Hogwarts Laundry

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 163495

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Penny Brooks" <pennygbrooks at ...> wrote:
>
> After all these very serious discussions, I'm going to ask one that
> could be deemed kind of dumb.  But, I've been thinking about it for 2
> days now, and I'm stumped.
> 
> Who does the laundry at Hogwarts?
> 
> I've been rereading COS lately (for the 100th time), and it occurs to
> me, when Dobby mentions that his masters (at that time) can't even pass
> him a sock, for it would mean his freedom, that he can't pick up any
> clothes.  I also thought about GOF, when Hermione's trying to knit all
> those hats, and the elves refuse to pick them up, and, seriously, they
> can't (and won't) pick up any pieces of clothes.  So, who does the
> laundry?  We never hear that there are any other servants in Hogwarts
> (I guess Filch could be one, but he's the only one apart from the
> staff).  Or, is it a matter that they can do the laundry, if it's
> clearly understood that it's not being given to them?
> 
> All the problems and issues going on in the world, and this is the
> matter that I get obsessed with.  :)
> 
> Penny

Geoff:
I think that a  number of members who have responded to Penny's 
post have either misread or misinterpreted what has been written 
in the books about house-elves gaining their freedom.

Here is what Dobby actually says:
'He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase he wore, 
looking so pathetic that Harry felt his anger ebb away in spite of 
himself.
"Why d'you wear that thing, Dobby?" he asked curiously.
"This, sir?" said Dobby plucking at the pillowcase. "'Tis a mark of 
the house-elf's enslavement, Dobby can only be freed if his masters 
present him with clothes, sir. The family is careful not to pass Dobby
even a sock, sir, for then he would be free to leave their house for 
ever."''
(COS "The Rogue Bludger" p.133 UK edition)

In other words, any item of wear could do the trick... I wonder if this 
implies that if they drop a piece of clothing on the floor, it is not being 
"presented" to him? I can't visualise Narcissa even waving a wand to 
cast a Scourgify spell!