Chapter 300 Washing Machine Malfoy House Elves and Coconut Sorbet

In the later hours, even the most inattentive students began to pay attention. Although the connection between home appliances and ticket purchases was very tenuous, the students somehow seemed to become more interested in washing machines after the final exam was mentioned.

"From a wizard's perspective, the washing machine is a very new appliance," said Anthony. "As far as I know, cleaning magic such as clean and fresh has been around for at least a thousand years, because since the founding of Hogwarts, students have not had to worry about washing clothes."

"Thirteen hundred years," said Roger. "I just finished writing a paper on it."

Anthony nodded: "Thirteen hundred years, thank you, Mr. Davis." He continued, "But washing machines - I mean the electric washing machines we are talking about - are only a product of the last hundred years."

"What about before that? Did Muggles always wash clothes by hand?"

"Generally speaking, yes. Before the advent of washing machines, almost everyone washed their clothes by hand. I heard that sailors would pack their clothes and throw them into the sea, drag them behind the ship, and wash their clothes while sailing, but that's another story. That's why we think that electric-"

"What about the queen?" asked a student. "Muggles have queens and kings, right? What about them? Do they also wash their clothes by hand?"

Anthony hesitated: "Before the advent of washing machines, I think so." Maybe some clothes would only be worn once, but he was not sure. He had never been to the Queen's laundry.

"Well," the student said thoughtfully, "maybe that's why Malfoy was given a Muggle fief. If I need to wash clothes by hand, I'm willing to exchange the fief for the magic of washing clothes."

"Even if there is no magic, the queen and the king usually don't wash their clothes by hand." Anthony quickly stated.

"Was the Malfoy family's fief given by Muggles?" Emery asked.

Roger said, "Yes. I forgot which king it was, but my grandfather - before he completely removed our names from the family tree - he once said that Malfoy even did business with Muggles for a long time."

"It's hard to imagine." Cedric, who was sitting in the first row, said very quietly.

At the same time, his deskmate, another fourth-year Hufflepuff, said loudly: "I know! The royal family will hire other Muggles to do their laundry."

"Reasonable guess." Anthony noticed that he immediately regretted his statement and blushed, and encouraged, "One point for Hufflepuff."

"Just like Malfoy." Another student said, "Malfoy is too lazy to use cleaning magic, which is why the Malfoy family has house elves."

The student who guessed the source of Malfoy's fiefdom seemed to regret it too, and made a face at her deskmate.

Anthony heard her deskmate say in a weird voice: "Yes, you really should read less stories like Merlin helping King Arthur wash clothes."

...

After talking about the scope and importance of washing machines, they spent some time converting the price of an ordinary washing machine to approximately how many Galleons, and compared it with the average household income in the UK recorded in the book.

"For wizards, it may be difficult to imagine a Muggle family that is not rich sometimes." Anthony said, "So far, everything we have learned is basically comparing things in the magical world with things used in Muggle life. Lumos and electric lights, Floo and telephones, clean and washing machines, and so on.

"But in fact, these things-although they only require a few spells-are not so easy for many Muggle families.

"In the first year, everyone took flying lessons, right?" Anthony saw several students nodded and smiled, "But, at least as far as I know, Muggle students usually don't learn to fly in the first year."

Anthony turned to the cover of the textbook, stood the book up, and showed it to the students: "Life and Social Habits of British Muggle Families. I would like to remind you, ladies and gentlemen, when we talk about all these Muggle inventions, this does not mean that all Muggles live like this.

"There are many times when I, Professor Bubbage, and many Muggle researchers are trying to tell wizards that Muggles and wizards are not as different as people think. Yes, but the difference between Muggles and wizards does exist. For you - "Anthony smiled at the students staring at him, "- since we have spent a whole year and a half learning how similar wizards and Muggles are, sometimes it is more important to remind ourselves to respect these differences.

"Not everyone can wash clothes easily, and not everyone can Apparate, but that doesn't matter." Anthony glanced at Cedric, who seemed to have understood what Anthony was going to say next, "Do you like Pepper Pussy, Mr. Diggory?"

"Me?" Cedric shrugged, "I like them. They are very interesting."

"I don't like them that much." Anthony said, "Some people like Pepper Pussy, some don't, it doesn't matter. People don't need to be consistent in everything.

"We will have different lifestyles, different habits, different likes and dislikes, but differences do not mean hostility. Through communication and understanding, we are likely to find similarities in our differences. "

A student asked with some confusion: "So, Professor Anthony, in the story of the washing machine, what are the similarities between Muggles and us?"

“We all want clean laundry,” Anthony said, “and we don’t want to do it by hand.”

Several students laughed.

Anthony also smiled: "I'm serious. Professor Flitwick told me that magic comes from people's desires. In a sense, these things we are learning - these inventions, the magic we live with The invention of melons also came from people's desire. In this similar desire, wizards and Muggles used different methods and spent different lengths of time to finally achieve similar results.

"get out of class is over. No homework, remember to review how to buy tickets."

He started to pack things on the platform at the end of get out of class, while the students stuffed their textbooks into their bags and stood up one after another.

The hum of conversation slowly began. The students walked outside the classroom while chatting.

"Goodbye, Professor Anthony," Cedric said as he passed the podium.

"Goodbye," said Anthony, and then something suddenly occurred to him, "Just a moment, Mr. Diggory."

Cedric turned back in confusion: "What's the matter, Professor Anthony?"

"Because you like pepper urchins," Anthony said. Cedric's tablemate stood next to him, staring anxiously at Anthony. "Hufflepuff gets a tin of coconut sorbet."

He picked up the coconut sorbet from the corner of the podium and put it into Cedric's hand. The students in the classroom who had not yet left all looked over.

Emery said: "What? It's not logical at all."

"A very logical question." Anthony agreed, "Plus a can of Ravenclaw."

He let another can in his bag fall onto Emery's desk.