Essay: What Did Dobby Know?
by John Kearns, November 2009; substantially modified and updated August 2011.
When Dobby hits the scene in the second chapter of Chamber of Secrets, there’s a big mystery behind where he comes from, what he knows, and exactly what he’s divulging to Harry. Most of that mystery is resolved by the end of the year, of course, but on closer inspection, it becomes apparent that there are still a couple of loose ends hanging out there. And the closer we look at those loose ends, the more intriguing Dobby’s interactions with Harry become.
On the face of it, Dobby’s story is simple: he’s overheard Lucius discussing his plot to open the Chamber of Secrets; Dobby fears for Harry’s safety and comes to warn him that he’s in danger; Harry eventually figures out what’s happened and Dobby is freed. Straightforward enough, right?
Until you really start thinking about it. Because when you start to consider things like the laws governing house-elves, the precise nature of Dobby’s motives, or what exactly Dobby must have overheard (and when), it turns out there are some pretty large inconsistencies in Dobby’s story.
For example:
- How was Dobby able to stop Harry’s mail all summer without the Malfoys noticing his absense?
- How did Lucius know Ginny would be at Diagon Alley so he could give her the diary?
- What was so darned special about Ginny anyway, that Lucius would plot so carefully to give her the diary?
These sorts of issues can very nearly be satisfactorily explained. Many people, including yours truly, have made attempts to do so. But every time I’ve read one of these explanations, I’ve come away with a deep-down feeling that something still just isn’t right.
After a lot more thought, I’ve decided that the reason I’m not satisfied with these explanations is because we’ve all inadvertently ignored the key question of the entire situation:
Why does Dobby believe that Harry Potter is specifically in danger?
Because he has to believe that, doesn’t he? Why else would he go to so much trouble to warn Harry about it, and then try to prevent the poor kid from attending school?
The answer to this question, of course, lies in the conversations that Dobby overhears at Malfoy Manor. So let’s begin with a look at Lucius Malfoy.
—
The first sign we get that something funny is up with Lucius (aside from the fact that his house-elf is following Harry, anyway) is when Harry happens across him and Draco in Borgin and Burkes. He’s selling his Dark items, which is innocuous enough on the surface. But then he makes a very interesting comment:
”In that case, perhaps we can return to my list,” said Mr. Malfoy shortly. “I am in something of a hurry, Borgin, I have important business elsewhere today –“ (CS5)
Important business elsewhere? Then why do we see him an hour and a half later, still with Draco, hanging out at Flourish and Blotts?
It’s possible of course that his “important business” was at another shop or office (the Daily Prophet is headquartered in Diagon Alley…) and that he then continued his shopping afterward. It’s also possible that he was simply making an excuse that he thought would help his bargaining power with Borgin. But we later discover that while he was in Flourish and Blotts, Lucius did something that he would have considered quite important – he slipped Riddle’s diary in with Ginny Weasley’s schoolbooks, setting in motion the very chain of events that had Dobby so worried in the first place. It’s not a stretch to suggest that this is the important business he was referring to, especially given J.K. Rowling’s tendency to drop little hints like that in her writing.
But just what was Lucius’s plan here?
It’s clear that Lucius has a grudge against Arthur. And there’s a surface explanation that reflects this. Dumbledore himself provides it for us:
”But [Lucius] went ahead and carried out the old plan for his own ends; By planting the diary upon Arthur Weasley’s daughter, he hoped to discredit Arthur and get rid of a highly incriminating magical object in one stroke.” (HBP23)
This itself raises some funny questions. For one, if Lucius was intending to give the diary to Ginny, how did he know when she would be in Diagon Alley? For that matter, how does he even know that the girl exists, or that she’s starting Hogwarts this year?
There are explanations, of course – Lucius could have had someone in the Ministry do a little snooping for him, for example. It’s also fully possible that Lucius didn’t have any specific kid in mind, but simply went to Diagon Alley that day looking for a little Mudblood, and when he happened across the Weasleys decided in the moment to use Ginny instead. These explanations work, in the sense that they aren’t blatantly contradicted anywhere. But they still leave open questions.
Most important is that lingering question of Dobby. If Lucius has been plotting for months to give the diary to any old kid (or to Ginny, for that matter), then why is Dobby so intensely worried about Harry Potter? Does he just think Harry is that important, that he has to be protected from any danger, no matter how slight?
Hardly. Dobby didn’t show up when a notorious mass murderer was breaking into Hogwarts in search of Harry, did he? And during the Triwizard Tournament, he gave Harry gillyweed – which unquestionably put Harry in more danger than he’d have been in sitting on the banks of the lake!
It seems odd, doesn’t it?
So it’s worth considering the idea that everything may not be as it seems. In fact, there’s another explanation that fits the facts much better. And that fits Lucius much better. And that explanation happens to revolve around another Hogwarts student, who was roaming Diagon Alley on that same fateful day that Lucius slipped the diary to Ginny. A student who everything always seems to revolve around. And who Lucius’s servant had been following for months.
