Gnomes

[alora]

No: HPFGUIDX 105664

This may sound really, really stupid, but what good are gnomes?  
Could they be used in the wizard world somehow, other than to tear 
up your garden?  When Harry and Ron de-gnome the garden, they 
yell, "Geroff me!  Geroff me!"  Are they self-aware?  It sounds like 
they have a simple vocabulary, too.  

I'm  not about to throw out a totally ridiculous theory (even though 
I think of some), but I am just wondering if anyone else  has ideas 
about what else they might do or be useful for.

Alora :)