The Magical Food God of Hogwarts

Chapter 124 Obey My Command

The badgers were intimidated by his status and imposing presence, and no one spoke. Ellie, however, glared at him with her purple eyes and said angrily, "What kind of logic is that! Did you tell Lucas beforehand that you were coming? He didn't know you were coming, so was he supposed to just sit here and wait for you? Why should he? Just because you're the student council president?"

Victor choked, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. His tone softened: "Not at all, Miss McFastie. The position of student council president means greater responsibility, not unrestrained power—well, perhaps you could send a house-elf to inform Mr. McGregor. I'm willing to wait ten minutes for him."

"Why?" Ellie was still aggressive. "The kitchen is right next door, can't you go by yourself?"

Victor pursed his lips, as if Ellie had said something unbelievable: "Miss McFastie, on this point, I think we can agree?"

"Although the McFastie family refuses to be included in the Twenty-Eight Clans, or even to integrate into the magical world, no one can deny that the McFastie family has a long history, a high status, respectable power, and immeasurable wealth."

His voice softened further: "The masters of the Hebrides, the herdsmen of black dragons, the uncrowned kings of the Atlantic—if the MacFastie family is displeased, I'm afraid the British magical world will have no dragon material to use."

"The McFastie family is happy to take the first step in integrating you into our community by sending you to Hogwarts."

Victor Greengrass gave Ellie a graceful bow.

"So—it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss McFastie, and I extend my greetings to the Greengrass family."

The surrounding badger cubs were all stunned.

The high-ranking student council president, Victor Greengrass, from one of the twenty-eight powerful clans, actually bowed to Ellie!

Merlin, it turns out Ellie was the real boss all along!

She has kept it hidden until now!

But Ellie herself looked completely bewildered.

You must be mistaken. Is my family that powerful? We just live on a crappy island, chasing dragons all day long.

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of all this nonsense: "That's not important. What do you want me to agree with?"

,

“My opinion, Miss MacFastie,” Victor said softly. “I believe that, as fellow nobles and aristocrats among wizards, we share the same view that the kitchen is not a place for wizards; it belongs only to house-elves.”

Everyone was stunned. Victor had a half-smile on his face: "I have reservations about Mr. McGregor's willingness and enjoyment of spending all day in the kitchen tinkering with food."

These words immediately enraged Ellie, who slammed the bomb card in her hand onto the table with a bang: "How dare you look down on Lucas?!"

The little badgers were also very annoyed because they generally loved food and spent all day running to the kitchen next door.

An unexpected sound rang out; it came from the Hufflepuff portrait hanging above the fireplace.

"Mr. Greengrass, I think you've said something very offensive," the portrait said. "There's no doubt that good food brings happiness, and most importantly, cooking for others in the kitchen is just as noble as brewing potions at the workbench."

"According to you, does that mean Hufflepuff, one of the founders of Hogwarts, who created so many food charms and loved cooking all his life, also has problems?"

Victor bowed slightly. "Of course I don't deny the greatness of Hufflepuff, but times have changed. Compared to that dark and ignorant era a thousand years ago, wizards now deserve a higher status, to enjoy the fruits of wizarding civilization, and to be freed from those—not very important—tasks. House-elves were born for this, weren't they?"

"If Ms. Hufflepuff were alive today, she would agree with me."

The smile that had been on the portrait's face vanished: "I don't agree. Hufflepuff wouldn't think that way."

"So you're not a real Hufflepuff," Victor said with a smile.

The portrait remained silent, while the little badgers began to chatter amongst themselves, their discontent brewing.

Cedric stood beside Ellie: "Mr. Greengrass, as far as I know, there are quite a few wizards who are also skilled in cooking, serving as master chefs and hosting banquets. They are respected and welcomed by many social elites and enjoy a great reputation. According to you, their work is also lowly? Wizards shouldn't be engaged in such professions?"

"You misunderstand, Mr. Diggory," Victor's voice was calm. "Whether a person's professional achievements are high or low depends on what value they create."

