How much does Dobby know about Voldemort?

In COS, when Dobby is first talking to Harry, he talks about Dumbledore and says..."There are powers Dumbledore doesn't... powers no decent wizard..."

How much does Dobby know about Voldemort? Could these powers be the horcruxes? But if Dobby knows about the horcruxes, it would be logical to say that he found out from the Malfoys. But Lucuis Malfoy couldn't have known about the horcruxes, or he would have treated the diary a lot more carefully and probably would have stayed more loyal to Voldemort. Could it just be that Dobby is talking about the things that Voldemort did during the first war?

Like you said, Lucius didn't know about the horcruxes. And in the past 14 years, he believed Voldemort to be dead. So I doubt he talked about Voldemort any because he thought his master had perished, and not really a tea cup conversation. I doubt Dobby knows anymore about Voldemort than any other normal wizard who reads the paper.

I don't think Dobby knows about the horcruxes but I believe he knows a lot about Voldemort since he lived with the Malfoys. Dobby knew Voldemort's real name was Tom Marvolo Riddle and most people don't know that. I think Dobby could help Harry but not with the horcruxes...I don't think he knows anything about them.

I would say that what Dobby knows is what he heard around the Malfoys

He remembers what it was like, before Harry destroyed Voldemort...living with the Malfoy's , the evil within that house, and the stories he had heard.

I would say that what Dobby knows is what he heard around the Malfoys
I agree, but I think that he would also have learned things from accidentally overhearing conversations between Lucius and people he had at the house, or when he took Dobby with him to places like Borgin and Burke's, but I don't think he knows about Voldemort's horcruxes. He may have a vague notion of what one is, but i doubt if he realises what the diary was and why Lucius had it.

Not just conversations at the Malfoys' house, I would guess that he may have gained information from other house elves. They seem to talk to each other (Winky knew about Dobby's freedom by the time of the quidditch world cup before we saw them together) so if some of the other death eaters have house elves couldn't Dobby have gained information from them too.

I like that thought :) an army of House Elves out there gathering information for the Trio about Voldemort and what the Death Eaters are up to and how much they know. Maybe they could get the Hogwarts House Elves to do it if Hogwarts closes and they lose their jobs. We know that House Elves can even apparate inside the Hogwarts grounds, so they would probably have no problem going into dark places, they might even be able to get past barriers like the one put on the staircase at the end of HBP.

I don't think Hermione would approve of activly using elves as spies owing to the dangers of the task, she would see it as an abuse of thier rights. But the elves at Hogwarts would also have heared quite a lot. They could have access to more information about Riddles time there.

I always just thought he was referring to the basilisk, considering that he, most of the time, talked about the Chamber of secrets and how dangerous it would be for Harry to be there this year because of that.
I do think, though, that Malfoy might have acted on Voldemort's or an important death eater's order when he made sure the book was taken to Hogwarts, so that it's powers would be unravelled.

It's possible Dobby is a good source of information. Or it's possible he was just introduced for the plot purpose of CoS (and the hearing in Ootp that showed how frightened the ministry was about Harry and what he was saying). Dobby has been used for several smaller purposes in the book - helping Harry with the second test, for instance - it could've been anyone else who helped him, but JK used Dobby. Either way, he's a really cool character that a lot of people, me amongst them, have come to "dig" and love. He's different than the other house elves, he's a rebel, and he's extremly loyal to Harry. It is possible he's just waiting for his big breakthrough, to become something else than just a "for fun" character. (I am not certain that every quite important character will mean something to the plot, though.)

I believe Dobby knows a great deal about Who He Must Not Be Named. He indeed knows that his real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle, and all of that makes me wonder what he did before he entered the Malfoy household. Did he serve them during his entire life or was he somewhere else before?

His information can very well come from the Malfoys and of all the guests they probably had in their house - Lestrange, Avery, etc, and probably Lord Voldemort himself.

The mark of a good house elf is to be 'invisible' so that people don't know that they're there. There's a lot that one can learn about things if one 'isn't there'.

I doubt he knows about the Horcruxes, because it's doubtful that Lucius knows anything about them. He didn't know that the diary was a Horcrux, only that it would open the Chamber of Secrets again.

But other than that, I think that Dobby knows a great deal about the Dark Lord.

Dobby probably doesn't know about Horcruxes, but I can see the Malfoy's house as being a headquarters for the Death Eaters in the first war, and a lot of information would come through to Dobby by just being around then. It all depends on when Dobby was enslaved by the Malfoys.

The fact that Dobby went and sought Harry out at the beginning of CoS despite his crippling fear of the Malfoy family makes me think that he knows things we don't. He says that house-elves were all treated like vermin when Voldemort was in power, but how did he know about other house elves? I can't imagine he'd really be able to chat with other house elves, even if he came along with Lucius to other people's homes.

