Socks and Serenity: Luna and Dobby's Spotlight Thread

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:P_IIlXYj18aXgM:http://www.flowerslondon.info/assets/flower_header.jpg

Hello, everyone,
Dobby and I want to thank you all for liking our video enough to give us this thread of our own. We’re very excited for the opportunity to show you more about us and our platform. Speaking of platforms … that reminds me of studying tree frogs in the rain forest with dear Rodolphus. What a wonderful trip, and what fascinating little creatures.

First, we decided we would both like to talk about what plans we have for changes in the Ministry should you decide to elect us. Among the most important of our missions is to strengthen and widen the steps forward in equal rights that Wizarding society has taken under the direction of Minister Kingsley. We affirm the need for equal treatment of all races, blood states, species, planets, and dimensions. This is Dobby’s area of specialty, so I’ll let him take over from here to tell you about the steps we will use to bring this about.

Dobby welcomes everyone to this discussion about what he and Luna hope to do in the ministry. We have several ideas for improving the lot of house-elves and other nonhumans:

• The Ministry will form committees to speak with magical creatures, such as house-elves, centaurs, mermaids, goblins, vampires, and hags, to bring about mutual understanding and trust and learn what changes could be made to help them.
• The Ministry will abolish discriminatory laws, such as the one forbidding non-humans to carry wands. Dobby’s friend Winky was falsely accused of this once, so it has a special significance for him. The humiliation of being forbidden to own a tool that wizards consider necessary must stop.
• The Ministry will open offices to all magical beings, and make representatives of each group full voting members of the Wizengamot.
• The ministry will discourage prejudice against magical creatures and so-called “half-breeds”.
• The Ministry will help minority species be full and equal members of magical society.

Dobby has several ideas specifically about house-elves, with which Luna has agreed. We will allow house-elves to remain under the old system if they wish, but Dobby and Luna believe that many house-elves, like Dobby once did, long to be free and are waiting for the chance.

• The Ministry will enforce the right of house-elves to work wherever and for whomever they wish. This will keep them from having to serve masters with whom they disagree, as Dobby himself was forced to do for most of his life.
• Set a minimum number of hours per day and days per month that a house-elf must have for breaks and their own free time. Dobby understands that many Muggle businesses employ a similar system for their laborers.
• Allow house-elves the freedom to travel during this free time. This will allow house-elves to make friendships with other house-elves and wizards outside the family they serve. It will also allow wizards and other house-elves to monitor that their friends are not being treated unfairly by the wizards they work for.

With help of the committees Dobby spoke of earlier, we hope to be able to make similar improvements in the lives of other magical creatures.

Dobby’s plans are also very important to me, as I have a special sensitivity to how it feels to be singled out and treated differently because of the way one looks and behaves. Hopefully, Dobby and I would be able to improve the lot of non-human magical creatures as part of the Ministry.

This effort ties in to our plans for Hogwarts School. Dobby and I, of course, repudiate the efforts of Minister Fudge and Dolores Umbridge to put the school under Ministry control during my fourth year. However, with the full cooperation of the Hogwarts faculty, there are some ideas we would like to implement. First, we believe that Hogwarts should admit non-humans as students. This will provide the dual purpose of making a good education more accessable for everyone who wants it and providing opportunities for socialization and understanding between magical species. To that end, faculty and students will also be encouraged to form recreational groups aimed at helping people of different species get to know more about each other. We have other, smaller plans as well. For example, we have a concept for a system of student mentors, to help students overcome their differences without teasing and bullying. And we will set up a lost-and-found, for students like I was whose possessions are always mysteriously disappearing. The Nargles can’t hide things forever.

Dobby thinks these plans for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are wonderful. He would have loved to have been able to attend the school himself when he was young. He thinks it would be great to have house-elf children as students, although obviously accommodations will have to be made for differences in growth rates, for house-elves and other magical species.

