Kreacher the Plot Device Elf - Madness, Magic, and Honor

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 161840


> bboyminn:
> 
> No, I think there is just madness, but that's just my
> opinion.
> 
> Keep in mind that what Kreacher thought of Sirius didn't
> change that fact that Sirius was the one true last 
> decendant heir to the Black Estate. Yes, there are 
> peripheral Blacks lurking about, mostly female, and 
> mostly members of other branches of the Black Family 
> tree. But being female, while Blacks by birth, they are
> now bound to the House of the husbands. Narcissa is now
> a member of the House of Malfoy. That's quite different
> than Sirius. I emphasize again that Sirius was the last
> direct-line hier, and I have to believe that carries 
> some weight even if Sirius was disowned.
> 
> Now I can understand Kreacher reluctance and resistance
> to serving Harry. In this case, he is bound by the
> commitments of his ancestors and Sirius's will. But 
> regardless of Sirius's status in the family, he is the 
> last true Black, and I believe Kreacher would and should
> honor that. 
> 
> He would and should but he's mad as a hatter.

Magpie:
I don't understand how you're relating that to madness. We've seen 
that House-elves have their own opinions about things.  Kreacher was 
Mrs. Black's elf first and foremost. Sirius broke her heart. He 
brought people into the house that the mistress Kreacher considers 
his own would hate. Why is it madness for him to have continued to 
share the opinions and carry out the wishes of the mistress he loved 
instead of changing them just because Sirius is technically the heir 
even though he was blasted off the tapestry? And why isn't Dobby 
then mad for not going along with Lucius' opinions on Harry? Why 
isn't it madness for the House Elves at Hogwarts to not clean up 
Gryffindor Tower when they're insulted? Or Winky to continue to 
worry over Mr. Crouch after he fires her? It seems like Dobby is 
considered crazy by other House Elves because he wants freedom, not 
because he has ideas about which masters are proper to serve. 

Kreacher seems to just have the same view of the Black line that his 
mistress does, and also the same views on Purebloods.  It seems like 
you're assuming several things about sane House-elf behavior that we 
don't know, like that a sane elf would honor Sirius as the heir even 
if the mistress of his heart would not, which he knows because he 
lived through the whole break up.  You're also assuming that 
Narcissa is now the House of Malfoy completely and not Black because 
she is married which I don't think is supported in canon. If that 
was the rule why would Dumbledore think Bellatrix could have 
inherited? Kreacher himself seems to consider both Narcissa and 
Bellatrix Blacks. He even recognizes Draco as being related to his 
mistress.

Betsy Hp:
But since Kreacher didn't *want* to serve tea to any of Sirius's
guests, I think there was a method to his "madness". Also, I think
it's important to remember that a house-elf uses *magic* to do much
of their work. So what's drudgery to you or me is a snap (literally
<g>) to a house-elf. (Though it wouldn't surprise me if we find out
that Kreacher stooped and stumbled a bit more than need be to add to
his "I can't do nothing about nothing, I'm just a craaazzzy house-
elf" routine.)

Magpie:
Kreacher's muttering routine always seemed plenty useful to him to 
me. People who spend a lot of time alone can become more used to 
talking to themselves. It's insanity when you're talking to voices 
in your head, but talking to yourself in general isn't a mark of 
insanity (I hope!). I wouldn't be so sure Kreacher is, as I know it 
was said somewhere earlier, under the impression people can't here 
him when he talks to himself. A lot of the things he says are 
intentionally passive-aggressive and insulting. He didn't mutter 
anything about things he wanted to keep quiet about. He does seem 
highly eccentric to me, but I wouldn't consider him insane. He 
doesn't seem to lack a grip on reality to me, especially after the 
way he was able to jump right into HBP and start being himself at 
Hogwarts.

-m