Dobby revisited

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 83492

Kneasy wrote:
>So, until my perverted mind can hatch 
> something really disgraceful, this will have to do.

Annemehr:
Unfortunately, the most you have managed is "interesting."  Oh, well,
let's see what we can make of it!

Kneasy:

> 1998 in fact. CoS, chapter 1, the first meeting between Harry and Dobby.
> 
> It all seems fairly standard - weird creature appears, imparts obscure 
> warning, creates mayhem, departs again. Nice start to the book, puts 
> the readers on their toes and sets up a pleasantly convoluted plot. 
> Only in hindsight does it start to look a bit odd, particularly after 
> reading OoP.
> 
> Jump  forward and look at Kreacher in OoP.
> He is unhappy with what is going on in the household. The current 
> inhabitants are inimical to the  family ethic but he is constrained 
> from doing anything about it. All it takes is one ambiguous instruction 
> ( or an instruction that can be misconstrued) and he's off. Winging his 
> way to darling [Narcissa] (the closest family member)

Annemehr:
[I took the liberty of correcting "Bella" to "Narcissa" assuming you
merely had one of those brain hiccups we all get]

Yes, but I'll note that on his return to Grimmauld Place, Kreacher
does not punish himself; rather he is obviously happier than he had
been before.  So, he managed to do something he wanted (visit and aid
the family member Narcissa) by following the *rules,* at least the
letter of them, though violating the spirit of Sirius' known wishes.

Kneasy:
> 
> So why did Dobby seek out Harry?
> 
> Is Harry part of the extended family that is centred on the household 
> that Dobby serves?
> According to the known rules that govern House Elves, he must be. 
> Strangers are of no concern to a House Elf, only family. Additionally, 
> it makes no sense for Dobby to have received instructions from Malfoy 
> to warn Harry. Aged twelve he didn't have the notorious 'pest' factor 
> he later becomes famous for. No one would suspect he could cock-up Tom 
> Riddle and a Basilisk at that age. So why would Malfoy warn him off? I 
> don't think he would, but Dobby might in the right circumstances; if 
> family ties were involved, for instance.
> 
> Note that Dobby doesn't seem to be concerned about what might happen to 
> the rest - Ginny can die, Hermione, Colin and the others can be 
> petrified, the Basilisk can rampage to its hearts content, just so long 
> as *Harry* is safe.

Annemehr:

The fact that Dobby punishes himself convinces me that he *was*
breaking the rules as he knew them.  Malfoy must not have said
anything that could be construed as "visit Harry" or even "leave the
house" IMO.  So I conclude that Dobby went to greater extremes than
Kreacher did to visit someone outside the house.  And now I join you
in considering *why* he was so compelled to warn Harry.

It is certainly easy to suppose that Harry may be related to the
Malfoys in some way, and that Dobby knows this and wants to protect
him.  From the text, I don't think we can reach any conclusions,
unless Dobby just takes the whole thing very personally -- that Harry
is responsible for the defeat of his hated master's Master.  But I
think there is a hint in ch. 10 of CoS:

"'Oh, is that all?' said Harry angrily.  'I don't suppose you're going
to tell me *why* you wanted me sent home in pieces?'

"'Ah, if Harry Potter only knew!'  Dobby groaned, more tears dripping
onto his ragged pillowcase.  'If he knew what he means to us, to the
lowly, the enslaved, we dregs of the magical world! [...]'"

I think this is a hint for the future that House Elves (and others?
Goblins, Merpeople, some Centaurs even?) see some possibilities in The
Boy Who Lived that don't even enter the general mindset of the Wizard
population.  I think Dobby was telling Harry the truth but barely
scratched the surface of it.  Of course, this wouldn't preclude that
James was related to Lucius or Narcissa in some way, too.

Kneasy:
> Dobby was not interested in preventing Tom Riddle 
> from re-birth and all that that could mean, he was only concerned with 
> keeping Harry out of it. Note also he will  not betray Malfoy's  
> dastardly plot in any way ( for Malfoy is family) except where it 
> touches on Harry.

Annemehr:

Hmm. Let's compare Dobby and Kreacher again.

According to Dumbledore, Sirius had given Kreacher direct orders not
to reveal certain things about the Order to anyone.  But there were
some things very useful to Narcissa and Voldemort that Sirius had
neglected to include in this ban, most notably that Sirius and Harry
were the most important people in the world to each other.

We have no idea what kind of specific orders Lucius gave Dobby
regarding the secrecy of the Diary plot.  He may have merely been
relying on Dobby's keeping the family secrets in general.  Dobby does
say the family pays little attention to him (e.g. just lets Dobby get
on with it when he punishes himself), so this would be plausible.

If Harry is not part of the Malfoys' extended family, Dobby is
breaking all the rules to tell him anything, and therefore will give
Harry very minimal amounts of information to minimize the violation. 
If Harry can be considered part of the family, I think Dobby would
feel free to tell him anything Lucius had not expressly forbidden him
to tell.  So either Lucius banned Dobby from speaking of the plot, or
Harry is not family.  There -- I've reached no conclusion whatsoever,
darn it.

Finally, there was a brief discussion on the manner in which Dobby was
freed.

Inge, in a response to Kneasy wrote:
Actually Lucius doesn't even hand the sock over to Dobby - he just
throws it aside and Dobby sort of catches it with the words: "Master
has given Dobby a sock! Master gave it to Dobby!"
I'd think it should take an actual presenting of a piece of clothes
to an elf to set him/her/it free.

Annemehr:
I think that just tossing the sock would be sufficient.  After all,
Dobby says in ch. 10 of CoS (in the hospital wing):
"Dobby can only be freed if his masters present him with clothes, sir.
 The family is careful not to pass Dobby even a sock, sir, for then he
would be free to leave their house forever."

It does seem as though the Malfoys must be very careful about handing
Dobby any clothing.  I think what Lucius did with the sock was enough.
 Dobby can say "Harry Potter set Dobby free!" because he is fully
aware that it was Harry who tricked Lucius into freeing Dobby, so he
gives him the credit.

Kneasy certainly has a point.  Dobby feels a *very* strong connection
to Harry Potter, such as a House Elf might feel for a family member. 
While this may turn out to be true, and eventually give Dobby a reason
to attach himself to Harry in the next two books, I can't help but
feel that there is more to it as far as non-human magical beings are
concerned.

Annemehr