Chapdisc: HBP 19 House Elves

[Kathryn Jones]

No: HPFGUIDX 157614

KJ writes:

    Just for a change of pace, here, I'm wondering if anyone has any 
ideas on why Kreacher and Dobby were reduced to beating the daylights 
out of each other.  They are "magical creatures".  Would we not expect 
them to use magic?  Is their magic constrained so that they can only use 
magic in service?  Does Dumbledore have staff problems with squabbling 
elves?  I was rather surprised at the violence expressed in the phrase 
"Dobby sank his knobbly little fist into Kreacher's mouth and knocked 
out half of his teeth."  I was also hoping to see some cool house elf 
magic in Book 7, not the return of the Ewoks.

KJ