[HPforGrownups] Re: House elves and some spoilers for Swordspoint WAS: realistic solutions

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 180873

susanmcgee48176 wrote:
> First, the house elves are not of the same species as humans, and 
> that gives us the idea that well, maybe, it IS in their nature to be 
> slaves, and to be truly unhappy were they free. (That makes me 
> incredibly uncomfortable). 
>   
Well, there are a number of animal species that naturally look for and 
follow leaders (such as dogs). Most people don't consider the way we 
treat dogs to be slavery. Now, house elves can talk, and have shown the 
ability to reason. But where did house elves come from? The first, and 
only correct answer is JKR's imagination. And she does have a past habit 
of not really thinking things through to their logical conclusions (such 
as the clear division between muggleborn students who are not allowed to 
practice magic at all during the summer, even to do their homework, 
while purebloods and halfbloods are supervised solely by their families, 
giving purebloods and halfbloods a potential MAJOR advantage at school, 
if this were real, and not imaginary). So, are they:

A) A species that evolved with magic, and were forced into slavery by 
the wizard establishment?
B) Altered people?
C) A lower species whose evolution was taken over by Wizards, to form 
servants?
D) Genetically engineered from multiple species, including people?
E) Created by wizards out of non-living materials?

Was Dobby, by house elf standards, insane, a genius (both?)?

What happens when house elves die? 
Can house elves be transferred form one family to another? Ron implies 
that they can; Winky that they can't.

Bart