- "Thank you so much, Dobby, for rescuing me from that cellar. It's so unfair that you had to die, when you were so good and so brave. I'll always remember what you did for us. I hope you're happy now."
- — Luna Lovegood at Dobby's funeral.[src]
Dobby was a house-elf who served the Malfoy family. During Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts, he tried to warn the boy of the plot to have the Chamber of Secrets reopened. The same year, Harry freed Dobby from the Malfoys'. Dobby then went on to work in the Hogwarts kitchens. He went on to save the lives of Harry and his friends Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Mr. Ollivander, and Griphook from Death Eaters at Malfoy Manor, though he was killed in the process.[2]
Quick Answers
How did Dobby become a free elf?
What is the significance of the phrase 'Dobby is a free elf'?
What actions did Dobby take to protect Harry Potter?
Biography
Serving Malfoy family
Dobby.
Dobby was the resident house-elf of the Malfoy family, serving Lucius Malfoy, his wife Narcissa, and their son Draco. They treated Dobby with unkindness and cruelty, often reminding him to do extra punishments to himself when he does something disagreeable to them. Dobby also told Harry Potter that he was used to death threats as he received them frequently by the Malfoys. Though he always did as he was told, he longed to be free of the Malfoys.[3]
Opening of the Chamber of Secrets
Dobby at 4 Privet Drive
Dobby knew of the plan to reopen the Chamber of Secrets during Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts. Presumably this was because the Malfoys saw Dobby as an insignificant slave and because they knew that house-elves were not able to break the commands of their masters. Dobby went to the Dursley House to warn Harry not to go back to school, revealing that he had been intercepting his mail. Potter adamantly refused to comply, so Dobby performed a Hover Charm on a cake, which was detected by the Ministry of Magic through the Trace. They sent a warning letter for this transgression, tipping off the Dursleys that Harry was not allowed to use magic outside of school. Harry was then locked in his room, however Ron, Fred and George Weasley came in their father's enchanted flying car to free him. Unfazed, Dobby covertly watched Harry Potter and magically sealed the barrier to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, preventing Harry and Ron from reaching the Hogwarts Express. This too failed as the two used the flying car again. Lastly, Dobby tried his most risky and dangerous plan by making a Bludger attack Harry during a Quidditich match, hoping to send him back to Privet Drive injured, but alive. While Harry was in the hospital wing recovering, Dobby appeared and admitted his acts, enraging Harry to the point that he threatened to strangle him (though Dobby's Bludger inflicted minor wounds, Gilderoy Lockhart's clumsy healing attempt had caused a great deal more damage). Dobby implores Harry to leave, accidentally admitting that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before. Harry demanded to know who opened it last time but Dobby refused to reveal anymore information and Disapparated when he heard someone coming.[3]
A free elf
Near the end of the year, Lucius Malfoy came to the school with Dobby to see Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Here, realizing that Dobby belonged to the Malfoys, Harry tricked Lucius into giving Dobby one of his used socks. When Lucius tried to attack Harry in retaliation, Dobby blasted him backwards down a flight of stairs. From this point on, Dobby was a free elf. Harry's only request in return was for Dobby to never try to save his life again.
Working in the kitchens
Dobby punishing himself
After becoming a free elf, Dobby struggled to find work, as he wanted to be paid. Eventually, he was hired by Albus Dumbledore to work in the kitchens of Hogwarts for a Galleon a week and one day a month off. Hermione Granger was initially indignant at the amount of pay, but Dobby explained that he requested the amount, and Dumbledore had offered more. It was around this time that Hermione formed the organization called S.P.E.W.[4]
When Winky, the house-elf of Barty Crouch Sr, was given clothes to be freed of her servitude[5], she didn't accept it as a reward, as Dobby had, but rather as a punishment and a shameful failure. She took up work at Hogwarts as well, but when she became a heavy drinker, Dobby took care of her. For a time, Dobby was the only one who would clean the Gryffindor Tower because Hermione had hidden woolen hats and socks in with the rubbish with the intent of freeing them. The Hogwarts house elves refused thereafter to clean the common room, as they viewed the hidden clothes to be insulting.[5] This was a delight for Dobby, though, because it allowed him to see Harry Potter and his friends, including Ron Weasley, who he called Harry Potter's "Wheezy."