Lucius intended to give the diary to Harry Potter.
—
So why the heck would Lucius do that?
Lucius is a shining image of everything Slytherin. Every time we see him, he’s doing something to bring himself attention and power. He’s ambitious. He’s incredibly self-centered. And he’s cunning. If Lucius is trying to bump off Harry, you’d better believe it’s because he has something to gain from it. So what does Lucius stand to gain from killing Harry?
In his life as it is now, he doesn’t really gain much of anything. Maybe a few of his Death Eater buddies would be impressed, if that. But he certainly doesn’t end up with more power, money, or prestige than he currently possesses.
No, what Lucius stands to gain from Harry’s death revolves entirely around a hypothetical, but very real, possibility: what if Voldemort comes back?
The Death Eaters have to know it’s on the table. Voldemort openly bragged about making himself immortal before his disappearance – Bellatrix even shouted about it during her trial, well after he was gone.
And Lucius knows that if Voldemort comes back, the Dark Lord won’t be pleased with him. After all, he was supposed to be one of Voldemort’s most favored servants; yet in eleven years, despite having his freedom (unlike Bellatrix), Lucius has made a conscious decision not to help Voldemort return to power.
It makes sense that he wouldn’t want to, of course. Lucius has probably long regretted signing up as a Death Eater, given the prestige and power he holds in the wizarding world today. But the fact remains that if Voldemort shows up again, Lucius knows he won’t be at all pleased that it was without Malfoy assistance.
But: What if, in the meantime, Lucius has seen to it that Harry Potter has been killed? Using Voldemort’s own weapon, no less! What better way to get on Lord Voldemort’s good side than to say you were the one who finished off Harry Potter?
Lucius is hedging his bets. By killing Harry Potter, he’s ensuring that if Voldemort does return, he will once again be a most favored Death Eater. At the end of the day, the death of Harry (and knowledge that he’ll be in good shape for a potential return of the Dark Lord) is far, far more advantageous to Lucius than the death of Ginny Weasley, which is really just an underhanded blow in a petty feud. Of course Lucius wants to give that diary to Harry!
Granted, the timing seems a little funny. It’s not like Lucius doesn’t know when Harry is scheduled to start at Hogwarts. So why not enact this plan during Harry’s first year at Hogwarts, instead of waiting for his second?
Because this isn’t the first plan Lucius has concocted that revolves around Harry Potter. He’s beginning to sound a bit like Voldemort in this respect, no?
Consider what Snape later said about Harry, while talking to Bellatrix and Narcissa:
”I should remind you that when Potter first arrived at Hogwarts there were still many stories circulating about him, rumors that he himself was a great Dark wizard, which was how he had survived the Dark Lord’s attack.” (HBP2)
Lucius didn’t know how Harry had killed Voldemort; all he knew was that he was happy the Dark Lord had gone. When Harry and Draco were preparing for their first year at Hogwarts, it seems there was a very real possibility that Harry was destined to grow up to be a powerful Dark wizard himself (who would also defeat Voldemort if he did return).
From Lucius’s perspective, this was perfect. Not only might Harry get rid of his Voldemort problem for him, but Lucius was perfectly positioned for a powerful position in this new Dark wizard’s world order. After all, his son was in Harry’s class, and probably house, at Hogwarts.
So Lucius sent Draco to Hogwarts with explicit instructions to befriend Harry Potter.
How’d that work out?
At any rate, by the middle of the school year it’s clear that it doesn’t matter that Draco failed to befriend Harry; to the contrary, it’s apparent that Harry is decidedly not a Dark wizard of any type. He’s a Gryffindor, for crying out loud.
So it’s time for Lucius to resort to plan B. While Harry and Draco are still in their first year (“months” before the summer, just as Dobby describes), Lucius begins plotting to get the diary into Harry’s hands. The Chamber of Secrets will open; Harry will hopefully be killed; nobody in government will ever trace it to Lucius; and if Voldemort ever does return, he will know immediately who was responsible and reward Lucius. Heck, maybe Lucius can even get rid of Dumbledore in the process!
All Lucius has to do is get that diary into Harry’s hands. It’s simple enough; at some point the boy will have to go to Diagon Alley, and Lucius can bring Draco along so he has an excuse to get close to Harry while Draco needles him. He simply has to find out when Harry will be there. The easiest way to do that? Sending his servant to read the boy’s mail, of course.
—
So Lucius orders Dobby to spy on Harry, read his mail, and learn when he will be in Diagon Alley. It doesn’t occur to him to specifically forbid Dobby from talking to Harry, or from keeping Harry’s mail for that matter, because it wouldn’t have occurred to him that Dobby would want to. And Dobby, much the way Kreacher will years later, seizes the opportunity and uses it for his own ends, warning Harry that something is afoot.