"Those renowned chefs serve the upper echelons of the magical world, creating a platform for celebrities to communicate and exchange ideas, and providing truly intoxicating gourmet cuisine. The social value they create is very high, and their status is naturally extraordinary."

"But what about the other cooks—if their cooking isn't of high value, why bother? Hogwarts and pure-blood families commonly use house-elves. If a job requires competing with house-elves, wouldn't that be a huge failure for a wizard?"

"You—" Ellie glared angrily, but couldn't come up with a strong retort, so she could only shout, "You're just spouting nonsense!"

The little badgers were all furious, but they couldn't come up with a rebuttal for the time being. Although Victor Greengrass's words were full of malice and overflowed with the arrogance of a so-called pure-blood noble, they had their own logic, which made it difficult for the Hufflepuff students, who were already taciturn, to refute them.

"Lucas isn't just any ordinary chef you're talking about; his culinary skills are the best!" Hannah exclaimed, her face flushed. "He's far superior to those top chefs; the value he creates is immeasurable!"

Victor smiled: "I've never denied that, Miss Abbott. I've already witnessed Mr. McGregor's culinary skills through that Eight Treasure Duck dish last time. He is indeed a genius chef, truly amazing. We all look forward to Mr. McGregor's future performances."

"But the more so, the more Mr. McGregor should respect his status. His cooking should be high-class, sophisticated, and rare, rather than spending his time in the kitchen with a bunch of house-elves."

The Hufflepuffs in the lounge were silent, glaring angrily at Viktor, but he paid them no mind.

He took out a matte silver pocket watch from his pocket and glanced at it: "Alright, my time is limited—although I'm reluctant to flaunt my privileges, but..."

He pressed his hand to the student council president badge on his chest: "I'll summon a house-elf right now."

A glint of light flashed on the badge, and everyone could only watch helplessly as the house-elves appeared, however—

The apparition snap never happened, and Viktor was left alone.

A look of surprise crossed Viktor's face. He flicked the badge again, and it gleamed.

But no, still no house-elves answered his call.

"What's going on!" Viktor frowned, and even pressed the badge several more times in anger.

Why did those lowly house-elves not obey my commands!

Victor sensed that his embarrassment was being observed by the badgers in the common room, who seemed to be casting all sorts of meaningful glances at him.

His face flushed crimson as he drew his wand and pointed it at the badge.

"I, Victor Greengrass, in the name of the Hogwarts Student Council President, hereby command you..."

"Wow—" Suddenly, the little badgers' eyes lit up and they cheered.

What are they doing!

Viktor was furious, but in that instant, he smelled a rich, savory aroma.

???

He finally noticed that everyone's eyes were on what was behind him.

Viktor quickly turned his head and saw the fiery red-haired boy standing there quietly, his pure hazel eyes fixed on him.

Beside him stood a house-elf holding a large earthenware jar, its head bowed in fear.

"Lucas McGregor!"

He couldn't help but shout it out.

"Lucas!" The little badgers in the lounge cheered enthusiastically and ran over to hug Lucas.

Viktor ignored him for a moment, his anger immediately turning to the house-elf beside him.

"Answer me! You lowly alchemical creatures! How dare you disobey my commands! Resist my summons!"

Lanchi shuddered involuntarily. Even though he was standing next to the respected Mr. McGregor, the deep-seated fear and reverence for wizards still made him tremble.

Just then, Lucas raised his hand and gently patted Lanchi's shoulder.

"Please forgive them, Mr. Victor Greengrass," Lucas said with a smile. "I made sure they didn't have to answer your call."

"you--"

Victor was stunned, and so were the little badgers.

Viktor's mind went blank for a moment, a surge of doubt, anger, confusion, and resentment leaving him speechless.

You're just a first-year student, what right do you have to stop me from exercising my authority as the Hogwarts Student Council President! It is the Student Council President's right to have house-elves respond to my every call!

What methods did you use to get your house-elves to obey your commands?

