Basic Information
Classification	Being
Distinction	Skinny and large head Bat-like ears Short creatures

Overview

House-elves are beings that are extremely devoted and loyal to wizardkind. They are known for possessing a powerful kind of wandless magic that is completely unique to House-elves, but they are often mistreated despite this. Even if they are treated the lowest of the wizard hierarchy, they have no choice but to obey their master’s every order. House-elves can be smart creatures and will find loopholes in the orders that they are given.

Magic

How far the limits go is not clearly known, but it is certain that it is very powerful. They can not, however, use that magic against their masters, as their loyalty prevents them from doing so. House-elves perform magic without any wands, but they are capable of wielding one, and is cast non-verbal. Their spellcasting is done out of sheer will and intent, and that can make them dangerous at times, because they can perform magic that even witches and wizards are restricted from doing. The types of magic include the following:

• Apparition and disapparation
• Charms
• Duelling
• Disarming
• Magical Binding

Relationship with the wizards

While House-elves have very powerful magic, they couldn’t use it against their own masters. The orders of a master were seen as the highest law and couldn’t be disobeyed under any circumstances, even if the orders were very cruel and they had no desire to follow them. If they didn’t follow these orders, they had to punish themselves. They could, however, find loopholes that allowed them to twist their master’s words in a certain way.

As House-elves had absolute obedience towards their master, they were often mistreated and treated as servants. They didn’t have any rights of their own and were viewed by the wizarding society as creatures that had no feelings or emotions, rather than individuals or an equal. House-elves was mere ‘property’ and used for the dirty tasks of a wizard. If a House-elf was mistreated, the House-elf in question would simply obey their master enough, and without full effort, to not need punishment.

House-elves are extremely loyal creatures and will do everything for their master, even if they are on the brink of death. They will obey all orders from their master without complaint and will only be willing to be set free if their master presents them with clothes.

House-elf Occupations

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry famously employs House-elves in the kitchen of the castle. They prepared the feast that would be presented to the students at each meal and have been known to serve a meal to those that managed to find their way to the kitchens. If a student had special vegetarian requests, they could ask the House-elves in a polite manner and it would be accommodated. Outside of the kitchen, House-elves also move trunks up and down from the rooms, cleaned the dormitories, and cleaned other areas of the castle as well. As their clothing attire, they wore togas made out of tea-towels that bore the Hogwarts crest and they didn’t wear shoes.

House-elves were brought to Hogwarts kitchen by Helga Hufflepuff, one of the founders, in order to make sure that they could work and would not be abused.

The Magical Congress of the United States of America, more commonly known as MACUSA, has employed numerous House-elves to do a variety of tasks, such as cleaning the Woolworth building where MACUSA was housed, and cleaning the wands of those that visited the magical congress.

The wizarding hospital, St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, to primarily clean the reception area of the building by sweeping and mopping, and possibly also other areas of the hospital.

Circus Arcanus is a special wizarding circus that travels around. It is owned by Skender who claims to have the world’s most complete congress of human oddities. It had a daily street parade that would entertain wizards of all ages, and even the House-elves that worked there. These Houselves would clean everything up after each show.

Lastly, there are numerous other European wizarding schools, like Durmstrang Institute and Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, that employed House-elves to work in the school for tasks such as, working in the kitchens, cleaning the hallways and transporting luggage from the students to the dormitories.

S.P.E.W.

Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, or simply put S.P.E.W., is a student organisation that was established by Hermione Granger in 1994 after an outrage of the inhuman treatment of House-elves. It was her attempt at winning rights for the House-elves, but it wasn’t a widely accepted idea. In the end, three students joined the organisation with a fee of two sickles, but at the insistence that Hermione would stop badgering them. The students were Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom.There were people that right out refused to join S.P.E.W., like Fred and George Weasley, because they believed that the House-elves liked being treated the way they are.