Meanwhile, Lucius does meet up with Harry in Flourish and Blotts, just as planned. But then, his plans go completely awry:
“Clearly,” said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who were watching apprehensively. “The company you keep, Weasley … and I thought your family could sink no lower –”
There was a thud of metal as Ginny’s cauldron went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backward into a bookshelf. (CS4)
Arthur Weasley, who Lucius Malfoy absolutely despises, goes and tackles him. In public. And in a fit of rage, Lucius decides last-minute to drop the diary not into Harry’s book, but into Ginny’s instead.
And everything backfires spectacularly. Harry thwarts Tom Riddle, Dumbledore is reinstated as headmaster, and Lucius is kicked off the board. And two years later, Voldemort returns, and Lucius’s downfall really begins.
It’s interesting to imagine what might have happened had Lucius not had a moment of Malfoy stupidity and changed his plan. Would Harry have fallen for the diary the same way Ginny did? Regardless, I think it’s safe to say Lucius will regret that particular moment of weakness for a long, long time.
It works, it totally works. Great analysis, John!
Lisa said this on August 7, 2011 at 8:54 am
:O wow. You are a genius! So insightful. Thanks ;)
Babibell said this on August 7, 2011 at 9:52 am
I love the mail theory, really amazing!
Actually, the whole essay is well written, but I want to add my 2 cents… I think Malfoy did give Harry the diary, only Harry decided to give his books to Ginny. I can see how Malfoy, knowing about the new DADA teacher, with a simple imperio, made sure Harry would get the book. Because, really, why would Lockhart give Harry books for free?
And then Harry went and spoiled the fun by giving his books to his best friend’s sister.
Estee said this on August 7, 2011 at 11:22 am
Much better explained. It makes much more sense now. =)
Adele said this on August 7, 2011 at 11:55 am
Hi, John! I would appreciate being able to re-read the old version of the essay and its comments, for comparison purposes. Could you post a link to it, please? (I know it wasn’t THAT bad!!)
daddybug said this on August 7, 2011 at 12:13 pm
I had written a post stating that it might have been possible that Lucius thought the books in the cauldron belonged to Harry as Harry had put his free books in the cauldron giving them to Ginny. Lucius may have saw this but not heard the exchange. I thought I had it sussed until I decided it would be best to double check the book. Turns out it was Ginny’s second hand Transfiguration book he slips the diary into. Oh well, bang goes that theory.
Amy said this on August 7, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Hi John,
I love your essay and the way you present your case: it is just plain clear that you are right. Taking Dobby’s point of view really brings something to our general understanding of the story.
However, there is a part of the secrets that is not unveiled: You say why Dobby warns Harry and not Ginny, but why does he warn Harry only when the whole school was threatened?
I think that the key is to understand what Lucius did know about the Diary.
Through your contribution on Dobby’s perspective, we know that Lucius very likely said that he was targeting Harry (otherwise, why would Dabby come to warn him?), and that he was targeting Harry only (since Dobby warns only Harry).
Dobby clearly believes that Harry is the only student threatened by Lucius and he comes to warn Harry alone, nobody else, and his warning includes no mention of other students being in danger. Is it because Dobby eavesdropped only to pieces of Lucius’s evil plan, or because Lucius himself does not appreciate the full extent of the Diary’s powers?
I’ll bet for the latter: (i) Lucius would not have unleashed a lethal basilisk on his son’s school. (ii) Even if Lucius knew the basilisk was supposed to attack only muggle-born wizards, I don’t think he’d put his son in such a perilous situation. (Still, if Lucius knew about the basilisk, Dobby did not.) (iii) Lucius is, like you said, ambitious, but he is not an indoctrinated mass-murderer, he does not want to kill dozens of muggle-borns, he just wants to kill Harry and believes that the Diary is a suitable weapon for this task.
If Lucius thought that the diary would only kill Harry, then what was the reaction of Lucius and Draco when they discovered that all the students were potentially endangered, including Draco? What did Draco know about his father’s plan? What did Lucius confided to his 12-year-old son?
Lucius, like the other parents, was surely worried about his son when he saw how his plan was going awry. But, unlike the other parents, he was responsible for all the troubles. I think it gave him a few sleepless nights, not to mention Narcissa, who loves her son so dearly.
What I like in this scenario, is that Lucius appears not as a master of evil, but rather as an arrogant who childishly uses forces far stronger than he is, and it nearly costs him his son (and it actually costs him his servant).
fix said this on August 7, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Nice.
Anna1 said this on August 7, 2011 at 12:58 pm
Brilliant! This totally makes sense.
Although I had always thought of Lucius as a bit of a bumbler.
Laura said this on August 7, 2011 at 1:34 pm
I still like the element of Lucius possibly mistaking Ginny’s cauldron for Harry’s, as he had possibly seen Harry tipping all the free Lockhart books into it earlier, that I believe you mentioned in the first essay. I probably need to go back and re-read that chapter and the previous essay (I bet the Wayback machine has it.)
