Filch and the house-elves

[DarkLord7]

If Hogwarts has so many elves, then what the hell does it need Filch for.

That literally made me laugh out loud!

Maybe just to try and keep peeves under control?

[AldeberanBlack]

Filch shouldn't be at Hogwarts. He's a squib.

A magical caretaker should be appointed.

The servant house elves can handle the rest.

[CrimsonZephyr]

Originally Posted by AldeberanBlack

Filch shouldn't be at Hogwarts. He's a squib.

A magical caretaker should be appointed.

The servant house elves can handle the rest.

Now why on earth should it matter whether the caretaker is magical or not? He can recognize that Hogwarts is a castle, rather than the smoldering ruin that it appears to be to Muggles. That should be enough.

[AldeberanBlack]

Now why on earth should it matter whether the caretaker is magical or not? He can recognize that Hogwarts is a castle, rather than the smoldering ruin that it appears to be to Muggles. That should be enough.

He's also deeply anti-social and he looks fillthy.

[MTBB]

House elves see the students as a type of master, they students would walk all over them - Weasleys stealing from the kitchen is an example of this.

They need Flinch to make sure that the students don't run amok. Flinch is such a rules person, this is important but because he has little else in his life, he takes it a little too seriously.

I agree that he doesn't need to be magical.

I like that he's a grumpy old man, I couldn't see anyone else doing the job.

[Miss_Bellatrix]

I think "Delos" is right. Perhaps Dumbledore pities him. I mean, since he's a squib he wouldn't have gotten a job so many other places in the wizard community.

[Annielogic]

Originally Posted by MTBB

House elves see the students as a type of master, they students would walk all over them - Weasleys stealing from the kitchen is an example of this.

That's a good point the House Elves being eager to help and provide for the students. They took orders for what food the students required in the kitchens. This means I guess they don't have any (or the same kind of) authority in giving students directions and general discipline.

[hauntingme]

Originally Posted by DarkLord7

That literally made me laugh out loud!

Good point though, I never thought of that. But, I'm afraid, do I have an answer to your question.Maybe just to try and keep peeves under control?

I think it's fairly obvious from Chamber of Secrets that he has a pretty extensive back-story that got cut out somewhere along the line.

There will be a reason he is at Hogwarts.

We will probably find it out in The Scottish Book.

[Tonks_Animagus]

Filch is a good character for Hogwarts. I mean, a strickly assistant is very funny when he warn students and tries to scary them!

[DarkLord7]

House elves see the students as a type of master, they students would walk all over them - Weasleys stealing from the kitchen is an example of this.

Excellent point! I never really thought of that. House elves are not disciplinarians, they are servants. If students make a mess, shouldn't they get in trouble? Well, I don't think anyone would take a house elf seriously. Filch doesn't just clean. Filch also acts as a sort of hall monitor.

[MasterOfDeath]

This is actually is similar to the, 'If machines can do all the work, why do we need to hire people?' debate in the real world.

Maybe Dumbledore being the great and wonderful man and headmaster he was, wanted to give a job to a squib who had no chance elsewhere in the wizarding world. Same with Mrs. Figg; he could have easily arranged for a witch or wizard to watch over baby Harry through the years but he chose Mrs. Figg, a squib.

[captain_mills]

I agree mostly with HauntingMe...

There's got to be a reason he's there. Dumbledore had a knack of hiring people and giving them a job when they had nothing else to do. It's very possible there's a big backstory there that we're not aware of. It could have been a protection issue, pity, connections, a favor perhapse for someone else? Maybe Filch is related to someone whom Dumbledore felt close to, relations wise...

[Nagini001]

I like Filch and the house elfs in the movies and books they especially Filch add humor in the movies and books.

[Nyjets4004]

Originally Posted by danno

Yeah, I got a question about Filch. Why did they hire him if he was a squib as opposed to someone who could clean by magic? Surely it would be the best for everyone had they done that?

they could have done that but clearly filch had parents and a blood line that went to hogwarts so dumbledore could have wanted filch to go and work for the school or maybe it wasnt any of this maybe dumbledore pitied him

[mintyfrost]

I think it was Dumbledore's idea to appoint Filch. I agree with captain_mills that it is very likely that there is a backstory that we don't know, and to MasterOfDeath that Dumbledore does accept squibs or any other wizards who have no place in the wizarding world.

[Squiggle]

Hmm, I guess Hogwarts doesn't really need Filch.
But I'm thinking that JK was wise to include him.
Comic relief, if nothing else.
On a bit deeper note, I like that he provides a person of authority that the students
can take advantage of, hoodwink, and generally disrespect.

[merrymarge]

I don't mind Filch. Surely, he is a bit of a puzzle, because he is a squib. But I agree with everyone else, Dumbledore wanted Filch to work at Hogwarts. And I like Mrs. Figg. She did a good business breeding Kneazles. I always wondered if she knew Crookshanks.