And Dobby would like to add that, while he and Luna were campaigning in London, we stopped in some Muggle shops for ideas about Funny Sock Day. We found many wonderful, wonderful socks that people could wear for the celebration. Here were some of Dobby’s favorites:

http://www.global-b2b-network.com/direct/dbimage/50090334/Children_s_Toe_Socks.jpg

https://secure.thecyclejersey.com/store-new/images/tcj-socks-02.jpg

http://store.drumbum.com/media/music-notes-socks.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/perry_peterson_1999/bone-socks.jpg

Yes, that was a very fun stop. Dobby and I think that our proposal for a Funny Sock Day, a monthly celebration when people wear socks that amuse them, will keep levity and humor in wizards’ lives. And, it will give wizards and witches a reason to visit Muggle shops and learn more about their Muggle neighbors. Unless, of course, they choose to make the socks themselves, a very worthwhile activity.

http://www.annasweblog.com/mt4/images/sock%20trio%20290608%20007.jpg

You will have to be careful of the nitmin, though. They live in skeins of yarn and enjoy tangling the string up inside it, so that you have to stop and untangle it in the middle of your knitting. They also like to sneak up your arm into your hair and tangle it. I remember once, I was knitting myself a hat outside and fell asleep with the yarn in my lap. When I woke, my hair had been completely tangled around the rails of the fence I had been leaning against, and it took Daddy nearly an hour to untangle me. Now, Daddy always said –

Luna has forgotten to show everyone her favorite socks.

Have I? Oh, that’s right. Here are pictures of some of my favorites:

http://www.horsemall.net/images/Blue-PinkHorseSocks.jpg

http://fishwrapper.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/socks-on-foot-cropped.jpg

http://www.sepiasalax.com/08/jpg/tortoisetops.jpg

http://hyeknitter.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/yarrow_ribbed_sock4.jpg

Dobby was very disappointed, though, that they messed up in the shop and packaged all the socks with two of the same! People will have to share with their friends to get a properly mixed pair of socks.

And Dobby nearly forgot that he found a pair just like the ones he made for Harry Potter in Harry's fourth year:

http://a6.vox.com/6a00c2252369f3604a00d41450373e3c7f-320pi

Closely tied with Funny Socks Day is Barefoot Day, a festival to remind people of their connection to the natural world.

http://www.bugbitten.com/images/957d6e060bd7c0125f9b60b1558c6257/More_of_Turkey-100062/More_of_Turkey-tb-3538149.jpeg

Dobby and I have lots of proposals for helping Wizards to grow closer to nature and understand their impact on the natural world. Our ministry will carefully consider the effects of Wizarding decisions on other magical and nonmagical creatures around the world. To that end, we will form a group of Wizarding botany and animal specialists to study all kinds of magical and nonmagical plant and animal life around the world. This group will also monitor Muggle scientific developments and meet with representatives of Wizarding governments around the world to promote conservation and foster peace. We will create and enlarge refuges and safe-havens for magical creatures, both ones that are a danger to Muggles such as dragons and ones that cannot coexist with Muggles as easily as most Wizards do, such as house-elves, centaurs, vampires, and hags.

The safe-haven would be a good place for any house-elves who decided they did not want to work for wizards any more to live and start their own town.

Exactly, Dobby. Finally, we will implement a parchment recycling program in the Ministry of Magic and at Hogwarts, to decrease the appalling amount of waste that each institution produces in the course of a single day.

Now, I’m afraid that you’ll have to excuse me. I can see an interesting yellow bird on the windowsill, and Plimpies playing in the stream outside. And the gnomes in the garden need a good talking-to; they’ve been eating all the gurdyroots. I hope that this thread will help everyone understand the Lovegood-Dobby platform a lot better. (Speaking of platforms, I think I see some frogs in the pond, as well …)

Hello there! :wave:

As campaign manager for the Luna-Dobby team, I have seen some wonderful examples of creativity and dedication from my fellow Luna-Dobby supporters.

One example can be seen in the beautiful banners we have each created.

