Dobby's Master Theory

[A. Harr]

No: HPFGUIDX 36873


Here is my take on the Dobby's True Master-- bear with
me and feel free to drop a giant pudding on my head if
it sounds too off.

I stand by Dobby staying as Malfoy's elf. It seems
that elves families stay with one family through thier
generations (I reference Winky in GOF for this
thought--Ch. 21.. she mentions her mom and grandmother
also served the crouches). THough true we don't know
about Dobby and his family, and his loyalty to Harry
does make it seem as if he belongs to him, I think
that goes in part with Dobby's well, oddity as an elf.

Dobby seems to be a bit of a thinker of the elves. ALl
the others are quite focused on thier masters and
tasks, he quite likely daydreams. The reason why I
think Dobby thinks about alternatives and freedoms is
his treatment at the Malfoys during the especially
dark period in time when Voldie was in power. Imagine
being in the Malfoy manor, a servant, treated almost
as bad as Muggles. DE plans all over, plans for
murdering, torture... it couldn't have been nice at
all. Dobby even states COS about how life for
house-elves under Voldemort was terrible. 
"Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Be-Named
was at the height of his powers, sir! We house-elfs
were treated like vermin, sir!<snip> But mostly, sir,
life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over
He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Harry Potter survived and
the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new
dawn, sir, and Harry Potter shone like a beacon of
hope for those of us who thought the Dark days would
never end, sir..." Chapter 10, COS.

Now, in a world governed by fear and dread, the elves,
at the bottom of the ladder, who take care of the
people living in fear and inflicting it, got the worst
of it all, I think. Hogwarts elves probably had it
quite good, knowing they were safe. But the rest? What
happens to the elves if their family is eradicated by
DEs? SCary thought for them. Harry's defeat of
Voldemort was probably rejoiced by millions of House
elves, and Dobby, in one of the worst households to be
living in during that era, probably rejoiced the most.
Obviously life changed for elves after that. Dobby's
loyalty to Harry stems from what Harry as a baby
accomplished for the elves. Dobby being the odd elf he
is, feels a strong pull to Harry because of his
victory, and hero-worships him. He goes to Harry
because he doesn't want the dark days to return
again--he's seems greatly fearful of that. It's like
its stuck in his head that if anything happens to
Harry the dark lord will return and everything will be
awful and frightening again. I wonder what life was
like for other house-elves in DE houses... Hogwarts
elves and Winky were all in relatively nice places. He
doesn't need to be the Potters old elf... and wouldn't
he have said something anyways by now? If in reference
to his father or his mother? Winky always defends
Crouch, so wouldn't Dobby at least mention that he had
known Harry's parents?

Well, like I said before, feel free to drop a giant
puddin on my head if this makes no sense.I have a
tendency to ramble and get on my veritable soap box
for Dobby, who is actually my favorite non-wizarding
character. Possibly cause he reminds me of Gurgi from
the Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander (my favorite
books when I was 12).
Adrienne

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