to visit Hagrid's Cottage.

Of course, he also clearly saw Hermione's caution, Harry's sincerity, and Ron's need for recognition of sincerity, which was shrouded in layers of prejudice.

He carefully memorized these observations, which became pieces of the puzzle in building his understanding of the interpersonal landscape of Hogwarts.

Lucy appeared quietly at this point and began clearing away the dishes.

Her petite figure moved nimbly among the tables and chairs. The teaware seemed to come alive under her skillful fingers, quickly and quietly returning to its place, cleaning, and disappearing as if it had never been there at all.

Henry didn't leave immediately. He slowly walked back to his seat and sat down again, casually asking, "Lucy, you've been serving at Hogwarts for a long time, haven't you?"

Lucy stopped what she was doing and turned respectfully to Henry: "Yes, Your Highness. Lucy and her family have served Hogwarts for generations; the castle is our home."

"Generations..." Henry repeated the word, "They must be very familiar with every brick and tile, even every corner of this place. Many stories must happen here every day in this ancient castle."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Lucy's big eyes lit up. House-elves are naturally proud to serve their masters, and her master's interests made her feel appreciated. "The castle is huge, with many rooms, many corridors, many portraits and armor... There's always something happening. The students are interesting, the professors are busy, and Peeves is mischievous..."

She counted them off on her slender fingers, as if reciting a familiar story.

"That sounds much more interesting than staying in one place," Henry said with a smile. "Sometimes I feel like I know so little about this castle, apart from the classrooms and the common room. I wonder if ghosts hold tea parties in those empty classrooms at night? Or if there are any visitors in the kitchen besides house-elves? By the way, I've heard that Mr. Filch always manages to catch students breaking the rules in the most unexpected places. Does he have some kind of secret map?"

His question sounded naive and casual, exactly what a freshman who had just entered the magical world would ask, full of curiosity about everything, and even carried a touch of humor and imagination.

Lucy was touched by Henry's attitude. She seemed to think that letting her young master know more about the castle was part of her service, and something that would make him happy.

She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice with the excitement of sharing a secret: "Your Highness, Lucy knows! The castle has so many secrets! The portraits love to relay messages; they see everything! Mr. Filch? He's always with Mrs. Lorris; that cat's ears and nose are the best! The kitchen? Besides us, sometimes greedy little wizards do sneak in, and goblins occasionally try to sneak into the vegetable garden to steal potatoes! Peeves even hid a bucket of stinking green paint in the hood of a fourth-floor armored soldier yesterday, waiting for the next unlucky passerby..."

She talked at length about several recent little things that had happened, all harmless everyday occurrences in the castle, yet they vividly depicted another vibrant side of Hogwarts.

Henry listened with great interest, and only spoke up after Lucy had finished.

"That's really interesting. It feels like Hogwarts itself is a huge mystery, and it's very rewarding to unravel a little bit every day." He paused, then looked at Lucy. "Thank you for telling me all this, Lucy. It makes me feel like I understand this new home better. If you hear any more interesting stories in the future, could you tell me when it's convenient? It would help me integrate here more quickly."

He didn't command Lucy to do anything; he simply expressed his curiosity about the castle and his desire to feel a part of it.

This was an appealing request for the house-elf—her young master needed her to help him understand the castle and integrate into it, which inspired her deepest passion for service and sense of mission far more than any direct command.

They're born into this group.

Lucy's eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded vigorously, the pointed corner of her tea towel swaying. "Lucy understands! Your Highness wants to hear stories about the castle! Lucy knows a lot, and Lucy's friends—the other house-elves—know a lot too! We work in the castle every day, and we see and hear many things! Lucy will pay attention and tell Your Highness the interesting things! That way, Your Highness won't feel like a stranger in the castle!"

She automatically escalated Henry's request, expanding it from what she knew to what she and her friends knew.

For house-elves, sharing the daily happenings of the castle is already part of their communication, and now they have an additional person to listen to them with a sense of honor—a little master who is so gentle, polite, and respectful of them.

"Thank you for your help, Lucy," Henry said with a smile. "But remember, the most important thing is your job and your own safety. Share those stories only when you're not busy. Don't let them interfere with your work or lead you on any risks."

These thoughtful words of advice moved Lucy to tears. Henry saw Lucy trying her best to control her trembling head.

Perhaps it was to prevent himself from losing control of his emotions and banging his head against the wall?

"Don't worry, Your Highness! Lucy will do a good job! She won't cause any trouble!" she assured him, already planning in her mind to have a good chat with Toby and Bobo next time she went to the kitchen to deliver tea and snacks, to find out what new things were happening in the castle that their young master might like to hear.

"Alright, go ahead and get busy," Henry said, ending the conversation.

After Lucy left, he stood up and walked to the window.

"Family affairs, national affairs, world affairs..." He looked out the window and murmured to himself in his mother tongue from his previous life, "I dare not be ignorant of them..."