When it comes to house-elves in the wizarding world of Harry Potter, the creatures seem like any other magical creature at first. They have distinctive features, special abilities and they are even servants to the witches and wizards in J.K. Rowling's books. That said, they are quite different from, say, a Blast-Ended Skrewt or even a Hippogriff. House-elves are sentient enough for them to have non-human person hood. They are capable of reasoning, speaking perfect English and making decisions, which is why Hermione Granger is so appalled by their treatment and forms the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare, or S.P.E.W., on their behalf.
Likewise, the anatomy of a house-elf differs from other magical creatures, often resulting in a cross between wizard-like features and magical creature-ish ones. Many of these variations are evident in these Harry Potter: 20 Wild Revelations About Dobby's Anatomy.
20 He's Taller Than The Average House Elf
Dobby has a few special features that differ from the other house-elves, such as the fact that he's taller than his peers. House-elves are generally two- to three-feet tall, but Dobby stands at three-feet, six inches tall. This means that the actress who played Dobby in the films, Diane Gibbons, was actually shorter than the character in the books.
19 He's Capable Of More Work Than Average Elves
Most house-elves only do the work that their wizarding family assigns them, and for many, this is restricted to general cooking and cleaning. Dobby does much more since he not only worked for Hogwarts, but he also did random errands for Harry and took care of his friend Winky.
18 He Shares A Birthday With Rowling's Sister
The birth of a house-elf may not seem like a big cause for celebration among wizards, but Dobby must have been a pretty special house-elf to J.K. Rowling in order to warrant the same birthday as the author's sister. Both of them were born on June 28th.
17 His First And Last Words Were "Harry Potter"
The fact that the first words that audiences heard Dobby utter were the same as his last words in the series is a sobering realization for many fans. That cute, if creaky, voice was stilled after he selflessly saved his friends and said "Harry Potter" one final time in Harry's arms.
16 He Uses His Body To Get Harry In Trouble
One of the most curious facts about Dobby's body is that he uses it to get Harry Potter into trouble in whimsical ways that other house-elves might not dream of doing. Even when under Malfoy family orders, Dobby acts in a mischievous manner, and he utilizes his body in an attempt to impede Harry from returning to school.
15 He Has A New Look In The Picture Editions
Fans who have read the new picture editions of the Harry Potter series have likely realized that Dobby, among other characters, has been given a new look. Artist Jim Kay says that he had a tough time with these illustrations in particular. Since the house-elf is so beloved among fans, he wanted to be sure to do the character justice while still portraying him a bit differently.
14 His Body Has Been Used For A Studio Tour In London
One of the strangest things about Dobby's body is that it has been used for a studio tour for Harry Potter fans in London. Having your body on display sounds a bit morbid, particularly since Dobby was offed in the final book of the series, but some fans say that he is honored in this way.
13 He's Able To Apparate And Levitate Objects
Unlike many other magical creatures, Dobby's body has magical powers. The house-elf is able to Apparate, which is convenient when Harry needs his help. He is also able to utilize magic in order to make objects levitate off surfaces into the air, as he demonstrated while attempting to sabotage Harry's return to Hogwarts.
12 His Skin Changed Texture Between The Movies
One of the things about Dobby's body that doesn't make much sense is the way that his skin changed appearance, most notably in texture, between the Harry Potter movies. Most viewers chalk smooth-skinned Dobby versus wrinkled Dobby up to a matter of directional preference rather than anything plot-worthy.
11 He Can Use Wandless Magic And Dark Spells
Potter fans who've seen the films may not be aware how rare the ability to utilize wandless magic is, but Dobby is fully capable of doing so, which means that he is more impressive than many wizards. He is also known to use Dark Magic when needed, and has hexed Harry on multiple occasions while still under the servitude of the Malfoy family.