Gillian said this on August 7, 2011 at 1:35 pm
daddybug, the original version of this essay lives at http://hpcompanion.com/essays/csessay-old
There are definitely alternate theories about *why* Lucius changed from Harry to Ginny that read equally well with this interpretation. I formerly prescribed to the idea that a couple of you have mentioned, that he tried to give the book to Harry but didn’t realize that Harry had given all of his free Lockhart books to Ginny. I switched for this version of the essay mainly because this one fits slightly better, and because a number of people were distracted by that element of my theory, which I didn’t want to continue. ;)
Another theory that I really like is that Lucius had ordered Dobby to follow him in Diagon Alley without being seen, and slip the book in among Harry’s. Dobby then saw that Harry gifted his books to Ginny, and took advantage of the situation by sticking it in those books himself. But while these are fun and certainly fit, the first theory is the simplest, the most commonly adhered to, and reads the best with the rest of the series.
John Kearns said this on August 7, 2011 at 2:56 pm
Okay, John, this time you have me pretty much convinced. :) I was one of the ones who had trouble with the original essay… I just couldn’t reconcile the action in the bookstore with the idea that Lucius had intended the book for Harry. But what you’ve argued here makes a lot of sense. Count me among the converted!
And I am such a hypocrite to point out a typo (as I make lots on this site), but you’ve written dairy instead of diary in your third bullet point example above.
Andrea said this on August 7, 2011 at 9:12 pm
I always wondered why Dobby was hiding Harry’s letters. This makes so much sense. Thanks John
David said this on August 8, 2011 at 5:38 am
Dear John,
You’ve done it again.
You are awesome.
Sincerely, André
:)
AndreRhineDavis said this on August 8, 2011 at 9:47 am
What really cracks me up about this whole scenario is the fact that we now know that the diary is so much more than just a diary or a potential weapon. At the time of CoS, the diary was one of five Horcruxes that Lord Voldemort knew he had created (Nagini was still to come; he didn’t know about Harry). Malfoy didn’t know this, obviously, and as Dumbledore points out, surely if he had he would have been more careful throwing around bits of his master’s soul – and he surely was punished terribly for letting the diary get destroyed. I can just picture Voldemort, newly risen, checking up on the Horcruxes and Lucius Malfoy having to explain what happened to the diary. Whoops.
Meri said this on August 9, 2011 at 9:24 am
I was one of the skeptics last time, but I fully believe this – it makes perfect sense! I’m rereading the series and just reread CoS last week, and this fits in perfectly with everything in the book. Great job, John!
hpboy13 said this on August 9, 2011 at 5:51 pm
I should add, I really like the part where you clear up why Dobby is involved with Harry’s mail in the first place.
Anna1 said this on August 9, 2011 at 6:16 pm
Yup- it makes sense. I’ll have to admit, I never really thought about that scene very much simply because I was reading a work of fiction and figured- Oh well, the author will make the characters do stuff just to make the end come out right.
And- as JKR has proven time and time again- her books were much better planned than all that. So- thanks for putting forth the effort to re-write the essay and post it! Love the explanation.
And- re Meri- Not that it matters too much, but I’ll take issue with the bit that Voldemort, newly risen, checked up on his horcruxes. I don’t think so. He’d have known immediately that the locket was fake, would have opened it and seen Regulus’ note and Dumbledore and Harry would never have gotten it from the middle of the lake. However, Voldy obviously did find out that the diary was no longer with Malfoy. Now that’s an interesting point- why and how did he happen to check that out…
ann said this on August 9, 2011 at 10:21 pm
Meri/ann, I can see other ways Voldemort could have found out about the diary – after all, word had surely gotten around that the Chamber of Secrets had opened. Voldemort could have found this out, perhaps from another Death Eater, and immediately realized what happened. Lucius clearly isn’t good at Occlumency, unlike Snape or Bellatrix, so once Voldemort had the inkling to ask, he’d have known.
It’s an interesting idea also because Dumbledore’s description of Voldemort’s anger makes it sound like Snape was there when it happened. I wonder if Snape was the one who let the Chamber of Secrets bit slip? Maybe Voldemort was asking for an update on the fourteen years that went by at Hogwarts while he was in Albania? Snape officially wouldn’t know about the diary, of course, though Dumbledore might have told him. It would certainly help explain the Malfoys’ hostility towards him later.
John Kearns said this on August 10, 2011 at 6:03 am
Ann – I stand corrected. Most likely Voldemort did not check up on the Horcruxes. Though we do know that Malfoy manor became something of a headquarters for the Death Eaters, and that is where the diary was supposed to be, so it would have been much easier to check up on that particular one in any case. I also agree that Occlumency most likely played a role in Voldemort’s discovery of the loss, though whether or not Malfoy would have even tried lying to the Dark Lord is questionable.
