Possible flint from OotP? (and HBP, too)

[pippin_999]

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "annemehr" <annemehr at y...>
wrote:

> 
> Another possible FLINT - have you discussed this? - is Harry's being
> able to call Kreacher to 4 Privet Drive as proof of ownership.  If
> that's how house elves respond, then in OoP, when Kreacher was
> missing, and Sirius called him, why didn't Kreacher warp back from
> Malfoy Manor?

Pippin:
Dumbledore summoned Kreacher to Privet Drive, presumably from
wherever he was holding him. Harry gave Kreacher an order, and
Kreacher's reluctant obedience showed that Kreacher was now
Harry's House Elf. Kreacher could, presumably, have disobeyed
and been compelled to punish himself, which would have had the
same effect, ie, showing that Harry was his owner.

IIRC, when Kreacher returned from Malfoy Manor, his fingers were 
bandaged. He'd had to punish himself  for lying  about where he'd 
been but since he  took "Out!" as a lawful order, not for leaving. 
I suppose Sirius thought he'd punished himself for not coming when 
called and didn't look  deeper. IIRC, the text says Harry was not 
satisfied with Kreacher's explanations, but Sirius seemed to be.

Pippin