Who do the Hogwarts house elves answer to?

[phyllisslack]

No: HPFGUIDX 70731

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Richelle Votaw" <rvotaw at i...> 
wrote:
> I'd always assumed that Dumbledore was in charge of the house elves 
at Hogwarts.  After all, he hired Dobby, even gave him a salary, and 
gave Winky a job too.  So it's only natural that when Umbridge took 
over she would be in charge of them in place of Dumbledore.  Which 
explains why Dobby was beating himself up over warning Harry about 
her coming.  But then Harry orders Dobby to lie to her if she asks 
him if he's talked to Harry, and orders Dobby to stop hurting 
himself.  And Dobby thanks Harry. Of course, Dobby could consider 
Harry a bit above the other students--but to accept his orders over 
someone with more authority?  I just find it a bit odd.  
> 
> Richelle
> 
> Remember that Dobby is a FREE creature -after a life time (and who 
knows how long that is for a house elf) it would be difficult for 
him, (to say the least) to be able to make choices on what orders to 
follow. So when Harry gives Dobby an order that is in line with what 
Dobby really WANTS to do as opposed to what he has been ordered to do 
by Umbridge, Dobby does the 'Harry' order. I don't think if Umbridge 
had been recognized as the proper headmaster Dobby would have been 
able to overcome his background quite as easy as he did. Of course 
Dobby has always been a bit on the wrong side of normal house elf 
behavior.  Dobby wanted to be free.   Umbridge had never been 
recognized as the true headmaster by the castle proven by her 
inability to get into the headmasters office after Dumbledore and 
Fawlks left.    Phyllis--- who thinks year 6's password for 
Dumbledore's office should be Skiving Snackboxes
>