Meri said this on August 10, 2011 at 7:49 am
@John- Of course! Voldemort would have realized that almost the only way anyone could have discovered the chamber of secrets and let loose the monster was via the diary. And- I like the thought that possibly Snape was the snitch.
ann said this on August 10, 2011 at 9:23 am
I always thought that Dobby held on to Harry’s mail for his own reasons. More than once in the series you hear how other beings in the wizarding world view Harry Potter, Griphook even quotes him as famous among Goblins. Also our pov of the wizarding world is jaded, we really have no clue how terrible it was, except the pain and fear that it left behind. So given Dobby’s (who’s no ordinary houseelf) masters reign of terror was thwarted by Harry, who wouldn’t Dobby want at Hogwarts if murders are about to occur! So by making him feel isolated from the only place that welcomed him, he had hoped Harry would make the decision on his own.
I think from the time that Harry Potter vanquished the Dark Lord, Dobbys world changed, there was now rising hope in place of darkness. Which could mean there was hope that one day this child, that freed the world, would free everything else including him. (I was touched that she had Harry be the one that freed him) You don’t really think of Dobby as abnormal until you meet Winky and Kreacher to fully understand whats so different about him, and why Harry Potter is his idol. So any threat to Harry i think Dobby wouldve tried to step in as much as he was allowed. So i totally went along with your first essays idea of having tricked Malfoy into lettin him spy on Harry, because this would extend him that freedom, as well as intercept his mail (houseelves have magic we know not so i don’t think he needed premission for that). Didn’t Harry end up letting him keep those letters anyway? i don’t remember him gettin them back but i haven’t read this in YEARS.
I also think that Lucius would have known Harry was along with the Weasleys in Diagon Alley, because they used the Ministry monitored Floo Network to travel. As far as how Ginny ended up with the book, I chalked it up to good old Dad rushing Lucius and sending the books askew. I figured that his diary got dumped off in the shuffle, and scooped up with the rest of Ginnys books. By the time he noticed it went missing he had killed two birds with one stone. After all he didn’t know what the diary was, only that it would open the Chamber or Secrets, and the last time it was opened ‘someone’ died. If Lucius had intended Harry to get the diary i think it would have only been to discredit him and the glowing reputation he is gaining, which eventually renews everyones faith in him being ‘the chosen one’ instead of the next Dard Lord. But Chamber of Secrets is one of the books in the series i haven’t repeated read. Really great Essays!
Ashlee said this on August 11, 2011 at 12:37 pm
Maybe I need to re-read the books, but I can’t remember how/why the Malfoys had the book in the first place. Wouldn’t Voldemort have it in safe keeping since it was a horcrux! Also if he had entrusted it with the Malfoys woudn’t he of explained the importance of it so they wouldn’t dare use it or give it away? I have a feeling Voldemort would never give his diary to someone like the Malfoys. I can see how maybe Lucius just wanted to get rid of it because he was scared of something with such great magic. I do agree with your main points though, great job!!
Riley said this on August 16, 2011 at 12:32 am
Finally… a CoS theory that makes sense!
lemondrop said this on August 17, 2011 at 7:03 pm
This is brilliant, like all of your essays!
However, you wrote that one reason for Lucius` intention to pass Harry the diary was that he probably hoped he would be honoured for contributing to Harry`s death in case Voldemort would return. But then, if he thought there was a chance Voldemort would return, wouldn`t he be too scared to give away the diary without his master`s explicit order? Dumbledore thinks Lucius believed Voldemort dead: “He (Voldemort) was counting too much upon Lucius` fear of a master who had been gone for years and whom Lucius believed dead” (HBP, Horcruxes) Of course, Lucius didn`t know what that diary really was, but what Dumbledore says about the matter in HBP rather suggests that had he suspected Voldemort`s return, he would have kept the diary safe and not taken such a risk.
Sophia said this on August 21, 2011 at 12:06 am
Sophia, you’re right that that detail is a bit sticky. I think in my mind, it works out because of what Lucius knows about the diary. He doesn’t know it’s a Horcrux, but he does know that deploying it will open the Chamber of Secrets, and he has been asked to keep it safe. I don’t think it’s unreasonable for him to think, “The Dark Lord wanted me to keep this safe until he was ready to deploy it, but surely with him gone circumstances have changed. However if I deploy it now and use his own weapon to take out Harry Potter, how could he be angry with that? After all, he was planning to deploy it *sometime,* and surely this situation merits it.” But yes, it’s not perfect, especially given Dumbledore’s comment that he thinks Lucius thought Voldemort dead.
In fact, I would say that the biggest flaw with this whole theory is that Dumbledore so blatantly contradicts it. It’s unfortunate, but even given that, I still think it’s the one that makes the most sense.
John Kearns said this on August 21, 2011 at 8:33 am
Interesting points, but I’m not so sure how much of what you say is conclusive.