Some of these you may have seen, and others might be new to you, but we hope you enjoy them all.


http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j250/rell_02/75dd9d7f.png
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j250/rell_02/a38a5f42.png

http://www.cosforums.com/picture.php?albumid=376&pictureid=3872

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm205/Pigwijon/Signature.jpg
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm205/Pigwijon/momsig.jpg
http://www.cosforums.com/images/img/152398489dcc1866f30.jpg


http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d110/ignisia/lunabanner.png
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d110/ignisia/_42431690_luna_imagenet_gall1.jpg

I am sure that all of you who have been following the Ministry of Magic campaign are aware that the Luna-Dobby platform supports equal rights for all magical beings. However, the fight for equality is not limited to beings, but to all races, blood states, species, planets, and dimensions. As important as Elf and Blibbering Humdinger rights may be, the universe is a vast place, and we should not be limited to the equal and fair treatment of just a small part.

Today, I would specifically like to address the issue of equal and fair treatment of planets. It has come to my attention that in recent years, Muggle scientists have dropped Pluto from the list of planets. I view this as blatant discrimination. Wizard-kind should stand up for planetary rights and the equal treatment of planets of a smaller stature.

If I am elected Minister of Magic, I hope to rectify this situation by influencing the scientific Muggle community to restore peace among the planets of the solar system and allow Pluto its rightful place in the the pages of all schoolroom textbooks and in the minds and hearts of all astronomers.

Nearly every candidate in this election fought long and hard to protect the Wizarding world and promote peace. Some fought with wands, some fought with words, and some fought with their strength and spirit.

But we must never forget the contribution of Dumbledore's Army. These brave fighters and their allies both suffered and strategized for the cause. This is the story of one such hero, who risked everything to help Harry Potter win the war against Voldemort.


The house elf stared at the witch in front of him. She was yelling so hard that spit was flying out of her mouth. Dobby suddenly realized that this treatment was almost as bad as when he was at the Malfoys’. Alecto Carrow, though, was too busy telling Dobby that he cost Hogwarts too much and that he should just lay down and die to notice the tears forming in the elf’s eyes.

Dobby soon began to rock on his feet as she mocked his choice of clothes for another five minutes. Finally, through with venting her frustration, she ordered him back to the kitchen. “And if I see you by this painting again, I will stick your head up on a spike like our family used to do.”

Dobby nodded and disappeared with a crack, reappearing in the kitchen. The other elves were off-duty at the moment, so the enormous room was completely empty. He stood in the still kitchen alone, staring at the dying fire in the fireplace. Since he was not bound to Hogwarts, Dobby had wished many times that he could just escape. But he realized that he could still help the students by staying. He knew how Dumbledore’s Army operated and where it got into trouble. He had helped wherever he could.

Things had definitely taken a very nasty turn since the fall of the Ministry. But Dobby had never for once believed that Harry Potter had just run away and left them on their own. Harry Potter would never do that. It was all a ploy by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Dobby suddenly smiled as he remembered how he had first met Harry and how he had tried to give him the clue about Tom Riddle. But Harry had told him not to help again. “Dobby would love to help Harrry Potter again, if only he would ask for it…and if Dobby knew where he was.” Dobby thought as the last flames of the fire flickered out.

He decided that Alecto must be long gone by now. He needed to get Neville Longbottom some food. It had taken him some time to find out where the boy had gone to hide. Dobby sneaked up to the hidden passage to the seventh corridor, carrying a tray of sandwiches and pumpkin juice, and was soon walking along the blank wall thinking furiously, “Dobby needs a place to hide.” He opened his eyes and a door stood in front of him. He yanked it open and was astounded to see a small room with Gryffindor hangings and a hammock behind which crouched Neville Longbottom, his wand outstretched and pointed at Dobby.

“Dobby,” Neville sighed, recognizing the elf and stowing his wand into his pants pocket, “What are you doing here?”

“Dobby brought Neville Longbottom some food.” Said Dobby, holding up the tray.

“Thank you, Dobby,” said Neville, taking the tray and placing it on the nearest table, “but I’m afraid I just ate. There’s a passage that leads directly into the Hog’s head.” He explained, pointing.

