Once more - with questions. part 2.

[snow15145]

Kneasy:

The second itch comes, appropriately enough, from
the second book, though key parts of our understanding
on this subject come from the fifth volume. But there's
a chance, judging by the cover of book 7, that we might
get some actual answers regarding this one.

Yup, it's old Big Ears. Yoda without the brains, Gollum
without the attitude, that disaster dressed in a dish-rag,
Dobby, often referred to (around Schloss Kneasy, anyway)
as "That F***ing Elf".
It's safe to assume he's not my favourite character.

Snow:

Dobby is a great puzzlement. Dobby shows up under self-interest for 
Harry's well-being (so he says) and the first thing he does is cause 
Harry trouble: making noise so that Uncle Vernon reprimands Harry; 
keeps Harry's letters from his friends (a bit of owl interception) 
and finally the dessert ala disaster. 

Next we meet the dear elf-that-wants-to-save-the-chosen-one, we find 
that his attempt to do so damn near killed Harry and at the very 
least his ways and means to save him have resulted in a hospital 
stay; all this to save Harry Potter sir. 

So far, Dobby is better represented as an enemy than a friend, that 
is, until the end of the book where he saves Harry from his owner. 

The next we meet Dobby, he has knitted socks for Harry; something 
Dumbledore has longed for as a gift. Interestingly enough, something 
that Harry gives back to Dobby, several times. 

Then we find that Dobby has the answer to the second task 
through `mad eye' as he explains it. 

I really like the fifth book wherein, Dobby tells Harry about the ROR 
where Dobby helps poor innocent Winky with her drinking problem. Dear 
Winky gets drunk as a skunk from Butterbeer like Professor Trelawney 
gets toasted from her cooking Sherry. Both of them need the ROR to 
hide their I-took-too-much-Nyquil-problem!!!  

Dobby seems to be a very serviceable elf; he only appears when he is 
needed. Dobby blinks in and out of service as required.  

But here's a thought, why can Dobby enter the home of Harry Potter 
when not even Voldemort can touch him there? Since when can a house-
elf just pop into anyone's house let alone the one whose house is 
protected even beyond his mother's love? 

I can go along with the `powers of the house elf' can disapperate 
when Hogwarts strictly prohibits it, but an elf that is to service 
only his masters desires that can appear anywhere he wishes despite 
his masters orders is a tad-bit bizarre. 

Snow

I'm torn between commenting on the totally late reply or the 
congratulations to the acknowledgements to Barry Arrowsmith for his 
insight to The End of Harry Potter (U.S. edition, March 2007). 
Congrats Kneasy! ... Name in lights!