Harry the House Elf

[Ali]

No: HPFGUIDX 57439

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Peter" <pstaw57550 at a...> 
wrote:
 
>>> I will say this. All (4) books Harry has been carrying around 
 those dirty socks that Dursley gave him - I always thought that was 
curious though they came in handy when it came to the "sneak-a-
 scope", but didnt't he pass them on to Dobby? Does he have any 
 Dursley clothing left? With him at school that is??<<<

I don't think that there is any evidence either way. Harry is 
obviously very aware of his "old baggy clothes" forced on him by the 
Dursleys, so that it is possible that away from them he has bought a 
whole wardrobe of new clothes to wear. However, I'm inclined to 
think that Harry is not very materialistic or self-aware, so that 
providing the offending articles weren't on view he would continue 
wearing them.

I don't think that the ancient protection surrounding Harry is 
exclusively the Dursleys cast-off clothes, but I do wonder if Harry 
is somehow indentured to them and that the clothes play a binding 
factor. The contract would be voided and Harry would be "freed" if 
the Dursleys were to give him new clothes. Whilst he is in 
their "care" he is protected, but that protection would disappear if 
they were to buy clothes especially for him.

I do not believe that Harry's protection dies the minute he is away 
from the Dursleys. I do believe though that it becomes weaker. It 
would have been at its weakest at the end of the school year - which 
just happens to be when Voldemort struck in GoF; perhaps this is no 
coincidence.

Ali