Triwizard Tournament
Barty Crouch Jr, disguised as Alastor Moody, tricked Dobby into stealing a helping of gillyweed to give to Harry Potter for the second task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. This allowed Harry to breathe underwater and retrieve Ron Weasley and Gabrielle Delacour from the lake.[5]
Friendship with Aberforth Dumbledore
Dobby continued to work in the kitchens at Hogwarts, but was an outsider among the other elves in the castle. Over the course of his employment at Hogwarts, Dobby became close friends with Aberforth Dumbledore, and spent much time at Aberforth's home in Hogsmeade, getting to and from the school through a secret tunnel.[2]
Dumbledore's Army
Dobby the House-elf showed himself at Harry in the Hospital wing of Hogwarts Castle in 1992.
- "Dobby knows the perfect place, sir! Dobby heard tell of it from the other house-elves when he came to Hogwarts, sir. It is known by us as the Come and Go Room, sir, or else as the Room of Requirement!"
- — Dobby telling Harry Potter of the Room of Requirement.[src]
In 1995, when Dolores Umbridge banned all clubs at Hogwarts, Harry Potter asked Dobby for a secret place in which they could have meetings for Dumbledore's Army, half-heartedly. Dobby, however, told him of the Room of Requirement and how to get into it. Harry Potter successfully made use of the room and thus was able to start Dumbledore's Army meetings.[6]
When Marietta Edgecombe revealed Dumbledore's Army to Professor Umbridge, Dobby immediately warned Harry that the Inquisitorial Squad was going to attack.
Plot to assassinate Albus Dumbledore
Dobby along with Kreacher, tailed Draco Malfoy and helped Harry learn that Draco was using the Room of Requirement. Kreacher insulted Harry and stated that Draco would be a better master. Dobby fought with him and told him that Harry was a great wizard, and that the Malfoys weren't good masters for a house-elf.
Battle of Malfoy Manor and death
- "Harry…Potter…"
- — Dobby's last words, said to Harry Potter.[src]
Captured by a group of Snatchers led by Fenrir Greyback, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dean Thomas, and the Goblin Griphook are taken to Malfoy Manor. There, Bellatrix Lestrange sees that they are carrying the Sword of Gryffindor, and for some reason stops Lucius Malfoy from summoning Voldemort. Keeping Hermione upstairs for questioning, Bellatrix has the others sent to a locked room in the cellar, where they encounter Luna and Ollivander who are also being held prisoner there. Though the new arrivals are tied up, Luna found a nail with which she was able to cut their bonds.
Desperate at hearing Hermione's cries of pain from above, Harry is nervously fidgeting with the fragment of the magic mirror Sirius had given him years before, and sees a sky-blue eye looking out of it at him. Harry pleads for help from the owner of the eye, and shortly Dobby, sent by Aberforth, Apparates into the cell. As he was able to Disapparate to and from the Manor, Harry instructed him to first take Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, and Mr. Ollivander from the cellar, then return. He did so, bringing the three to Shell Cottage, the home of Bill Weasley and his wife Fleur Delacour. From upstairs, where she is now torturing Griphook, Bellatrix hears the noise of Dobby Disapparating, and sends Wormtail to investigate. Harry and Ron manage to overpower Pettigrew when he hesitates, reminded of his life debt to Harry, and his own magical silver hand strangles him to death.
Attempting to rescue Hermione and Griphook, Harry and Ron are forced to surrender when a disarmed Bellatrix threatens Hermione with a silver knife. Dobby announces his return by causing a chandelier to fall on Bellatrix. Harry seizes the wands Draco Malfoy is holding, and stuns Fenrir. Ron collects Hermione and Disapparates to Shell Cottage, while Harry similarly collects Griphook. As Harry Disapparates, Bellatrix throws her knife at him. Harry, not knowing where he is heading, is relieved to find, in the midst of his Disapparation, that he can feel Dobby alongside. Arriving at Shell Cottage, Harry discovers that Dobby has been fatally wounded by Bellatrix' thrown knife. Dobby dies moments later, his final words being ("Harry Potter"), as was his first.[2]
Post-mortem
Harry digs Dobby's grave
Dobby's grave at Shell Cottage.
