House-Elves yet again

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 181318

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Random832 <random832 at ...> wrote:
>
> > a_svirn:
> > For instance, when Hermione kept Rita 
> > Skeeter in a glass jar she was doing it magically and *il*legally.
> 
> Random:
> Now, do we actually know this? It could be that, legally, 
unregistered 
> animagi are considered to forfeit most of their rights when not in 
human 
> form. 

a_svirn:
It could be, but I'd say it is most unlikely. There are quite enough 
self-appointed vigilantes in the WW to encourage such activities 
legally as well.  I think it is safe to assume that keeping fellow 
wizards captives is illegal. I mean we don't know whether it is 
illegal to kill aging headmasters but it would be the height of 
absurdity to suppose that it isn't. 

> Random:
After all, Hermione was merely keeping an insect in a jar, not a 
> person - how was she supposed to know it was actually a witch? 
(That's 
> actually both one possible basis for why registration might be 
required 
> and a possible way for the government to provide an incentive to do 
so)
>

a_svirn:
That's a very good possible line of defence, yes. But it does not 
change the fact that in principle kidnapping is illegal. Besides, 
there is a little matter of blackmail as well. Since Hermione forced 
Rita to renounce her job, and later on extorted certain favours in 
exchange for her (Hermione's) silence it wouldn't be too difficult to 
prove that she  knew about Rita's being animaga alright. 

a_svirn