There had been over 100 elves at Wentworth, and after a short, furious crusade after Hermione arrived at the estate, they all had contracts, wages, and holidays. In her spare time about four years ago, Hermione had worked with Winky, and they had exploited a wording issue in the statutory laws regarding the bonding of elves. "If presented with clothes by their master, or kin, the elf is freed." The intent, of course, was that the master or the master's kin could offer clothes, but without that little word, the magic of the law interpreted the "kin" as fellow elves. 