Reading this thread, I think that perhaps Dobby made more unruly trips when he was in the Malfoy household. I think that Dobby knows more about Voldemort than we've yet found out. Maybe not absolute essential information, but helpful all the same. He just needs to overcome his fear of the Malfoy family.

In COS, when Dobby is first talking to Harry, he talks about Dumbledore and says..."There are powers Dumbledore doesn't... powers no decent wizard..."

How much does Dobby know about Voldemort? Could these powers be the horcruxes? But if Dobby knows about the horcruxes, it would be logical to say that he found out from the Malfoys. But Lucuis Malfoy couldn't have known about the horcruxes, or he would have treated the diary a lot more carefully and probably would have stayed more loyal to Voldemort. Could it just be that Dobby is talking about the things that Voldemort did during the first war?

He could have been refering to killing other wizards, the use of unforgivable curses or ploting with Giants and Werewolves to take over the world too. I don't think that Dobby knew about the horcruxes, but house elves do know alot more than they let on.

i think that Dobby iknows more then he is letting on. that's what he did in GoF.

The fact that Dobby went and sought Harry out at the beginning of CoS despite his crippling fear of the Malfoy family makes me think that he knows things we don't. He says that house-elves were all treated like vermin when Voldemort was in power, but how did he know about other house elves? I can't imagine he'd really be able to chat with other house elves, even if he came along with Lucius to other people's homes.

Reading this thread, I think that perhaps Dobby made more unruly trips when he was in the Malfoy household. I think that Dobby knows more about Voldemort than we've yet found out. Maybe not absolute essential information, but helpful all the same. He just needs to overcome his fear of the Malfoy family.

There has to be some way for house elves to communicate. Dobby and Winky seemed to know each other, as friends even. That means repeated contact.

It's not so much how much, but where does he get all this information. And why did he always believe Harry and Dumbledore were the good guys, if you take into account that he worked for years in a house that was hostile to them.

It's not so much how much, but where does he get all this information. And why did he always believe Harry and Dumbledore were the good guys, if you take into account that he worked for years in a house that was hostile to them.Good one! I guess Dobby has his own idealogies and prejudices, and is particularly defiant - though he was enslaved and was asked to do the Malfoys' bidding, he spares no chance to declare his intentions, and doesn't exceed his magical obligations.

The fact that he defends Harry against Lucius moments after his freedom, unlike Winky who sobs throughout GoF and OotP reminiscing about her ex-master, speaks volumes about his heart being in the right place.

Wizards talk in front of the house elves as if they did not exist. The wizards, at least the bad ones, don't consider the feelings or comfort of their house elves at all, so they are like a piece of furniture, just kick it out of the way if it should be in front of you. I bet Dobby heard lots of things in the Malfoy house while he was there. Now that they are not his masters, Harry ay benefit from some of their knowledge.

I don't believe Dobby knows about the Horcruxes either.

I believe what he knows is what he has picked up from the Malfoys and living in their house for all those years.

Dobby seems a rebellous type to me and has from the beginning. From the history and what we've heard of House Elves Dobby's behaviour and his personality is highly unusual.
He rebelled against the notion of dark arts and dark people. He kept his concious and when possible he escaped with the help of Harry.

He knew Harry and Dumbledore etc were good guys because he knew that the Malfoy's and people in league with Voldemort were the bad ones because of what they did to other people.
It'd be the same with animals, any type of creatures and people. When you witness the bad you know exactly how to spot the good.
He'd obviously heard the things that Dumbledore had done and accomplished (yeah I'm sure in sneering, snide awful remarks from the Malfoys) and what Harry had done in getting rid of Voldemort and therefore he knew in his heart that they were the good ones.

I'm sure his information comes from many different sources. He can listen in to any guest who would come to the Malfoy's and learn any type of information.

I think dobby knows about Voldemort
but like kreater harry would have to ask a driect question
to get info unlees dobby lets something slip

What ever the malfolys know dobby knows, question is how much do the malfolys know i.e. horcruxes - dobby could know info that even he doesnt know is that important

um vey good question ,having lived with the malfoys im asuming he knows a lot,,the thing would be how to get it out from him,he has lno laoyalty to them but has a bit of trouble with the pucnishmetn thing still...plus unless harry asked why would dobby tell him

But I thought that the Death Eaters don't know about the Horcruxes. I mean Lucius passed off the diary to Ginny but he didn't know it's true power and that it was a horcrux. At least I was understand that impression.

