House-Elf Justice (was Re: Kreacher - workable solutions?)

[sophierom]

No: HPFGUIDX 129545

Alisha asked:

> What if DD mentions in an Order meeting that Kreacher poses a
> security problem and one of the members (Snape, Mad-Eye, even
> Arthur) decides this is carte blanche to kill the meddlesome elf?


Finwitch suggested:
<snip discussion of what could happen to Kreacher in HBP)>

> OR... to further your 'taken order' -Dobby hears Harry mutter about 
> Kreacher or some such, and *DOBBY* kills Kreacher. And I think that 
> as of Kreacher's choices/ethics, it's something that really is best 
> judged by another house-elf, wouldn't you say? And even Hermione 
> can't complain if one house-elf kills another, can she?

Sophierom now:

I love it! This makes me wonder what house-elves would consider
"justice".  We've seen a little bit of how the larger house-elf
community works in the kitchens of Hogwarts. Dobby is considered odd
(to say the least) for his desire to work for pay.  Yet, as far as we
know, he takes great pride in his work. On the other hand, Winky's
obsessive devotion to her old master, Crouch, is actually problematic
within the community, for it keeps her from doing her work at
Hogwarts. In this respect, Kreacher is quite a bit like Winky.  His
devotion for the dead Mrs. Black keeps him from serving Sirius well;
indeed, it leads to Kreacher's willingness to betray his master. 

Perhaps if Dobby doesn't off Kreacher for the sake of his dear Harry
Potter, then the other house-elves might want to see Kreacher
punished; they might consider Kreacher a traitor to their kind for his
betrayal of Sirius.  

I'd love to see the house-elves play a role in the series finale; it
would be sweet justice, indeed, if the Hogwarts' house-elves
considered Kreacher an enemy because he was too good a servant to Mrs.
Black, therefore making him a horrible servant to his master (and to
the house-elf code of duty and work?).  There certainly seems to be a
lesson in the house-elf behavior; service is admirable, but fanatic,
unseeing devotion is pathetic at best (Winky) and hateful (Kreacher)
at worst.  

It seems, then, that house-elves have to temper their devotion to a
master (Winky/Crouch, Kreacher/Mrs. Black) with a dedication to
service. Wouldn't it be ironic if Dobby, the house-elf whom Ron thinks
 of as unnatural, is actually the model house-elf? After all, of the
three house-elves we've gotten to know, Dobby is actually the best
servant.

Sophie, who apologizes for the lack of specific references to canon
here; I'm away from my books at the moment (ahh! how can I survive?
;-D)