Are house-elves _slaves,_ as such?

[meriaugust]

No: HPFGUIDX 102687

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Eric Oppen" <technomad at i...> 
wrote:
> I was thinking about house-elves (WAAAY too much time on my hands--
-not
> enough to read!  Write, JKR, write!) and it occurred to me that 
house-elves'
> servitude is not really slavery _eo nomine._
> 
> Apparently they are bound to a particular place, or house, instead 
of being
> _owned_ by a master.  While a master can free them by presenting 
them with
> clothes, they don't seem to be able to be bought and sold, as they 
would be
> were they true slaves.  

Meri now: I would say that house elves seem to count as part of the 
house they serve. So that makes them a piece of property or chatell. 
If a WW family bought an old school manor, it would certainly come 
with the anemnities: breakfast nook, broom cupboard, owelry and 
house elf. Whether or not house elves can be "sold seperately" is 
yet to be seen. 

Meri - who really really really wants that WW Encyclopedia that JKR 
promised after book seven...