Hermione Granger had tried to trick House-elves into accepting clothes by strategically laying woollen hats and socks around the Gryffindor common room in order for them to be free. The House-eves did not appreciate this gesture and rather saw it as an insult instead. Most, except for Dobby, refused to clean the common room after that.

Known House-elves
Dobby	House-elf that served the Malfoy family up until Harry Potter set him free by using a clever trick to hide a sock in a book that Lucius Malfoy gave to Dobby after having received the book from Harry.
Winky	House-elf that currently serves Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was a former servant of the Crouch family up until she was fired, because she let Barty crouch Jr. out of her grasp
Kreacher	Kreacher was a House-elf that loyally served the House of Black for years and was known to be particularly fond of his mistress Walburga Black whose portrait was still shouting orders from the wall of the front hall after her death in 1985. He wishes to suffer from the same fate as his mother has, having to be beheaded.
Hokey	Hokey was a servant of Hepzibah Smith up until her death. She was an older House-elf that was accused of poisoning her mistress’s cocoa with lethal poison. Later on, she remembered putting something in it that was apparently not sugar, but the Ministry of Magic wrote it off as an accident due to her age and that was likely confused.
Hogwarts House-elves	At least a hundred House-elves worked in the Kitchens of the castle and also lived there at the same time.
Former House of Black House-elves	There were House-elves that worked for the House of Black before Kreacher. These House-elves were beheaded once they were deemed too old to carry a tea tray. One of these House-elves was Kreacher's mother. She was beheaded when she was deemed too old and her head was mounted on a plague that hung on a wall above the front hall stairs.
House-elves at the Quidditch World Cup	These House-elves have been seen attending the Quidditch World Cup in 1994 and were seen riding on llamas.
Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black)	Older sister
Hooky	Hooky is apparently a very famous House-elf, but the reason for this is currently unknown.
Pitts	One of the House-elves that worked in the kitchens of Hogwarts at least 1988. He was one of the strict House-elves that made sure that the other House-elves, and also the students in detention, kept working.
Krafty, Gimkey, Retch, Vekey, Bilm, and Filk	House-elves that worked in the Hogwarts kitchens in the 1980s.
Khanna family House-elf	This is a House-elf that was owned by the Khanna family and has used her feather duster at least once.
Wigby	Wigby is known as the Dessert Master and worked in the kitchens of Hogwarts since the 13th century.
Cooky, Ringkull, Cosa, and Winkle	Worked in the kitchens of Hogwarts in the 21st century.
Deek, Feenky, Nonsuch, Rooky	Worked at Hogwarts in the 1980s.
Penny	Penny is a House-elf that was owned by Cassandra Mason and worked in a shop in Hogsmeade during the 19th century. She was freed by a Hogwarts Student.
Scrope	Scrope worked first for Apollonia Black and later for ¨hineas Nigellus Black during the 19th century.
Tobbs	Tobbs was owned by the same master as Deek and was sent to Hogwarts after that master died. He died later on by an Acromantula while he served his second master after Hogwarts.
House-elf at the Candidates’ Dinner	This House-elf worked for the Ministry of Magic in Germany in the 1930s.
Cruel wizard’s House-elf	This House-elf worked for a cruel wizard, but was freed by accident when his master presented him with a suit of armour.
Wugby	Grandfather of Wigby.
Scrope	Scrope worked first for Apollonia Black and later for ¨hineas Nigellus Black during the 19th century.
Greebly	Greebly was owned by Potentia Fickle, the owner of Fickle Fabrics.
Gabbey	Gabbey was owned by Yubert Thorne, the owner of Bewildering Blooms.Scrope worked first for Apollonia Black and later for ¨hineas Nigellus Black during the 19th century.
Winky’s Grandmother	House-elf that was owned by the Crouch family.
Winky’s Mother	House-elf that was owned by the Crouch family.

Credits/References

---

Written by Liane Hawthorne
Base code by Andrew Sutherland, edited by Iselin Merilä and Desmond Gray.