Questions tagged [house-elves]
A form of elf appearing in the Harry Potter universe who are typically servants to magical families and act as housekeepers and protectors.
21
questions
30
votes
2answers
10k views
How did the house elves start serving wizards?
How/Why/When did the house elves start serving wizards? I tried on my own to find the answer but I couldn't find anything relevant to my subject but I am bad at searching.
53
votes
5answers
10k views
Could Hermione really free the Hogwarts house-elves with her knitted hats?
Could Hermione really free the Hogwarts house-elves with the little knitted hats she hides around Gryffindor Tower?
‘Why d’you wear that thing, Dobby?’ [Harry] asked curiously.
‘This, sir?’ said ...
31
votes
3answers
6k views
Who owns the Hogwarts house-elves?
Who owns the Hogwarts house-elves?
‘Well, whoever owns [Dobby] will be an old wizarding family, and they’ll be rich,’ said Fred.
‘Yeah, Mum’s always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing,’ ...
17
votes
3answers
13k views
How do house elves breed?
Winky states in Goblet of Fire that that her mother and grandmother served the Crouchs before her. In Grimmauld Place, the heads of the house elves on the wall all share the same nose as Kreacher, ...
8
votes
1answer
648 views
What are the limits of house-elf apparition?
I know Wizards can't apparate where they want on the Earth, except if they are very powerful but what about a house-elf ? Their magic is different so I was wondering if they can apparate wherever they ...
22
votes
5answers
2k views
Can House-Elves Side-Along Apparate/Disapparate to/from Hogwarts?
I know that House Elves can Apparate inside Hogwarts, but this comment made me question whether they could Side-Along Apparate a human to/from Hogwarts. From what canon tells us, it is impossible for ...
40
votes
3answers
15k views
Why did Rowling seemingly make light of the house-elf situation?
According to J.K. Rowling, the house-elves are used as an allegory for slavery.
The house elves is really for slavery, isn't it, the house elves are slaves, so that is an issue that I think we ...
20
votes
1answer
3k views
How did Dobby intercept Harry's mail?
How did Dobby the house-elf intercept Harry's mail during Harry's summer holiday between Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets?
‘See what it’s like here?’ [Harry] said. ‘See why I’ve got to go ...
5
votes
1answer
572 views
Limits of house-elf apparition [duplicate]
Was Dumbledore aware of house-elf magic? If he was aware of house-elf Apparition, he should have gone to the Cave with Dobby. It seems nobody in the story made use of elf Apparition fully (it isn't ...
6
votes
2answers
6k views
How did Aberforth Dumbledore know to send a house-elf to help Harry at Malfoy Manor?
When Harry needed help escaping Malfoy Manor, Aberforth Dumbledore sent Dobby to apparate them out of there:
... the mirror fragment fell sparkling to the floor, and he saw a gleam of brightest ...
41
votes
4answers
6k views
What was the point (out of universe) of house-elves?
When I first read about house-elves in The Chamber of Secrets, I thought they were introduced as a very clear ethical artifact to teach children reading the story about slavery and forced work. The ...
13
votes
1answer
7k views
How did Aberforth Dumbledore know to send Dobby to help Harry at Malfoy Manor?
When Harry needed help escaping Malfoy Manor, Aberforth Dumbledore sent Dobby to apparate them out of there:
... the mirror fragment fell sparkling to the floor, and he saw a gleam of brightest ...
12
votes
2answers
2k views
Do House Elves have last names?
Do the House Elves share the family name (aka last name) of their masters? If so, what happens if they are freed? For example is Dobby "Dobby Malfoy" or is Kreacher "Kreacher Black"?
If they do not ...
11
votes
2answers
4k views
Did Harry free Kreacher accidentally / unwittingly?
Does Harry giving the locket to Kreacher allow him, Kreacher, to be free?
We've seen in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as well as in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, that presenting a ...
19
votes
3answers
2k views
In the Goblet of Fire, what was the point of S.P.E.W.?
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, S.P.E.W. (Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare) was created. How did its creation drive the plot of the book forward? To me, it doesn't seem to drive the ...
14
votes
1answer
1k views
How did Winky meet / know Dobby?
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the main trio meet the Crouches' house-elf Winky. Winky indicates that not only does she know Dobby, she also knows of his freedom as well as his 'wanting ...
12
votes
2answers
2k views
Why did Harry and Co. completely ignore the existence of Kreacher?
When Harry, Ron, and Hermione are hiding from Voldemort's supporters in Deathly Hallows, they keep complaining that they have no food, and that Hermione sucks at cooking. Harry even bemoans the fact ...
11
votes
3answers
2k views
How could Dumbledore summon the House-elf Kreacher in Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 3?
Here is the relevant text from Half-blood Prince:
"You see," Dumbledore said, turning back to Harry and again speaking as though Uncle Vernon had not uttered, "if you have indeed inherited the ...
10
votes
3answers
849 views
Why didn't Harry go with Dobby from the infirmary in Chamber?
In J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, chapter 10, we have Harry
keeping a firm hold on Dobby's wrist to stop him from hitting himself with the water jug again.…
There was a loud ...
6
votes
2answers
345 views
In Harry Potter, are house-elves being used as nurses?
By "nurse" I am wondering if, for example, Narcissa was the one who was taking care of Draco when he was a baby, or was Dobby the one who changed his diaper and fed him at night?
I can't imagine them ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
How did the House Elves become so adept at magic?
How did the House Elves become so skilled at magic? Was there a training program, or....?
