What does Dobby do for a living?

Answer 1

Dobby wears a dirty pillowcase when he is working for the Malfoys.

Later, when working at Hogwarts, he wears a mismatched variety of sweaters, shorts and socks - socks became his favourite clothing after being freed by Harry's sock, preferring colourful, mismatched ones. He also wears a tea cosy on his head.

When Hermione Granger began hiding clothes she made around the Gryffindor Common Room in an attempt to free the Hogwarts house-elves, Dobby kept the clothes and began wearing them, as the other elves refused to.

In the films, however, Dobby is shown wearing the same pillowcase throughout.

Answer 2

Dobby is a house-elf. Traditionally, they serve one family and take responsibly for cooking, cleaning and any other household chores that their master wish them to do. House-elves are not paid to do this.

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Harry Potter tricked Dobby's master, Lucius Malfoy, into setting Dobby free. Dobby then decided that he did not want to be a slave and wanted to be paid. The only person who wanted to pay Dobby was Albus Dumbledore, so Dobby began working in the Hogwarts kitchens.

After the series, Hermione Granger worked to ensure house-elves were given more right. This may have included them getting paid for their work.