Dobby stared at the passage. He had wanted to go meet Headmaster Dumbledore’s brother without Apparating there. Dobby knew that the Headmaster of Hogwarts was able to keep tabs on the elves that left the castle grounds, and he did not want to make the nasty man who killed Headmaster Dumbledore suspicious. “Dobby needs to go there. Dobby needs to know where Harry Potter is.”

“There is no news of Harry, Dobby. But you can go and talk to Aberforth.” Neville said.

Dobby eagerly dashed into the passageway and ran as fast as he could until he reached a Portrait. He swung it open and, clambering down to the floor, landed directly in front of Aberforth, who was staring at a mirror. He turned away from the mirror to look at Dobby and they both clearly heard the voice of Harry Potter coming from the glass.

“Help us. We are in the cellar of Malfoy Manor. Help us.” The desperation was quite evident in his voice.

Silence followed this pronouncement as elf and man stared at each other for some time. Dobby realized he had just found his opportunity. He saw Aberforth nod, and Dobby nodded back, grinning.

“Dobby will be back soon.” He said. After all, how many times in the past had he helped Harry Potter?

http://bp0.blogger.com/_GaoSaEnJvRY/R-EZPHeJ5mI/AAAAAAAAAKk/zd4X7qc4lv8/s200/alex_dobby.jpg

A special thanks to Mugglewizard, who was able to research Dobby's journals (the ones hidden in the smaller suit of armor of the fourth floor) and recreate how he lived under He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's oppressive regime.

I have been going through some old newspaper clippings and came across these two lovely articles about our candidate's past achievements. I hope you enjoy them :)

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j250/rell_02/87bec450.jpg

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j250/rell_02/ab8ff485.jpg

http://camelot-treasures.com/socks/socks.jpg

Dobby has found more socks, and is very excited to share them with everyone.

http://www.ppiblog.com/images/socks/socks.jpg

http://media.the-leaky-cauldron.org/gallery/crafts/knitting/muggle_wear/socks/normal_knitting_mugglewear_socks_fredandgeorge1_qu ieitsh.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/2534700764_0fcaaa3d72.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/tabitha.web/Rijgn2OULQI/AAAAAAAAAUc/KR1fbZLB7hk/s288/DSCI0017-4.JPG

http://homepage.mac.com/maritsurimoto/.Pictures/trekking68-03.jpg

http://www.islandknitter.com/upload/keychain%20sock.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1049/969214289_f6d1fad250.jpg?v=0

http://craftycanines.typepad.com/photos/fos_2005/ravenclaw.jpg

http://pics.livejournal.com/naiad_kitty/pic/00024k20

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2320/2082363723_fe4b142120.jpg?v=0

http://media.the-leaky-cauldron.org/gallery/crafts/knitting/wizard_wear/socks/normal_knitted_dobbysocks_prokyon.jpg

Luna asked Dobby to post pictures of these undiscovered creatures. She thinks they might merit future study.

http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk/images/christmas-sock-monkeys.jpg

Here is Dobby wearing some of his favorite socks:

http://www.gloriouscreative.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/happy-socks.jpg

And here is Luna and Dobby together:

http://www.knittingneels.com/images/potter2.jpg

Remember Funny Sock Day!

To conclude our special thread, Dobby and I want to thank everyone for taking the time to look into our policies and plans for the Ministry. From important changes at Hogwarts to a greater concern for the environment, protecting magical beings from werewolves to thestrals, and promoting humor throughout the wizarding world, Dobby and I have many plans we would like to implement. We do need to look out for the nargles, though. They like to live in plants - mistletoe is their favorite, but they will live in anything green and leafy, really. You see, it provides cover so that people will approach them. A lot of people confuse them with the wrackspurts, but that's a misconception. Wrackspurts fly around in the air and make you lose your thoughts, but nargles like to ...

