Dobby Vs. Kreacher

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 74829

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Wendy St John"
<hebrideanblack at e...> wrote:
> 
> RBS ...Really Big Snip...
> 
> So, my overall conclusion is that the elves are happy to serve their
> families as long as nothing happens to insult their own sense of
> morality. But if an elf decides that his or her master is in the 
> "wrong," than said elf will go to any length *short of disobeying a 
> direct command* to undermine the master. Or said elf will just cease
> to attend to the questionable duties. This would seem to conflict 
> with the "creeping servility" of the elf in the MoM statue, wouldn't
> it?
> 
> So, what happens if a majority of elves start believing that their 
> masters are "wrong?" I think it's entirely possible that all h*ll 
> would break loose in the Wizarding World.
> 
> :-)
> Wendy

bboy_mn:

I like it. I like it. What you said, is framed differently, but ties
in nicely with my own believe regarding house-elves. 

For more info, see-
House-Elves & the Tie That Binds.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/71752

About half way down in the post referenced above, I ask the questions-
"What binds a House-Elf to the family House?"

and of course, I answer it. I have also said similar things in a
variety of post on the nature of house-elves.

I don't believe that there is any force of law or magic that binds
house-elves to their masters. They are only bound by Elfish Honor.
They gave their word that they and their decendants would serve a
family, and because to serve honorably is the very essence of a
house-elves existance, they will endure a lot of abuse rather than
dis-honor themselves. They are bond by their history, their nature,
their pride, and their fierce unwavering honor and loyalty.

But honor only goes so far, and when the actions of their Master
become so extreme and dishonorable, then it creates the potential for
the elves to chose a different course of action. Every being has
his/her/its breaking point. So, when the shame and dishonor of how
they are being treated exceeds the dishonor of breaking their sworn
loyalty to the family they serve, the bond is broken. 

That is certainly a sad and traumatic day for a house-elf; it goes
against the very essence and fiber of their being. I'm sure many of
them are so fiercely tied to that sense of honor and oath, that they
would chose death over dishonor, but as in all times of tyranny, there
are those who chose true honor, honor to a higher power and greater
cause over dishonor.

Remember what Dobby said, that in the heyday of Voldemort's first
reign, house-elves were treated like vermin. Have you really stopped
and tried to understand the full impact of that statement. Let me give
you a hint. When we were young we used to go out to the city dump, and
shoot rats for the fun of it. In that vein, I can see wizards elf
hunting or for target practice while they learn spells or torturing
them just for the sport of it. That's what it means to be treated like
vermin. 

Like I said, when their Masters become so extremely and brutally
dishonorable, I think a house-elf, dispite the shame, is within his
rights to just walk away. Evil dishonorable Masters exploit the
honorable nature of house-elves, the same way the evil men exploit the
generally good nature of all people.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

bboy_mn