Ron and the Dress Robes from Hell

[Eric Oppen]

No: HPFGUIDX 44989

Me, I can remember being 14 and 15 very well, and how horribly embarrassing
it would have been to have to wear obviously out-of-date
clothes...particularly since I had a "Draco Malfoy" of my very own to make
sure that everybody else noticed.

However, I wonder why Ron doesn't think of something that I'd have thought
of in a second, in his boots:  the house-elves!  I bet that if he and Harry
asked Dobby for help, Dobby could either alter the robes to something more
up-to-date and with a better color himself, or get the other house-elves to
do it.  "Yes, it is for Mr. Ron Wheezy, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger's
very good friend!"

I also wonder why Hermione didn't suggest it.  Although she disapproves of
the way the house-elves can be treated, she apparently has no problem with
them working in and of itself.

For that matter, could Transfiguration be used to alter the robes?  I do
think this is something that JKR didn't really think through very carefully
*looking around uneasily lest cries of "Burn the heretic!" start echoing off
the walls in here* because if I were at Hogwarts, and had clothes that were
that unsuitable, I'd either start working with the Transfiguration skills I
had, or approach someone I knew that _had_ such skills.  I don't know that
I'd trust Gred-and-Forge, but I bet Professor McGonagall would be willing to
recommend someone he could ask.