house elves and laundry

[arcum42]

No: HPFGUIDX 88149

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "drjuliehoward"
<drjuliehoward at y...> 
wrote:
> > 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? 
> > <snip>
> 
> I've wondered the same thing.  Wouldn't this be mentioned in the 
> book she always quotes, "Hogwarts: A History"?  If so, why was she 
> surprised?  If it weren't mentioned, why not?  Could it have 
> something to do with the way they became slaves to the wizarding 
> world, given that they are powerful beings themselves?  Just 
> wondering...
> 
Apparently not...

"'House-elves!' said Hermione, her eyes flashing. 'Not once,
in over a thousand pages, does Hogwarts, A History mention that we
are all colluding in the oppression of a hundred slaves!'"
-Arcum