Dobby as a Spy

[stickbook41]

No: HPFGUIDX 55326

Bohcoo: 
> Dobby is bound to serve his wizard family [the Malfoys] 
> and to keep their secrets and silence. Dobby had nothing to gain by 
> alerting Harry, even going so far as to tell Harry that when 
> Voldemort left, his lot in life didn't change one speck. So, why do 
> it? 
...snippings...
> I truly believe Malfoy sent Dobby to prevent Harry's return to 
> Hogwarts so he, Malfoy, could make sure Harry didn't interfere 
> with his plans to have Ginny Weasley open the Chamber, discredit 
> Arthur Weasley and perhaps get rid of some Mudbloods in the process.

Me:
I was watching TMTMNBN2 over the week-end and was also formulating a 
theory about the mystery behind Dobby's motivation.  I too think it's 
likely that Lucius Malfoy instructed Dobby to prevent Harry from 
returning to Hogwarts.  What Dobby did without Lucius's knowledge was 
actually *speak* to Harry, rather than to just stay behind the scenes 
in typical house-elf fashion.  Still, why would Dobby warn Harry?

The difference between Dobby and all the other house-elves is that 
Dobby *wants* to be free.  This indicates to me that, at the time of 
his enslavement under the Malfoy thumb, he *knew what he was 
missing*.  Perhaps there was an earlier period of freedom, when Dobby 
was free to associate with whomever he wanted.  Sometime during VWI, 
however, Dobby was re-enslaved, back to being "treated like vermin."

There's a theory that bounces around the bay every so often that 
states that Dobby was once the Potter's house-elf.  The Potters have 
been painted as being an old-money family who would likely have a 
house-elf around.  I envision a situation where Dobby is free, and 
*chooses* to look after the Potters.  A life-debt perhaps, or maybe 
James clothed him and subsequently befriended him.  Sort-of a 
Batman/Alfred type of relationship.  This gives more weight to what 
Sirius said about Crouch--"if you want to get the measure of a man, 
take a look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals" 
(paraphrased).

Dobby goes from a happy home where he is wanted and appreciated to 
the *Malfoys*.  (Perhaps abruptly, on Hallowe'en, 1981.)  From one 
extreme to the other--how painfully jarring.  But Dobby must still 
feel some sort of pull to Harry, at the beginning of CoS.  This pull 
is strong enough to enable Dobby to somewhat-overcome his enslavement 
by the Malfoys.  Perhaps the same type of determination that enabled 
Sirius to escape Azkaban.  When Harry becomes the second Potter to 
free Dobby, it strengthens their bond so that when the Second Task 
rolls around, Dobby is more than willing to help out.  It begs the 
question of how much Crouch!Moody knew about the Dobby-Potter bond.

Any thoughts?

Cheers!

-stickbook