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

[inufan_625]

No: HPFGUIDX 162167


> Betsy Hp:
> I feel like Harry did see to those things.  I mean, because of the 
> magical bonds Harry didn't have to keep Kreacher in a cell or 
> anything, so Kreacher seems to have had free run of Hogwarts.  Which 
> means Harry didn't have to personally deliver Kreacher his food or 
> escort him to the bath or anything.  But he confined Kreacher to a 
> place where Kreacher's basic needs were cared for.  (Not the 
> Shrieking Shack, for example.)  And Harry made sure Kreacher 
> couldn't contact the enemy.

inufan625:
I agree. Harry has lived up to his responsibilty as owner of Kreacher
in providing him with life's basic needs. As you said he could have
easily ordered Kreacher to hold himself up in a hole in the ground or
something and had Dobby throw him down table scaprs once a week, but
he didn't. Harry didn't want a slave, just as he doesn't like the way
Dobby practically whorships him, but he has to make the best of those
situation, just as we all do.

 
> > >>Ceridwen:
> > Harry would also be able to work the prisoner.  Nothing cruel and 
> > unusual, and nothing that could compromise security, but work.
> > <snip>
> 
> Betsy Hp:
> Hmm, I suppose it could be argued that in ordering Kreacher to
>follow Draco, Harry was just giving Kreacher a simple task.  But I
>think the cruelty was in making Kreacher work against his side. 
>Which I've seen prisoner's of war have to do (in various WWII movies
>but for some reason I saw this as Harry crossing the line from guard
>to slave owner.  Maybe because he took such advantage of a magical >bond?
> 

inufan625:
Actually if I remember correctly Kreacher actually enjoyed the
prospect of being told to follow Malfoy arround and did in fact enjoy
it as his report consisted mostly of kissing Malfoy's rear end. So in
a way the task Harry assigned him was a kind one. The only part he
didn't like was having to 'tattle' on Malfoy, which he ended up not
doing anyway as Dobby proved more useful.