The Potters' grave and non-domestic elves

[amanitamuscaria1]

No: HPFGUIDX 88951

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Peter Felix Schuster" 
<pfsch at g...> wrote:
> > Peter:
> > I wondered, why Harry never asked to see his parents' grave.
> > AmanitaMuscaria : I always assumed it was his upbringing - he 
> > doesn't ask questions about his parents either, but then, he was 
> > told from an early age not to ask questions and punished for 
doing 
> > so.
> 
> Peter: Seems to be a very good explanation for him not asking to 
me. I 
> still wonder though whether he's ever told where it is and/or gets 
> there. If he does it might be of importance - maybe that's where 
the 
> dramatical show down will take place. Although there already was a 
> important scene on a graveyard which would make "mine" just a 
repeated 
> one.
AmanitaMuscaria again: Yes - JKR may go either way - either work back 
through the occurrences, or go into new ones. So either Harry finds 
out straightway where his parents' bodies lie (do they? What was left 
if the house was demolished?) or it's held off. Either way, it's a 
potent image, and could be worked on. Except that Harry's always put 
thinking about his parents behind him. JKR has always had him veer 
away from any real examination of what all his history meant to him.
> 
> > Now, that is an interesting question. Along with whether goblins 
own 
> > Gringotts or are just employed there, and who won the goblin 
wars? 
> 
> Peter: What wizards call "goblin war" might have been a rebellion 
> "just" to gain full rights - which they might have won, now having 
> those rights. Or goblins lost but wizardkind so many losses that 
they 
> had to admit certain rights. Such as the right to have property and 
> run a business.

AmanitaMuscaria again: Absolutely. It really depends on what each 
side were fighting for - the goblins are portrayed by JKR as being 
interested only in gold and treasure, so why would they become 
involved with politics, if they think it's immaterial? Mind you, we 
haven't heard Prof.Binns' take, as everyone apart from Hermione has 
fallen asleep. He might have explained it ...

> 
> > Peter: If there are house elves - are there any non domesticated 
> > elves, too?
> > AmanitaMuscaria : Why wouldn't there be renegrade groups of elves 
> > somewhere? Perhaps Harry needs to ask Dobby?
> 
> Peter: I shall remind him of that the next time I meet him. :) 
Indeed 
> I assume that there are groups of elves given clothes - they can't 
all 
> end up in Hogwarts (though it would explain the large number of 
elves 
> in there).

AmanitaMuscaria again: No, as they're all 'disgusted' by Dobby's 
attitude. So most of the houseelves at Hogwarts are 'traditional', 
Hagrid mentions that there will always be the odd one ... so does 
that mean the binding spell (or whatever it is) just wasn't effective 
on Dobby? He's very interesting because even before he was freed, he 
was able (I'm assuming he did it off his own bat) to warn Harry. This 
may mean that houseelves, if they're given enough stimulus, can shake 
off whatever it is that makes them subservient (witness Kreacher).

> It is said (I think it was in OoP, in a conversation about 
Kreacher) 
> that house elves are under a charm making them willing serveants - 
> correct me if I'm wrong. So I suppose that there are elves not 
being 
> charmed in that way.
snip
> And, in CS a Weasley (Ron?) states that they are only found in 
> rich wizarding families, but even the Malfoys only had had Dobby. 

AmanitaMuscaria again: Why do you assume Malfoy only had Dobby? All 
Malfoy actually says is, 'You've lost me my servant, boy'. He never 
says, you've lost me my only servant. I can't see the Malfoys relying 
on only one, rather dubious, houseelf? Do you believe Dobby could 
have just suddenly become rebellious? I would assume he's always been 
a bit of an oddity.

> Since there can't be to many rich families (and Hogwarts as we know 
> later, perhaps in the MoM and St. Mungus as well)

AmanitaMuscaria again : Good point. Look in the places which have 
most need of helping hands. Mungos, though, and a very pertinent 
place to look.

Cheers. AmanitaMuscaria