We should ask ourselves: What are Lucius’ defining characteristics?
He likes to talk big and appear superior but generally lacks courage, traits that undoubtedly rubbed off on Draco. They have all the appearances of wealth, connections, and pedigree but no backbone. We see this throughout the series. Both Lucius and Draco have gotten in too deep.
Here’s the situation at the beginning of COS.
A. Draco did not make friends w/ HP
B. Voldemort was foiled by HP again
C. It’s getting dangerous to be in possession of dark objects
Without a re-read (sorry I’m waiting for Pottermore) I can’t say how much I feel Lucius knew about the diary. My guess is that he knew or at least hoped it would curse someone.
Perhaps when Voldemort was still in power and had less to fear, for he had not tasted death, he informed Lucius that the book was the key to the COS. We do know that he entrusted one horcrux to another loyal follower. But as mentioned above I think Lucius had little anxiety about Voldemort putting his feet to the fire regarding a dark diary as he was again beaten and perhaps even less likely to return. Lucius is a chicken so he discards the diary with a hope to get back at A. Weasley at the same time.
My feeling is that Dobby overheard Lucius talking big, in agreement with what others have said, and felt a connection to HP for what he had done. He acted on this connection. If Lucius were spying on Harry I think he might have not tipped him off by cutting off his mail etc. I think this was all Dobby’s initiative. Dobby is consistently overprotecting Harry.
In the end I think we’re over thinking the point past what Jo intended. A recent read indicated the parallels between COS and the Perseus and Andromeda story (i.e. the lady held captive by a sea serpent who is freed by the hero riding a Pegasus). Given Jo’s background, I think mimicking this myth pulls Ginny into the story to the level of importance that she intends.
Daniel Lincoln Pead said this on August 23, 2011 at 4:33 pm
Daniel, I’m 100% certain that I’m over thinking past what Jo intended. In my mind, trying to figure out her intentions is rather boring; she simply couldn’t have thought everything through on this level when she was planning the books (I’m pulling evidence from places that she wrote a decade or more apart, as well as off-the-cuff comments she made, in some cases). But what makes it fun for me is to spot inconsistencies, and when I do, try to figure out an explanation that makes the most sense using the evidence we’ve got.
Your reading of the situation is probably what Jo intended. But as I say in the essay, it has some big holes in it. Most especially, I don’t buy that Dobby overheard Lucius “talking big” about a general threat and immediately jumped to the conclusion that he had to spend his entire summer at Privet Drive withholding Harry’s mail so as to prevent Harry Potter from returning to Hogwarts on the off chance that the threat somehow impacted him. Dobby will later be aware of much more direct threats to Harry than this, and will act much less protectively. So in my mind, something more has to be going on, whether Rowling intended it to be or not. And that’s what I set out to explain. :)
John Kearns said this on August 24, 2011 at 11:34 am
As for Voldermort finding out the COS had been opened, everyone is forgetting a certain DE was at Hogwarts in his animagus form that year living in Harry’s dorm. Considering the Basilisk survived as long as he did on rats, Wormtail might have been extra nervous, but he certainly knew about major happenings at Hogwarts. Wormtail also could have overhead numerous conversation Molly & Aurthur had regarding Ginny throughout the summer following COS.
It isn’t mentioned specifically, but Ron could have even had Scabbers in his pocket when they went down to the COS; otherwise, I’m certain Harry told Ron more about what happened & what Dumbledore told him after everyone else left, which Scabbers/Wormtail could have overheard. When you actually think about, Wormtail probably had a lot to tell Voldermort about conversations he overheard between Harry, Ron & others.
potionstar said this on August 25, 2011 at 2:10 am
Thanks for the clarification. I can see the enjoyment in knowingly pursuing explanations that were not intended. Thanks for developing such a fun site.
Daniel Lincoln Pead said this on August 25, 2011 at 7:42 am
I love these essays! Please keep writing them, since they are always interesting and bring up new possibilities!
I agree with Ashlee and others about Dobby’s motives for worshipping Harry. I don’t think that his attachment to him demands any further explanation than that Harry treats him well and stopped what was probably the worst time of Dobby’s life. (We don’t often think of the things he must have seen and even been involved with.)
I also don’t think that we (any of us) are reading too much into the books. Life and art are complex and we know that JK Rowling planned the whole series well before publishing it. She knew a lot more about the story than she ended up publishing and she clearly meant to show the reader certain details at certain times. (Just think of the mentions of Aberforth and Grindelwald early in the series!)
Although I don’t agree with your whole argument, this particular question is pretty open-ended. I think your most compelling point is how Dobby managed to spy on Harry so long without the Malfoys noticing. It is entirely possible that they were using him to keep tabs on the people they considered enemies, especially Harry.