So if the Death Eaters don't know about the Horcruxes or namely Lucius then how would Dobby know about them?

We agreed a few weeks ago (in another thread) that Malfoy didn't know what the diary was going to do, unless he knew it would be bad. We agreed about this because of the end of book 4, when Malfoy is in the death eaters circle, he says to Voldemort something like this:" If only I had seen a sign of your whereabouts, I would search fo you." BUT, it was him who gave the diary to Ginny....but he didn't know it would be able to make Voldemort come back? If it is, WHY did Dobby, at the end opf the book, tells Harry he didn't mention You-Know-Who because it was obvious.... So Dobby KNEW it was Voldemort's diary and that HARRY was in danger because of VOLDEMORT "was" in Hogwarts this year...

That's where I miss something. Dobby knew all that because he was Malfoy's house-elf....So Malfoy should've known the diary would have something to do with Voldemort coming back?!

Lucius could have been saying anything he could think of to keep Voldemort from going after him. I don't think he knew it was a Horcrux; if he had, he wouldn't have given it to anyone else.

I agree, Malfoy was just covering his butt.

I think Dobby's comment was a hint that Harry should be talking more with his favorite house-elf!

Malfoy, able to LIE to Voldemort??? A powerful legilimen??....I don't know....we can see that Voldemort cannot be lied to...Maybe only Snape!;)

And Dobby says at the end of the book that it was obvious that the danger was about Voldemort....Dobby must have heard it from Malfoy....That's the wierd thing...

It also means that Lucius knows that Voldemort = T. M. Riddle. He has to know by now that Riddle isn't any kind of pureblood. :eyebrows: Oddly enough, he doesn't seem to have passed on that information to his sister-in-law, Bellatrix. :evil:

Any chance that Dobby wrote in the diary and got responses?

Any chance that Dobby wrote in the diary and got responses?


It seems to me that Dobby wouldn't be able to write, the way he talks even suggests that. And Dobby would have to have been taught how to write, who would've taught him? I also think Lucis would've had the Diary hidden away somewhere.

This is interesting though, because I think I remember Dumbledore saying something about how Malfoy didn't know it was a horcrux. Maybe he was just covering up to Lord Voldemort?

I agree, Malfoy was just covering his butt.

totally :cool:

I think Malfoy knew that the diary could reopen the CoS, but had no idea that it was a Horcrux. Dobby might have picked up on it being bad or he definitely knew what Malfoy knew, but he could hardly talk to Harry without hurting himself, so saying that would not have happened. Malfoy didn't lie to LV because he didn't really know what the diary was, he just wanted to cause Harry trouble, since he feels it's Harry's fault that LV was defeated back at Godric's Hollow

hmmmmm....I'm not totally satisfied...!:) I mean, Dobby says at the end of the book that he didn't mention Voldemort because it was obvious that I involved him. So Malfoy KNEW the diary had something to do with Voldemort. The fact that Dobby knew Harry was in danger in front of Voldemort, Malfoy had to know that too.

I suppose the only way this question will be resolved is if it has something to do with the DH plot/revelations. :shrug:

Harry would have to have a chat with incarcerated Lucius, or Dobby will have to provide the backstory for a reason.

I'm thinking that Dobby got that information from somewhere else. House elves are always around, but people don't notice them because they think they are superior(ex. the Malfoys). So it could be possible that Dobby had overheard something(he has big ears for a reason;)).

I don't think that Lucius was lying to Voldemort though, considering that Voldemort is a very powerful Legilimen, and that Lucius admires the Dark Lord too much.

Obviously Malfoy knew that the diary was given to him by Voldy-thingy. So therefore, Dobby also knew that it had something to do with Voldy. Malfoy knew that it would open the Chamber, and as such, Dobby knew it to be highly dangerous for that reason. I honestly don't think Malfoy knew it was Horcrux though.

Dobby has shown uncommon magical talent throughout the series despite the fact that he isn't allowed to use a wand. I would be willing to bet that Dobby could sense the diary was much darker than Malfoy realized. Did he realize it was a Horcrux? I'm not sure about that, but I am fairly certain Malfoy didn't. Malfoy gave it to Ginny for two reasons: 1. Because he knew it would somehow open the Chamber and 2. Because he wanted to smear the 'blood traiter' Weasleys by making it known that one of their children opened the Chamber. If Malfoy knew the diary was a horcrux, why would he give a precious piece of his master's soul to a Weasley?

I think that Dobby knew more than Malfoy in this instance. The little elf showed us time and time again that he's not opposed to keeping secrets from Malfoy and I think the greater power of the diary was yet one more thing he hid. He might not have realized it was a horcrux, but he clearly did have a better concept if its nature than Malfoy.