[HPforGrownups] Things better for House Elves? - How? and Why?

[Lindsay]

No: HPFGUIDX 126791

> > Tyler:
> >
> > Has anyone else wondered just how LV's fall improved
> > the daily lives of British House Elves?  They would
> > all still be... treat ... as ruthlessly as before.
> > ... So whats changed?  Any thoughts?
> >
> > Tyler
> 
> bboyminn:
> 
> I think that while Voldemort was strong the Death Eater's were growing
> very full of themselves, acting as if they were all powerful and above
> the law. The killed and tortured for sport, and I suspect of few of
> those killed and tortured for sport were house-elves.
> 
> Ruthless men entranced and intoxicated by their preceived
> invulnerability can be unbelievable cruel. But when Voldemort was
> vanquished, they suddenly had great incentive to rein it in and play
> it cool. They fought hard to convince the Ministry and their fellow
> wizards that they were just poor victims, and in reality, were fine
> upstanding citizens who just wanted to get back to their normal
> elf-loving, muggle-loving lives.
> 
> Given that any continued ruthlessness or cruelty on their part would
> throw great suspision on their claims of having been enchanted (mind
> control curse) by Voldemort, I suspect they were on their best
> behavior and that improved the lives of Elves greatly.

Lindsay:

Steve beat me to it, but yes, that was something I wondered about
before I also came to that conclusion.  I also imagine a lot of Death
Eater owners were thrown in Azkaban as well, and the rest of the
family they then served were not so cruel, or at least, on their best
behavior.

Most societies that have slavery of some sort at least have laws
"protecting" the slaves from harsh abuse, normally as humanity laws. 
Of course, those tended to be ignored or brushed aside, however if the
Wizarding World has such laws, I imagine the Ministry would be looking
for any excuse to throw the rest of the family into Azkaban, or at
least fine them heavily and conduct raids.  So where they might
normally ignore House Elf abuse laws, they might be looking to enforce
them since they cannot pin anything else on those people.  So thus,
the family would definitely want to be on their best behavior.

--Lindsay