Lastly, we don’t know that Lucius didn’t forbid Dobby to speak to Harry, since Dobby has to physically punish himself whenever he disobeys orders, and he does so frequently when warning Harry. This leads to another question of what Lucius’ orders were, which could potentially support your theory!
Anna Lee-Diemert said this on September 28, 2011 at 8:50 pm
Anna Lee-Diemert, thanks for the kind words! Regarding your last point: remember what we’ll learn later through Kreacher – house-elves *can’t* disobey a direct order. They don’t have a choice. Dobby can punish himself for not doing a good enough job, or for disobeying his masters’ wishes or intentions (and I suspect that he’s at least partially putting on a show for Harry, as well), but if Lucius had ordered Dobby not to talk to Harry, Dobby wouldn’t have had a choice.
John Kearns said this on September 30, 2011 at 8:47 am
I just found your delightful website and have spent much of the last two days and one sleepless night trying to read everything. I wanted to respond to this essay in particular, though. I disagree with a few points. Consider:
1) The essay implies that it would be time-consuming and possibly all-encompassing for Dobby to intercept Harry Potter’s mail (and therefore Dobby had to be doing so on the Malfoys orders). But we don’t know how long that particular task actually takes.
We know house-elves have magic to help themselves complete household chores and that they have different rules for their magic than the rules for wizards. We also know that house-elves can hear their masters’ call anywhere in the world. It would not be a stretch of canon to say that house-elves have the ability to know when the owl post is arriving, and Dobby could apparate to Privet Drive to stop all Harry’s mail with only a few minutes commitment each day.
However, I’ve gathered from your writing that you’re reticent to rely on explanations involving non-canon magic, so even assuming Dobby does not magically know when owl post is arriving, he would have a pretty shrewd idea of the time of day it arrives. The Malfoys would not necessarily miss Dobby if he were to go missing for hours at a time. House-elves do most of their work unseen. As Nick says, “That’s the mark of a good house-elf, isn’t it, that you don’t know it’s there?” (GF12) In year 4, Dobby works at Hogwarts for several weeks before Harry discovers Dobby. How long do the Malfoys go without seeing Dobby during year 2?
I’ll assume for the sake of argument, however, that the Malfoys gave Dobby orders to spy on Harry and read his mail. If Dobby had been keeping Harry’s mail of his own volition, why did Dobby let the one piece of mail through that would have almost certainly derailed Lucius’s plan? If Dobby had confiscated Hermione’s letter to Ron, then the Grangers and the Weasleys would not have coordinated their visits to Diagon Alley, and Dobby could truthfully report that he has no idea when Harry plans to buy supplies. (And for your hypothesis to work, Dobby has to have seen this letter; that’s the letter that tells us when Harry and the Weasleys will be in Flourish and Blotts.)
2) We have canon of at least one instance of a house-elf disobeying a direct order. In Kreacher’s Tale, Harry tells Kreacher, “I forbid you to call anyone ‘blood traitor’ or ‘Mudblood.’ ” There’s not a lot wiggle room for Kreacher to intentionally misinterpret that order. And yet a few pages later, and during the same conversation, Kreacher calls Hermione a Mudblood again. While Harry reminds Kreacher of his direct order, Kreacher starts punishing himself. (DH10) I take that to mean that a house-elf cannot intentionally disobey an order, but they can do so accidentally.
A house-elf can also follow the letter of an order while intentionally ignoring the spirit of an order. When Harry order Kreacher to follow Draco, Harry definitely gets the impression Kreacher is looking for a loophole. (HB19) When Kreacher reports back to Harry, Kreacher gives Harry completely mundane and useless information knowing full-well that that was not the information Harry wanted. (HB 21).
Put those two together, and Dobby actually has a great deal of latitude in his interaction with Harry. It doesn’t seem unreasonable that Dobby is visiting Harry and giving Harry information, as long as Dobby isn’t knowingly and intentionally breaking a direct order from the Malfoys. (It seems that Dobby is forbidden to speak ill of the Malfoys. That incites Dobby to punish himself twice during the encounter.)
3) I initially really liked your hypothesis that Lucius had been planning what to do about a possible return of the Dark Lord since before Draco entered Hogwarts, and that his initial plan was to have Draco befriend Harry. But I just can’t bring myself to accept a sticky problem: If Lucius really had tired of the Dark Lord’s methods, then he had no reason to hold animus toward Harry Potter (at that point.) Harry had almost certainly done Lucius a favor by vanquishing the Dark Lord.
However, I really think Lucius thinks the Dark Lord is gone. For good. Lucius is a true-believer that muggle-borns and blood-traitors are a threat to wizarding society. And it’s a shame that the Dark Lord fell. Lucius may have lost some political clout after Lord Voldemort’s first reign, but that has everything to do with the Dark Lord’s sudden downfall. If Lucius thought the the Lestranges were correct—that the Dark Lord could come back—then he would actually attempt to bring him back. But Lucius doesn’t really believe that.
