[HPforGrownups] Re: house elves and laundry

[SnapesSlytherin at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 88167

In a message dated 1/6/2004 9:51:26 AM Eastern Standard Time, bumbledor at charter.net writes:

> Just one problem with the above sentence. 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?

The elves don't clean the tower because of the message behind the clothes:
"She still does not care for clothes, Harry Potter.  Nor do the other house-elves.  None of them will clean Gryffindor tower anymore, not with the hats and socks hidden anywhere, they finds them insulting sir." -- Dobby, OoP page 385

The elves *could* touch them, they choose not to because Hermione is insulting them (like offering a knarl milk I suppose).

Oryomai