While Luna talks about her favorite creatures, Dobby would like to thank the voters for learning more about our campaign and the changes we would like to bring to all segments of the magical world. It is never too late to try to correct past mistakes, whether in the area of the environment or the treatment of house-elves like myself. We hope you will consider voting for us as the next leaders of the Ministry of Magic.

... but they're not dangerous at all, really; I think that wizards would benefit from studying nargles and wrackspurts and other lesser-known creatures. Which brings me again, of course, to the hope that you will consider voting for Dobby and I as the next Minister and Vice-Minister of Magic.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to look over our Spotlight thread. The thread is now open for comments, questions, general chat, or advice on how to catch healthy freshwater plimpies. :)

It's been a fine Spotlight thread Luna and Dobby. I enjoyed reading every post here, not to mention looking at the sheer variety of socks. :)

Great show!

Guys, I just wanted to thank you for your well thought out campaign that is creative, in character and entertaining. Your spotlight thread is great too! :)

I have a few questions:

Have their been any crumple-horned snorkack sightings lately?

Do any magical creatures besides House Elves enjoy wearing socks?

Do you need a license from the MOM to fish for plimpies?

Even if these cannot be answered - I loved your spotlight thread! :love:

Great thread - expectations of your excellent team were great, of course - but I think your exceeded them with the usual serenity. :) :tu:


Those socks are just fantastic :)

And I was delighted to hear of yet another great naturalist discovery for Luna! I'd love to hear more about the Blubbering Humdinger now - but I fully understand that Luna is currently occupied with serving the wizarding world.

I'll await the publication of your findings, Luna, with anticipation (and bated breath) :)



(ETA: please do not understand this as a challenge to produce any material on this. That's not how it is meant. Your team has brought us so much great stuff, no-one could possibly ask for more).

I loved your spotlight. I am in bit of a hurry so I will leave a more detailed feedback later but really, you all have done a great job.:tu:

I wonder why these weren't open before, but i'd like to say that you did a wonderful job with this thread and I can't wait to see what you put out in the final task :clap:

Thank you Luna, Dobby and your campaign team for a delightful Spotlight Thread!
I really enjoyed reading it and I absolutely LOVED the sock pictures! They made me want go pull on a pair of nice comfortable cozy woollen socks even though its entirely too warm for them!

This is such a lovely thread! It was very insightful, just as I would imagine Luna to be. Wonderfully in character. Well done to the Luna/Dobby team, brilliant work!

To answer your questions SIP:

Have their been any crumple-horned snorkack sightings lately?

There was one recently. It was reported that a Snorcack was in the passenger seat of a blue car that was driving down the A12.

Do any magical creatures besides House Elves enjoy wearing socks?

Not all House Elves enjoy socks, actually. Dobby is one of the few. However, he is planning on introducing socks to all sort of creatures. Unfortunately, a forest troll tried to club him to death last time he showed these lovely red socks to him, so Dobby is probably going to enlist interpreters and other help next time.

Do you need a license from the MOM to fish for plimpies?

No, which is unfortunate. They are actually being over-fished, and mainly for sport instead of food. Luna has planned, if elected Minister, to make a license necessary for fishing for plimpies.

There was one recently. It was reported that a Snorcack was in the passenger seat of a blue car that was driving down the A12.

:tu:


Not all House Elves enjoy socks, actually. Dobby is one of the few. However, he is planning on introducing socks to all sort of creatures. Unfortunately, a forest troll tried to club him to death last time he showed these lovely red socks to him, so Dobby is probably going to enlist interpreters and other help next time.

You will tell him to take care, won't you? Such bravery in the pursuit of a good cause....



No, which is unfortunate. They are actually being over-fished, and mainly for sport instead of food. Luna has planned, if elected Minister, to make a license necessary for fishing for plimpies.


:tu:

A rather tiny note here to say that this absolutely rocked! Well done to all involved, Luna and Dobby have a wonderful campaign going, and I finally appreciate them both to their full potential after some weeks of skepticism. This can only prove what a fantastic job you've all done with this spotlight- I no longer have any reservations.

And, incidentally, the socks? I want them! :D