Dobby revisited

[Matt]

No: HPFGUIDX 83673

--- Kneasy wrote:

> Sock tossing and [its] implications divided 
> most with Annemehr taking a strict view that 
> any clothing under any circumstances conveys 
> freedom, while Inge Matt, Jennifer and 
> Corinthum consider that Dobby might be an 
> opportunist who was just looking for [a] 
> chance to slip Malfoy's leash.
> 
> The strict interpretation would be difficult to 
> live with - unable to pass any clothing, 
> including things like visitor's cloaks to your 
> House Elf. No, I think that Elves consider the 
> words 'present clothes', with it's overtones of 
> a formal action (as Crouch with Winky) as the 
> defining phrase.

As I said before (# 83507), your theory has some
appeal, and the most persuasive element is what
you got back to at the beginning of this post,
i.e., why did Dobby seek out Harry in the first
place?  

On the mechanics of Dobby being freed, however,
I'm disappointed that you haven't addressed the
most direct canon we have on the mechanism, 
namely Dobby's statement to Harry (which I
paraphrased, #83507, and Annemehr quoted, #83492) 
that "The family is careful not to pass Dobby 
even a sock, sir, for then he would be free to 
leave their house forever."

As I suggested earlier, no "care" would be
necessary if freeing an elf required the degree
of intentionality that you suppose.  On your
view, the Malfoys could never have freed Dobby
inadvertently.

Can house elves do laundry or store visitors'
cloaks?  Maybe not; I don't recall any specific
reference to them doing so in the books.  Or
perhaps such tasks can be entrusted to the elf
so long as there are clear instructions that
the clothing is not the elf's to keep.  Either
possibility would be consistent with the 
"strict" interpretation that carelessly passing 
the elf so much as a sock could lead to freedom.

-- Matt