3 unrelated OOP questions

[Andrew]

No: HPFGUIDX 96540

leb2323 wrote:
<snip>
> 1.  Does the Knight Bus get from place to place partially by
> apparating?  When wizards apparate they make a popping or cracking 
> noise that I assume correlates with the level of competence or
> experience they have.  The Knight Bus jumps from place to
> place with a loud "bang".  Ch 24 (Occlumency) of OOP describes 
> this: "From here they moved  to a main street in the middle of a 
> busy town, then to a viaduct surrounded by tall hills, then to a 
> windswept road between high-rise flats, each time with a loud 
> BANG."  

That's how I understand it.  The Knight Bus travels by magic, perhaps 
jumping between places that have been somehow made or deemed "safe" 
from muggles or something, and jumping around to pick up any wizard 
who calls it.

> 2.  In ch 17 when Harry takes the injured Hedwig to the staffroom to
> find Professor Grubbly-Plank one of the gargoyles calls him 
> "sunny Jim".  Is this just some type of british phrase that I'm
> unaware of or is it an allusion to his father James and the fact 
> that they look so much alike?

I read this as being a variation on "son of Jim".
 
> 3.  When Dobby has warned the DA that Umbridge is on her way and the
> members are all scattering while Dobby is "punishing" 
> himself for warning them, Harry grabs him up and says, "Dobby -- 
> this is an order -- get back down to the kitchen with the other 
> elves, and if she asks you whether you warned me, lie and say no!" 
> said Harry.  "And I forbid you to hurt yourself!" he added, 
> dropping the elf as he made it over the threshold at last and 
> slamming the door behind him.  "Thank you Harry Potter!" squeaked 
> Dobby, and he streaked off. (ch 27).  Now, I am of the opinion that 
> Dobby at one time was the Potter house elf before he was relocated 
> to the Malfoys after James & Lily died.  Am I way off base and 
> trying to read too much into this scene or is Dobby taking a direct 
> order from Harry as if Harry were Dobby's master?  I've read this 
> book countless times now and this bit just really jumped out at me 
> this time.  

I don't think Dobby was ever in the service of the Potters.  Didn't 
he mention during CoS how poorly house elves were treated before the 
downfall of LV, and say that he is *still* treated like that. (note: 
I know this happened in the movie, but I don't remember if it was the 
same in the book.)  I can't really see the Potters treating their 
house elf the same way the Malfoys do.

It may just be that, as a Hogwarts elf, Dobby considers himself to be 
in the service of all of the wizards in the school.  In any case I 
think he would do anything Harry asked of him to show his gratitude 
for freeing him.

-Nepenthales