house elves and laundry

[Susan Miller]

No: HPFGUIDX 88166

--- Bumbledor wrote:

> In book 5, wasn't Hermione making
> hats and leaving them lying around, hidden? If house elves are 
allowed to
> touch clothes that are not directly handed to them, then why would 
Dobby tell
> Harry that the other elves won't clean Gryffindor common room, due 
to all
> the hidden hats and stuff?

Constance Vigilance (me):

I always understood that the refusal was due to the elves' feeling 
that the hats were insulting. I didn't see that canon tells us that 
the hats would actually have any effect on their status. There have 
been discussions on this list before wondering how someone who did 
not own an elf could cause a release. I think we just don't know at 
this point.

Having said that and moving into meta-thinking, I think that the hats 
will have an effect in a future book, else why have them? I think 
there will be a grand event that will cause the elves to choose 
freedom for themselves. The disturbing thing to me is that since 
Dumbledore, as master of Hogwarts, seems to hold their bonds, the 
elves would only need to be freed if they intended to violate 
Dumbledore's wishes. I have been concerned that the elves will make 
use of Hermione's hats to enlist in the anti-Dumbledore army and 
fight *against* our heroes.

Constance Vigilance, Quirrell Lives!