This is just too good not to share, the politics of Harry Potter.
This is from a friend of mine, who I think wants to remain anonymous!
I didn’t know how political the Harry Potter series could get, and I’m still a little embarrassed to admit I’ve gotten into them. Here’s the gem I just read, from the fourth book:
“There are house-elves here?” [Hermione] said, staring, horror-struck, at Nearly Headless Nick. “Here at Hogwarts?”
“Certainly,” said Nearly Headless Nick, looking surprised at her reaction. “The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred.”
“I’ve never seen one!” said Hermione.
“Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they?” said Nearly Headless Nick. “They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning . . . see to the fires and so on . . . I mean, you’re not supposed to see them, are you? That’s the mark of a good house-elf, isn’t it, that you don’t know it’s there?”
Hermione stared at him.
“But they get paid?” she said. “They get holidays, don’t they? And — and sick leave, and pensions, and everything?”
Nearly Headless Nick chortled so much that his ruff slipped and his head flopped off, dangling on the inch or so of ghostly skin and muscle that still attached it to his neck.
“Sick leave and pensions?” he said, pushing his head back onto his shoulders and securing it once more with his ruff. “House-elves don’t want sick leave and pensions!”
Just thought I’d share this with you. It’s from page 182 of the 4th book (paperback version). I really feel like photocopying it and sending it to the Council, and writing a letter to those Muggles at the Chamber telling them off.
If you read it and substitute “low income workers/renters” or “latinos” for “house-elves” its really quite sad.