Most importantly, you're just a Muggle. We upper-class purebloods know all about your empty titles. How dare you stop me, the heir of the Greengrass family!

"Why did you do this? What gives you the right to do this!" Victor questioned coldly, his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses filled with a chilling light, feeling that his family's authority had been challenged.

He had already decided that no matter what Lucas said, he could use the pretext of disrupting the exercise of power by the student council president and interfering with the management order of Hogwarts to give Lucas an unforgettable punishment and let him know the consequences of undermining his authority!

Moreover, none of these lowly elves will escape severe punishment! Unless it's the professor's order, how dare they defy my commands just because they're a first-year student?!

How should we punish them?

Lucas got points deducted and was sentenced to one day of hard labor. I'm going to make him clean toilets!

As for those ungrateful little sprites, I'll whip them hard with my vines.

Answer me, McGregor!

Under his watchful gaze, Lucas looked utterly bewildered.

"Because I've already arrived."

"Didn't you ask the fairy to come find me? I'm already here, why would I need the fairy to come?"

"Ugh!" Victor groaned, his eyes widening.

He stared blankly as Lucas and the badgers chatted and laughed, his anger rising as he felt a surge of pent-up frustration, as if he were about to vomit blood.

Lucas had Lanchi place the earthenware jar on the coffee table, then flashed away and grabbed a large stack of bowls and spoons.

"Lucas!" Hannah shouted excitedly, "Your research was a success! What kind of soup is this? Can I have a sip?"

Ellie leaned over the earthenware jar, her purple eyes sparkling: "Wow, it smells so good, like chicken soup, but it's not quite right—let me try it!"

A whole bunch of badger cubs crowded around the earthenware jar, laughing and joking, leaving Victor, who was originally the center of attention, standing aside.

Seeing that the student council president was about to explode, his face turning red, Lucas pressed the lid of the earthenware pot and said to his friends, "Wait a moment, let's taste it together. This is a very special soup, and I guarantee you will be very surprised."

He turned to look Victor in the eye and said, "Mr. Greengrass, a friend just told me about your remarks, and I have to point out the inappropriateness of what you just said."

He glanced at the fireplace, where the Hufflepuff portrait, which had just returned from the kitchen mural to the fireplace, smiled broadly and nodded at him.

Viktor paused for a moment, his previous anger clearly diverted, and snorted coldly, "Is that so? I'd like to hear your thoughts."

He slowly strolled over and looked down at Lucas.

"I disagree with what you just said about the differences between elves, ordinary chefs, and famous chefs, and your theory of value." Lucas simply smiled. "I believe that a person's existence cannot be described by value."

"But if we must measure them by value, what determines their value is not who they serve, who they associate with, how much wealth they possess, or how much power they wield, but rather..."

Lucas's voice echoed through the Hufflepuff common room. At that moment, even the dancing, swaying plants, the blooming flowers, and the heavy fruits remained silent, as if they were all listening intently.

"It's not about how this person's existence brings happiness to others."

Sunlight streamed through the round window, making Lucas's red hair look like it was burning with flames.

"A poor man, a lowly man, a so-called unsuccessful man, a man of what you call inferior blood."

"If his existence brings joy and happiness to his friends, relatives, people around him, and strangers, then he is a very valuable person."

The little badgers gazed intently at him, the Hufflepuff portrait smiled radiantly at him, and Lanchi's eyes were already brimming with tears.

"Whether they are elves or ordinary chefs, as long as someone enjoys the fruits of their labor, their lives are worthwhile."

"Mr. Greengrass, it is true that elves are born to serve wizards; it is their mission, and I have never denied or rejected that."

"But this is just their job, it doesn't mean they are lowly."

7

"Because all labor is equal, regardless of its social status."

"They love their work and are respectable workers. We enjoy their services and should be grateful for that."

Lanqi could no longer hold back and burst into tears.

Lucas patted him on the shoulder.

"Alright, Mr. Greengrass. Shall we have a bowl of soup together?"