What I imagine Dobby overheard, then, was Narcissa telling Lucius how spectacularly Draco and Harry had clashed that spring. The mention of Hogwarts turned the conversation toward the Chamber of Secrets. I really think that’s why Dobby made a connection between the Chamber of Secrets and Harry.
Anyway, I’ve immensely enjoyed your website and I thank you for the forum to discuss ideas.
Nathaniel Shafer said this on October 11, 2011 at 11:48 pm
Nathaniel Shafer, thanks for your kind words and thoughtful comments.
I’ve struggled some in knowing how to respond to comments on this essay, because many of them seem to disagree with my supporting points, yet don’t address the fundamental questions behind them. For instance, your first point is completely valid. But the assertion you’re contesting is really a secondary one, and I don’t think altering it would change my overall argument. To me, the point isn’t so much “Dobby *must* have been sent to stop Harry’s mail, because if he’s doing it on his own then his absence would be noticed,” as it is “If Harry is Lucius’s target, then Lucius needs to find out when he’ll be in Diagon Alley, so now we have an explanation for Dobby’s stopping the mail. And after all, if he were doing it on his own, mightn’t they notice, too?” Does that make sense?
I think on your second point, we’re in complete agreement, unless I’m missing something. It makes sense that Dobby has been ordered not to speak ill of his masters – he has to punish himself when he nearly does so by mistake. But several people have pointed out to me that Dobby could have been forbidden to speak with Harry, yet chosen to do so anyway and then punished himself. I think you and I both disagree with this, and would argue that house-elves absolutely cannot make a conscious choice to disobey.
And to your third point, you’re forgetting that we *know* Lucius won’t seek out the Dark Lord. After Harry’s first year, “the whole school knows” that Harry stopped Voldemort from capturing the Philosopher’s Stone. Lucius then has three full years to seek Voldemort before he actually returns, and never does so. To the contrary, he immediately sets his Chamber of Secrets plan in motion, which would be incredibly stupid if he weren’t doing so in an attempt to garner the Dark Lord’s favor, don’t you think? And what better way to garner his favor than to use Harry Potter?
John Kearns said this on October 12, 2011 at 7:09 am
Thank you for your quick reply, John!
As to the final point, as to whether Lucius really thinks the Dark Lord will return, perhaps that is where our most fundamental disagreement lies. The whole school knows *something* happened with regard to the Philosopher’s Stone, but, as with all rumors, bystanders are going to have wildly differing stories as to exactly what. During the end-of-year feast, Dumbledore never gives a full account of what happened, and he never mentions or implies Voldemort was involved.
During year 5, much of the wizarding world is in denial that Voldemort has returned; that includes a seeming majority of Hogwarts students, who are the best positioned to get the straight scoop. If everyone literally knew that Voldemort had tried to steal the Philosopher’s Stone, I can’t imagine that Fudge’s official denial would have gained much traction. And when Harry defiantly tells Umbridge that Quirrell had Voldemort sticking out the back of his head, he draws another week of detentions.
If, as you argue, Lucius knew the Dark Lord would return, it would have been foolhardy for him to do nothing from the time of the Chamber of Secrets fiasco until his eventual return. Lucius had two years to at least make a show of trying to bring him back, but instead he runs at the sight of the Dark Mark at the Quidditch World Cup.
Nathaniel Shafer said this on October 12, 2011 at 10:34 am
Hallo.
Sorry if someone’s already said this in a bit of the later comments and I just didn’t notice. I merely skimmed over them, see.
Anywho, I just wanted to state neither an opinion nor fact, but the questions of a slightly slow and easily confused fourteen-year-old. Was it not stated within the books that Lucius did not know of the book being a Horcrux? Was he not merely trying to rid himself of all Dark Arts possessions at Borgin and Burkes? And, because the diary was the Dark Lord’s and… (would I dunno, sprain his dignity…?), he decided he could not give it to Borgin. So, he skips off, finds the Wazlib bunch, and throws (not the last, but one of the most Dark) evidence away from him. And, just to emphasize my unsureness of even daring to post this, I shall add a final question mark.
?
PrinceA. said this on November 15, 2011 at 9:39 pm
PrinceA., thanks for your post! You should definitely not feel shy about posing questions or your own thoughts – we’re all reading the same books, so no one person’s opinion is more right than another’s (as long as we’re using the same set of facts :) ).
Dumbledore does say that Lucius didn’t know the object was a Horcrux, but remember that while he doesn’t know this, Lucius does know two things about the diary:
1. He was told by Voldemort to keep it safe; and
2. He knows that deploying it will open the Chamber of Secrets.
So I doubt he would throw the diary away just to be rid of it; he knows that more will happen than that. But it does make sense that the MInistry raids would be a factor, as he CERTAINLY wouldn’t want them to find it in his house.
John Kearns said this on December 2, 2011 at 4:06 pm