OOP: Re: House Elves and Clothes

[dudemom_2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 65444

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "zebco606" <zebco606 at y...> 
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Rachael" <bratty_jedi at h...> 
> wrote:
> > House Elves can only be freed by getting clothes from their 
> > master(s), so what about laundry?  I was under the impression that 
> > Elves did the laundry at Hogwarts and that Dobby, since he was able to 
> > iron his hands without anyone noticing anything funny, did the 
> > Malfoys'laundry, ironing, etc.  If a wizard hands a stack of dirty 
> clothes to 
> > an Elf, does he have to precede that action with a statement 
> > of, "I'm not freeing you, I'm giving you work."?  Obviously to free the 
> > elf, nothing has to be said along with the clothes or Dobby would not 
> >  be free.  Any suggestions other than I need to stop obsessing over 
> > Harry Potter so much that I wonder about trivial things like this?
> > 
> > Rachael
> > Bratty
> 
> I think the humble laundry hamper is the answer to this question. 
> Dobby say that the master must give him clothes and indeed he is 
> freed when Lucius Malfoy hands him Harry's dirty sock. 
> 
> If it were possible for a house elf to be freed by laundry that 

> they have picked up, they wouldn't be able to tidy house (unless the 
> owner's NEVER discarded their jackets to the backs of chairs and 
> doorknobs) 
> 
> I think the act of giving the house elf clothes must be from hand 
> to hand in order for the elf to be freed
> 
> dorothy

*****\(@@)/*****

I think the Hogwart's house elves know what Hermione is up to and it 
disgusts them, plus they don't want to put themselves in the 
position of accidently being freed so they avoid Griffyndor Tower. I 
don't think the stuff she is leaving around would actually free them 
since it is not actually being handed to them even though the intent 
to free them is there. (also there is the question as to whether she 
actually can free them - maybe Dumbledore is the only one who can) I 
think there is leeway to assume that for laundering and cleaning 
purposes they can go about their business without a problem. I 
assume Lucius Malfoy's elves assist him in dressing without a 
problem. 

Actually, now that I thing about it, Lucius wanted to get rid of the 
book when he handed it to Dobby, not knowing there was the piece of 
clothing in it. Could it be that the intent to "get rid of" or free 
something is more the key to freeing a house elf? Maybe Harry was 
just using a loophole in the system! It also brings up an 
interesting idea - If Hermione can free them by handing over an item 
and telling them they are free, will she get this idea in book 6 or 
7 and act on it, since leaving things around isn't working?