Hogwarts Laundry

[Bex]

No: HPFGUIDX 163486

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "zanooda2" <zanooda2 at ...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Penny Brooks" 
> <pennygbrooks@> wrote:
> 
> > Who does the laundry at Hogwarts?
> 
> 
> zanooda:
> 
> I think that, to be freed, an elf needs to recieve clothes from his 
> master's hands, not just pick them up from somewhere (the floor? a 
> hamper?). They seem to be allowed to handle clothes. Remember, in CoS 
> one of the twins says their mother wishes they had a house-elf "to do 
> ironing"? In GoF Fake!Moody summons Dobby to the staffroom "to 
> collect some robes for cleaning".

KJ now:
Or even more simple: an elf can be freed only if it wants to be freed.
If the elf doesn't want to be free, he/she can take any clothing they
wish.

I would imagine that Winky did the laudry for the Crouches all those
years. I don't see Crouch Jr. as much of a house keeper, being under
the imperius and all, and Barty Sr. would have been too busy ridding
the magical world of all things dark artsy to bother with washing
socks. So Winky did the washing, happy as a clam. When Crouch Sr.
gives her clothes in GoF, it is more symbolic than "Here, fold these."
The clothes are actually a sign of dismissal.

Dobby, on the other hand, was desperate for any reason to get away. He
was able to leave the Malfoy family even after Lucius absentmindedly
tosses a sock away and Dobby /catches/ it. He didn't even actually
/give/ it to him, Dobby just caught it after Master handled it. (This
could be a loophole; I think Dobby got away on a technicality, more
than anything.) I promise you, either Draco or Narcissa is /really/
good with fabric softener.

Note also (Penny is quite the little sleutgh, digging up those
references!) that Kreacher makes off with Orion Black's trousers
(Sirius's father) in OotP. They are allowed to touch clothes without a
doubt. It depends mostly on the elf's view of the clothes (are they a
sign of dismissal) and the intent of the person doing the giving.

FWIW, I think that the Elves at Hogwarts were avoiding Hermione's hats
because of 1) principles, and 2) because it would free them since she
saw it that way. But Dobby takes them because he is technically a free
agent (he is employed, not enslaved, though some of us 40-hour-week
folks might argue there's no difference) and he wouldn't see them as a
dismissal.

In summary:
If Dumbledore gives a sock to any one of the elves intending to free
them, then that elf is free. 
If the elf wants to be freed, and Dumbledore gives them a sock, then
that elf is free (a la Dobby and Malfoy). Master's thoughts don't matter.
If the elf does not want to be free, but Dumbledore does, then the elf
is free (a la Winky and Crouch). Elf's thoughts don't matter.
If Dumbledore gives any of the elves a sock, not intending the elf to
be freed, and the elf doesn't want to be free, then the elf isn't free
(a la Molly's dream elf).

I think...

~KJ