- "HERE LIES DOBBY, A FREE ELF."
- — Epitaph on Dobby's grave marker, written by Harry Potter.[src]
Harry was deeply grieved and decided to dig Dobby's grave by hand without using magic. Ron Weasley and Dean Thomas joined Harry and laboured with him in digging the grave. They placed Dobby's body in the grave and gave him socks, shoes, and a hat. Standing over Dobby, Luna Lovegood thanked Dobby for rescuing them and the others. Bill Weasley filled in the grave, while Harry carved "HERE LIES DOBBY, A FREE ELF" on a flat rock he placed on the burial mound.
Griphook was positively affected by Harry's display of humility and love for the house-elf, aiding him in his decision to help Harry Potter retrieve a horcrux from Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
Kreacher, Harry Potter's own inherited house-elf, led the house-elves of Hogwarts in the Battle of Hogwarts, moved by Harry's good treatment of house-elves.[2]
Physical description
Dobby was a house-elf, much shorter in stature than humans, standing only about 3 and a half feet. He had large, tennis-ball-like green eyes and long, bat-like pointed ears. Before he was given freedom, he wore a body-covering pillowcase, and was very fond of socks[4], especially if they did not match each other.
Personality and traits
Dobby protecting Harry Potter from a curse attempt of Lucius Malfoy in 1993.
Dobby was a brave, loyal house-elf, willing to put himself in dangerous situations when he knew it to be the right thing to do. He was also very loyal to the few friends he had. He considered himself to be a good house-elf, though other house elves seemed to find his desires and proclamations of being a free house-elf to be shameful. Despite this, he is still a hard worker. When he goes to work at Hogwarts he only asks for a Galleon a week and one day off a month as opposed to ten Galleons a week and weekends off, which was Albus Dumbledore's original offer.
One most noticeable trait is how he punishes himself every time he believes he has done something wrong. Usually using something to hit his head or going as far as to iron his own hands.
Dobby's favourite gift to receive was socks, and he would get confused when he would get two of the same style. He would often give socks as gifts as well.
Dobby refers to himself in the third person ("Dobby must punish himself most grievously for coming, sir") and tends to get his verb conjugation mixed up ("I has seven now, sir"). Dobby refers to Ron as Harry's "Wheezy."
Dobby was also a loyal friend. He was extremely devoted to Harry Potter after Harry freed him in 1993, helping him out on several occassions, ultimately even at the cost of his own life. He also tried to help Winky after she was dismissed by Crouch, getting her a job at Hogwarts as well, and looking after her whenever she became drunk on butterbeer.
Etymology
According to the OED, a "dobby" is an old English word for a benevolent elf that would perform household tasks secretly in the night, like the elves and the shoemaker. However, just like those elves disappeared when the shoemaker made them shoes, so the dobbies were said to disappear when offered clothing. Also called a Brownie.
Behind the scenes
- Dobby has been removed from all movie adaptations except the Chamber of Secrets and Deathly Hallows[7]. Perhaps not coincidentally, in both films Neville Longbottom does everything important that Dobby did in the books (giving Harry the gillyweed and informing him of the Room of Requirement).
- David Heyman has stated that Dobby will be returning for the seventh and eighth films and because of his last cuts will have more screen time.
- Dobby was voiced by Toby Jones in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and will be voiced again by the same actor in the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows films. [8]
thumb|300px|right|Dobby is freed
- Dobby shares his birthday with Mark Russell.
- Dobby's favourite article of clothing appears to be socks. This may be because Dobby was freed when Harry tricked Lucius Malfoy into giving Dobby a sock.
- The magic Dobby used to fend off Lucius Malfoy to protect Harry resembles the Knockback Jinx.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts I and II[8]
Notes and references
- ↑ Mugglenet - Birthday archive: Dobby
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- ↑ Dobby comes back for the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jones will return to voice Dobby in Deathly Hallows