house elves and laundry

[Diana Walter]

No: HPFGUIDX 88139


> Carol:
> IIRC, Hermione finds large robes in the laundry for Harry and Ron 
when
> they trasform themselves into Crabbe and Goyle in SS/PS, which
> probably means that the House Elves do the laundry at Hogwarts. 

Me:
     Makes me wonder why Hermione was so surprised to learn in GoF 
that there were house elves at Hogwarts. Who did she think did the 
laundry? Were there just none around at the time she stole the robes? 
Is it possible that she saw one and just didn't realize what it was, 
not having met Dobby (although one would think she would figure it 
out soon enough)? Where is the laundry anyway, and how did Hermione 
find it?
                      --daw, because Diana was taken