Freedom for House-Elves (Was: Kreacher the Plot Device Elf)

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 162109

Ceridwen:
> > <snip>
> > ...I had hoped to say that it seems that elves have no other 
option than to work as slaves. The suits their nature, whether this 
nature is inborn or enchanted on them. They have no other recourse, no
place to go where they can get gainful employment to meet their needs.


Betsy Hp:
> Hmm, the way I see it, House-elves enjoy domestic work.  They like 
to  cook and clean and seem to take pride in keeping a nice home.  (I 
tend to think Ron's comment that his family can't afford a house-elf 
has more to do with the state of their home than a house-elf 
market.)  And generally, a good domestic can always find a job.

Ceridwen:
So, since they like to cook and clean, being domestic slaves suits 
their natures.  And yes, a good domestic is certainly a treasure.

Besty Hp:
> Really, the issue isn't the work IMO (nothing wrong with being a 
cook or housekeeper in my book), but in the lack of equal choice.  A 
wizard may fire a house-elf (give him or her clothes), but a house-
elf cannot quit.  (Remember, Dobby didn't leave the Malfoys.  Harry 
tricked Lucius into firing him.)

I think the house-elf solution is simply give the house-elves to 
ability to quit.  With the threat of a good house-elf being wooed 
away by nicer work conditions (whatever those are to house-elves) I 
think you'd find most wizards doing their best to keep their 
particular house-elf content.

Ceridwen:
That might work.  It would necessitate hiring rather than owning 
house elves.  But at the same time, for full-time employment, there 
would be primarily the same old masters to serve, the wizards and 
witches who already own house elves.  This is a small pool to choose 
from.  I lived in a very small, isolated town for six or seven 
years.  People went from job to job, did as they pleased, quit or 
were fired, and moved on, sometimes holding the same job four or five 
times because there were no other jobs.  Employers treated employees 
poorly, fired them, hired new people practically off the street if 
their schedule was compatible with the job more than if the person 
was compatible to the position, and ended up firing and then, at some 
much later date, re-hiring people they had fired because there were 
no other people.  I think that a temp agency or part-time service 
provider, like the maid services that come to your home once a week 
for a smaller fee than full-time, would be nice.  Then someone like 
Molly could have an elf-catered wedding for Bill and Fleur, or clean 
up her home for a visit from the prospective in-laws without tiring 
herself too much.
 
Ceridwen:
> > Harry's responsibilities toward Kreacher go beyond making sure he 
is housed and fed. He also has to consider Kreacher's other options 
in the world outside of his hereditary employment.

Betsy Hp:
> Why?  Do you think Harry is going to keep Kreacher once the war is 
over?  Why wouldn't Harry let Kreacher allow Kreacher to seek work 
with a family he'd actually enjoy working for once the danger is past?

Ceridwen:
No, I don't think Harry will keep Kreacher after LV's demise.  That 
would be the perfect time to hand him clothes and send him on his 
merry way.  But until then, he does have a responsiblity toward 
Kreacher as his dependent.

Betsy Hp:
> That's part of the reason I think Harry was better off treating 
Kreacher as a prisoner of war.  There's an implied end to the 
imprisonment.  By treating him as a slave, the only end is Kreacher's 
death.  Which seems a bit bleak to me.

Ceridwen:
Even as a prisoner of war, Harry as his captor would have 
responsibilities toward Kreacher.  He would still be responsible for 
his housing, food, medical, and morale.  He would be expected to 
allow Kreacher contact with his loved ones, but not to allow contact 
with active enemy agents.  To Kreacher, Harry's enemies are his loved 
ones.  It would be disasterous for the Order if Harry had to allow 
contact between Kreacher and Narcissa or Bellatrix.  Harry would also 
be in charge of censoring Kreacher's contacts, both incoming and 
outgoing, or seeing to it that this contact was censored.

Harry would also be able to work the prisoner.  Nothing cruel and 
unusual, and nothing that could compromise security, but work.  It 
keeps the prisoner active so that, during work hours at least, he is 
not keeping himself busy by trying to contact enemy agents or 
plotting or attempting escape.  Kreacher could be sentenced to 
gardening, digging holes where necessary, filling sandbags for a 
flood, building a new hut for Hagrid, picking up litter on the side 
of the road (under supervision), doing laundry, working in the 
kitchen, farm work, or other jobs.

As a prisoner of war, it would be Kreacher's duty to try and escape.  
He did what he could to get to the former Black sisters when he 
belonged to Sirius, so perhaps Kreacher looks at things more the way 
you do.  But, in a POW setting, it wouldn't be out of place to shoot 
Kreacher in the back if he does try to escape.

Ceridwen.