Dobby -- Former Potter House Elf?

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 98214

> > Leb wrote: 
> > 
> > 3.  When Dobby has warned the DA that Umbridge is on her way and 
> the members are all scattering while Dobby is "punishing" himself 
for 
> warning them, Harry grabs him up and says, "Dobby -- this is an 
> order -- get back down to the kitchen with the other elves, and if 
> she asks you whether you warned me, lie and say no!" said 
> Harry.  "And I forbid you to hurt yourself!" he added, dropping the 
> elf as he made it over the threshold at last and slamming the door 
> behind him.  "Thank you Harry Potter!" squeaked Dobby, and he 
> streaked off. (ch 27).  Now, I am of the opinion that Dobby at one 
> time was the Potter house elf before he was relocated to the 
Malfoys 
> after James & Lily died.  Am I way off base and trying to read too 
> much into this scene or is Dobby taking a direct order from Harry 
as 
> if Harry were Dobby's master?  I've read this book countless times 
> now and this bit just really jumped out at me this time.
  
 Finwitch:
 
 I considered Dobby acting as if he were Harry's elf ever since I 
read 
 GoF and how Winky acted towards Crouch Sr. Dobby's true loyalty has 
always been to Harry - (and he likes clothes because he can serve 
Harry more as a free elf, than if he were bound, because Harry's 
underage and living in a Muggle House.)
 
 It's a bit like Kreacher - (Hermione was right to make the 
parallel) -
  Kreacher was - by enchantment of his kind - bound to obey any 
direct order Sirius gave him, but he also did things Sirius didn't 
LIKE (as much as he possibly could, I take it), definately not being 
truly loyal...
 
I don't know how Dobby would have ended up at Malfoys, but I do 
believe Dobby was a Potter house-elf.

Or, another possibility: Dobby was a Black-house-elf, who was told to 
join Narcissa upon her marriage, even though Dobby preferred Sirius? 
Dobby would have met James Potter with Sirius, visited him often in 
the Potter house after Sirius left home, probably even been there 
when Sirius was made Harry's godfather and guardian...
 
-- Finwitch