[HPforGrownups] Free Elves Unite

[Amanda]

No: HPFGUIDX 37157

Uncmark said


> In chapter 10 of ChofS, Dobby said "Dobby can only be freed if his
> masters present him with clothes, sir. The family is careful not to
> pass Dobby even a sock, sir, for then he would be free to leave their
> house forever."
>
> >From this description, freeing and elf can be accidental (It was for
> Dobby and Lucius Malfoy) or they can be fired as with Crouch and
> Winky in GofF ch. 9. My question is that as it is known that clothes
> free a house-elf, Dobby and Winky cannot be the only free elves in
> the UK, so where are they?

In new positions. House-elves, from the sample we've seen, do NOT like to be
free and unattached. I presume they are taken care of by the House-Elf
Relocation Office, which is mentioned in "About the Author" on page vi of
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." It's just a guess, but I'd
imagine that Office matches up freed elves with appropriate locations to be
bound to.

--Amanda