I dont think thats the idea. Since house elves are slaves, then only cruel families like the Malfoys have them, amirite?

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Hogwarts and Dumbledore aren't cruel though.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

But Dumbledore didn't pay because he didn't want to offend them. And he payed Dobby. He offered him no work on weekends and a high pay, but Dobby chose to only take a galleon a week.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah I guess you're right :)

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Why thank you. *bows*

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I imagine it works just like the slave trade. Rich people pay a lot of money to own an elf/slave, but the elf/slave doesn't get paid. They work for free and get treated like shit.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

That's basically how I thought it worked, too.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I always thought it was more of a status thing... Old, powerful wizarding families like the Malfoys and Blacks have them, but less prominent households like the Weasleys don't.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

They usually come with castles and mansions. Which explains why rich families like the Malfoys (who live in mansions) and Hogwarts (a castle) has them.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Yeah I think so too. Kinda like how all of kreacher's family has been working for the Black family. And like how after kreacher's mom died, he became the Black family elf. And when everyone died and Sirius went to prison, he remained their elf and stayed at 12 Grimauld Place for over 10 years by himself until Sirius came back, and then was given to Harry after Sirius died.

by Anonymous 12 years ago

Slaves worked for free, only rich people had slaves (or alot of them)

by Anonymous 12 years ago

I think its just pureblood families who have elves, because wizard families having elves was an ancient tradition, so those who are pureblood now still have their family's elves.

by Anonymous 12 years ago