Minor question!

[conuly]

In GoF, FakeMoody asked Dobby to pick up some of his robes for cleaning. Fair enough, Dobby can't exactly be freed this way. But in the next book, we find out that just picking up clothing can free a house elf. Or at least, Hermione thinks so, and she's usually right. Besides, the elves all think it's insulting.

So. Until Dobby got there, who did the laundry? Who does the laundry in Malfoy's house? I can hardly imagine that they do their own.

Comments

[xiggaroo.livejournal.com]

Hasn't Hogwarts ALWAYS had a large number of house elves working there? If the whole 'can't touch laundry' bit is right, I'll be willing to bet you the Malfoy family doesn't think much of re-using clothing. (Meaning, wear, toss, buy, repeat.)

*shrugs*

[conuly]

*nods* What I meant was, it makes sense to ask the free house elf to do the laundry. I'm bedgoing. Sorry I logged off of AIM.

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

I have absolutely no knowledge of HP, but might there not be a spell for cleaning clothes? Isn't that the general solution for most of the things there?

[marveen.livejournal.com]

I think the fact that the Professor specified "for cleaning" would eliminate the "gift of clothing" clause. Hermione's hats worked because they weren't designated for cleaning through being placed in the Laundry area (though one might speculate that if an elf just swept the table off and never recognized it as a "hat", it wouldn't work either).

[dandelion.livejournal.com]

Laundry baskets. They'd never have to touch anything- as long as the Malfoys put their clothes in the baskets, they can just pick the baskets up.

Or, the washing machines could be equipped with Summoning Spells.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Oh Man, I want a washing machine with a Summoning Spell... *sigh*

[wetcircuitry.livejournal.com]

You bring up really awesome points, Uly! Maybe you should post your findings in the hp_theories comm.

[xiggaroo.livejournal.com]

Hasn't Hogwarts ALWAYS had a large number of house elves working there? If the whole 'can't touch laundry' bit is right, I'll be willing to bet you the Malfoy family doesn't think much of re-using clothing. (Meaning, wear, toss, buy, repeat.)

*shrugs*

[conuly]

*nods* What I meant was, it makes sense to ask the free house elf to do the laundry. I'm bedgoing. Sorry I logged off of AIM.

[velvetchamber.livejournal.com]

I have absolutely no knowledge of HP, but might there not be a spell for cleaning clothes? Isn't that the general solution for most of the things there?

[marveen.livejournal.com]

I think the fact that the Professor specified "for cleaning" would eliminate the "gift of clothing" clause. Hermione's hats worked because they weren't designated for cleaning through being placed in the Laundry area (though one might speculate that if an elf just swept the table off and never recognized it as a "hat", it wouldn't work either).

[dandelion.livejournal.com]

Laundry baskets. They'd never have to touch anything- as long as the Malfoys put their clothes in the baskets, they can just pick the baskets up.

Or, the washing machines could be equipped with Summoning Spells.

[oloriel.livejournal.com]

Oh Man, I want a washing machine with a Summoning Spell... *sigh*

[wetcircuitry.livejournal.com]

You bring up really awesome points, Uly! Maybe you should post your findings in the hp_theories comm.