Where Is Winky? Where Is Winky? She Is Gone. She Is Gone. Without certain characters, a story loses its appeal. Unfortunately, J. K. Rowling’s novel Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire loses some of its luster when transferred to film. One of the reasons the movie does not live up to the novel’s greatness is that notable characters disappear. Among the characters who make unexplained departures are two house elves: Dobby, who is introduced in an earlier novel and a previous movie, and Winky, who is supposed to make her first appearance here. Although the movie is worth watching, loss of these characters makes it less appealing than it could have been. Dobby gains the reader’s affection when he explains the difficult life of a house elf in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. His return in the fourth novel renews his appeal, but he is denied the chance to impress by not having a role in the movie. After gaining his freedom in the books, Dobby reappears in Harry’s life as an employee at Hogwarts with his friend Winky in tow. According to Dobby, Dobby has traveled the country for two whole years, sir, trying to find work! … But Dobby hasn’t found work, sir, because Dobby wants paying now! … But most wizards doesn’t want a house-elf who wants paying, miss. ‘That’s not the point of a house-elf,’ they says, and they slammed the door in Dobby’s face! Dobby likes work, but he wants to wear clothes and he wants to be paid, Harry Potter. … Dobby likes being free! … And then, Harry Potter, Dobby goes to visit Winky, and finds out Winky has been freed too, sir! … And then Dobby had the idea, Harry Potter, sir! ‘Why doesn’t Dobby and Winky find work together?’ Dobby says. ‘Where is there enough work for two house-elves?’ says Winky. And Dobby thinks, and it comes to him, sir! Hogwarts! (Rowling 378-79)
By re-emerging like this, Dobby not only reveals