In the early morning, the bedroom was still pitch dark. Vid, in a drowsy state, suddenly felt someone staring at him.
In the solitary dormitory, that gaze, which did not belong to him, was particularly noticeable.
Vid hazily opened his eyes, and in the darkness, he suddenly saw a row of large, bright eyes, like little lanterns floating in mid-air.
Thud!
His heart throbbed violently, and Vid sat up abruptly, instinctively grabbing his magic wand and pointing it over: "Who's there!"
"Mr. Gray is awake." A high-pitched house-elf voice rang out, "Zoe knew Mr. Gray would return to the castle today, Zoe has been waiting."
With a snap of thin fingers in the air, the oil lamps in the dormitory instantly lit up—
Three house-elves stood side by side on the dormitory floor, completely unaware of how frightening their midnight appearance was, looking at Vid with enthusiastic smiles.
Vid could feel his racing heart almost pounding against his ribs. He took a deep breath, his cold fingers gradually warming up, although his scalp still tingled with a kind of electric thrill.
"Zoe, Habi, Phil." Vid tried to speak calmly: "Long time no see—why did you suddenly appear in the middle of the night?"
The house-elves bowed deeply, their large ears swaying happily as they said:
"It's like this—Phil received a gift from Vid Gray again for Christmas—"
"But Vid Gray must have noticed—Habi did not give a gift—"
"It's not that there was no gift; it's because Zoe prepared something better—"
"Phil wants to give Vid Gray the gift he truly desires. But what does Vid Gray want? Phil thought and thought—"
"While cleaning Ravenclaw Tower, Habi heard first-year students talking, and finally Habi knew—"
The three house-elves showed joyful smiles and said in unison: "Vid Gray must want a broomstick!"
"I do want one." Vid, sitting on the bed, looked at them and said: "But the school rules state that first-year students are not allowed to bring broomsticks into the school."
Otherwise, he could actually buy a new one himself during the Christmas holidays.
"There is indeed such a rule, but Vid Gray won't break it." Zoe spread her arms and said: "Because the broom is already in the school, Vid Gray just has to use it."
First-year students can fly for a while on borrowed upper-year students' broomsticks after performing well in flying class. Often, young wizards gather around the Quidditch pitch during training, waiting to have a go once practice is over to borrow a broomstick.
But house-elves couldn't possibly steal a student's broomstick, nor could they give school-owned broomsticks as a gift to him.
"Did you—find a broom someone discarded?" Vid looked at the elves, surprised.
"More than that—more than just one." Habi happily wiggled his ears: "There are many of them! Broomsticks without owners—"
"Come with Zoe, Vid Gray." The house-elf tugged at his finger and said: "Zoe wants to take Vid Gray to get his gift."
"Oh, okay—wait, let me just put on some clothes." Vid lifted the blanket and sat up, then looked at the elves: "Uh—could you look away for a minute?"
...
On a January morning, the sky was very dark, the cold wind howled against the windows, and even a layer of frost formed on the window sill. Vid followed the three house-elves, walking through the castle's empty corridors, able to clearly hear the echo of his own footsteps.
It was close to dawn, so even Filch wouldn't be patrolling around looking for students breaking curfew rules. It felt as if Vid was the only person left in the entire castle, as if walking through an ancient oil painting.
Vid, dressed warmly, looked at the house-elves still only wearing a thin tea towel, and couldn't help but ask: "Don't you feel cold wearing so little?"
Phil shook his head and said: "Not cold. Phil can adapt to different environments, summer, winter, very cold, very hot, all fine."
—What peculiar creatures.
Vid looked at them deeply.
They are such peculiar and powerful creatures, unlike wizards who rely on a wand, they are naturally capable of wandless spellcasting, possessing outstanding and unique magic, with formidable mana, and the ability to perform Apparition without limitation.
If wizards hadn't implanted thoughts of 'absolute obedience' and 'house-elves must serve wizards' into their genes or souls, they could be more dangerous to wizards than Fire Dragons.
Historically, goblins have rebelled multiple times, always fighting for the rights of their kind. But even when abused or slaughtered by wizards, house-elves will not resist, not even disobey orders from their masters.
So, ordinary wizards almost all desire to have their own house-elves, but those who do rarely treat them kindly. The house-elves belonging to Hogwarts are better treated among their kind, at least students don't take joy in abusing them.
Vid lowered his eyes and followed the elves along the long corridors, sometimes descending two flights of stairs, sometimes ascending a few, until they reached a place near the Gryffindor Tower.
In the empty corridor, one side was a white wall with nothing on it, while opposite hung a tapestry of a wizard wearing a hat teaching trolls to dance ballet, with the trolls turning their heads to look at them.
Vid suddenly recalled a place, and a great anticipation rose in his heart, and he softly asked, "What is this place?"
"The Room of Requirement, Mr. Gray." Zoe said: "We also call it the 'Room of Requirement', it appears only when someone truly needs it."
"Walk past this wall three times, focusing on what you need." Habi said while walking to the wall, murmuring softly: "Habi needs a place to hide things... a place to hide things... a place to hide things..."
He walked back and forth, and the third time he passed, a smooth door appeared on the wall, with a glossy, warm copper handle.
Phil stood on tiptoe, pulling the copper handle forcefully, and the door slowly opened.
Vid couldn't help but hold his breath.
Before him seemed to be a city of towering walls, with countless discarded objects stacked inside, forming alley-like "streets"—broken furniture, rusty weapons, statues severed by Dark Magic, Muggle cannons, tens of thousands of books, various forbidden dangerous small toys, glass bottles containing unknown magic potions.
His heart raced.
The three house-elves displayed proud and joyful smiles, presenting him with a broomstick that had been cleaned and polished, tied with an old red ribbon.
"This is Mr. Gray's Christmas gift!" they exclaimed: "It's the best one here!"
"It's a bit old, but it can still fly very well." Phil added softly.
—No.
Vid thought.
—This Room of Requirement, which he sought for so long, was the real gift!
He grasped the broomstick, his face lighting up with a delighted smile, as if the whole room brightened because of it. His smile was so infectious, it made the three house-elves also show silly, satisfied smiles.