[HPforGrownups] Re: Freedom for House-Elves (Was: Kreacher the Plot Device Elf)

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 162172

> 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.
>
Magpie:
For me, that's why the strange moment is when Harry calls on Kreacher to 
follow Malfoy. I can certainly see why he does it for plot purposes--it's 
funny and it's part of a theme in HBP where we see all these other people 
having totally different reactions to Malfoy than the ones we've seen 
throughout the books.  Kreacher's just one more person who seems favorably 
disposed to him, even potentially caring about him.

But still, I was brought up short by Harry calling on his slave when he 
needed the job done, especially with another Elf offering to do it as a 
friend. Like I said, plotwise I could see why it was better to have the two 
of them working together, and maybe Kreacher will have some part in the next 
book as well that was set up here.  But I agree with a_svirn that it's a 
moment where Harry crosses the line into active slaveowner where before he 
was just doing what he had to do to protect his own interests.  He couldn't 
free Kreacher because of the danger to his side, so putting him at Hogwarts 
was a pretty good compromise.  I was totally surprised when he then assumed 
his rights as Kreacher's personal owner--and even more surprised at 
Hermione's being fine with that.

> 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.

Magpie:
It wasn't really kind at all, any more than it would be kind for Lucius to 
order Dobby to follow Harry to get information to hurt him.  Harry himself 
knows this, which is why he knows to give Kreacher orders to keep him from 
doing what he really wants to do, which is serve Malfoy and protect him. 
That's another reason why to me this scene shows that whatever the 
House-Elves situation, Harry is assuming his place in things as a Wizard and 
so rightful owner of House-Elves.

-m