|
Slytherin-Malfoy
blood purity
Blood Purity Blood purity is a central notion in the Harry Potter series of books by J. K. Rowling. Wizards whose entire families are magical are known as pure-blood; those who have one magical and one Muggle (non-magical) parent are known as half-blood. Those with two Muggle parents are known as Muggle-born, or, pejoratively, as "Mudblood". Among pure-blooded families, a division exists between those who accept and appreciate those of mixed or Muggle parentage, such as the Weasley family, and those who consider such people inferior, such as the Malfoy and Gaunt families. A blood traitor is a derogatory term employed by the latter group for a pure-blood who fails to maintain the proper prejudices against non-pure-bloods (i.e., people who enjoy the company of and/or help Muggles and Muggle-borns). This label has been applied to the Weasley family, Sirius Black, Andromeda Tonks, Merope Gaunt, and strongly to Albus Dumbledore. Pure-blood supremacists consider blood purity a measure of a wizard's magical ability; this is not the case, however. Hermione Granger, for example, is Muggle-born, yet she is consistently at the top of her class, and is by all accounts a highly-skilled witch. The establishment and maintenance of pure-blood dominion over the wizarding world is the prime motivation for many of the series's evil characters.Genetics Rowling's official explanation for the birth of wizards and witches to Muggle families is that they result from the resurgence of "dominant resilient genes" in a family. In some cases, such as Colin and Dennis Creevey, a Muggle-born wizard's sibling will also be a wizard, although in other cases, such as Lily and Petunia Evans, the sibling will not be magical. The children of two wizards will almost always inherit the ability to perform magic; those rare children who do not are called Squibs. Rowling has stated that most wizard-muggle offspring will be magical. At first glance, this would appear to be genetically impossible; however, it is possible to explain it using known genetic rules. As T. Brightwater explained in her editorial on MuggleNet, "It would seem impossible to account for both of these occurrences by the normal Mendelian rules of inheritance. If magic is the result of a dominant gene, Squibs are easy to explain but Muggle-borns are not; if the gene is recessive, the reverse is true. However, if two genes are involved, the solution becomes much easier."[2] Pure-blood wizards claim to have no Muggle blood at all in their genealogical pedigree. In response to fan questions, Rowling has said that to be considered pure-blood, all of one's grandparents must have been wizards: some of the more severe schools of thought may require several more generations of wizards to be considered pure-blood. She has also said that true pure-blood wizards do not exist in the Harry Potter universe (if they ever did exist in the past), and that they merely erase Muggles and Squibs off their family trees.[3] Notable pure-blood families include the Blacks, the Malfoys, the Longbottoms, the Crouch family, and the Weasley family. These and the few remaining families are all interconnected by marriage.[4] Over the course of the series, some prominent families have died out, thus limiting the pure-blood gene pool further still. The Crouch and Gaunt lines have become extinct during the course of the series, and there are very few known lines left. Two males from the Black line, Phineas and Marius, were blasted off the family tapestry. The Weasleys are the only known pure-blood family with more than one male heir. Some of the strongest proponents of blood purity are, surprisingly, not pure-blood themselves. A notable example is Tom Marvolo Riddle, a half-blood whose mother was a pure-blood witch of the Gaunt family, who were descended from Hogwarts founder Salazar Slytherin himself, and whose father was a Muggle of the Riddle family. At the same time, some pure-blood wizards are not themselves proponents of blood purity: both the Weasleys and Longbottoms are old pure-blood families, all the known members of these two families reject notions of blood purity.[5][6][7]The Black family also seems to have produced one or two such black sheep in every generation.[4] It is strongly implied in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that pure-blood families intermarry with each other, somewhat like traditional European nobility.[6] [improper synthesis?] It is confirmed that at least the Blacks and the Gaunts inbred into their own families by marrying their cousins.[6][8] It is notable that, especially in the Gaunt and Black families, individual members have a certain amount of mental instability and emotional problems.[8] However, while the Blacks are intelligent (although some members seem to have been troubled with insanity, such as Walburga Black and Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black), the Gaunts were known for their violent nature, most notably Lord Voldemort's uncle Morfin Gaunt and Voldemort himself. Pure-blooded families [edit] The Black family For more information see: Black family tree Status: Presumed extinct Most of the members of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black were devoted blood purists, and many were involved with the Dark Arts. The Black family home at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, London, contains many artifacts of dubious origin and/or dangerous ability. The family motto is Toujours Pur (French: "Always Pure"). Blacks who married mixed-blood wizards or otherwise offended the family motto were removed from the family tapestry: Isla Hitchens (née Black), married Muggle Bob Hitchens Phineas Black, Isla's nephew, supported Muggle rights Marius Black, Phineas' nephew, was a Squib Cedrella Weasley (née Black), Phineas' niece, married "blood traitor" Septimus Weasley Alphard Black, Marius' nephew, left his fortunes to his own wayward nephew Sirius Black, Alphard's nephew, ran away from home Andromeda Tonks (née Black), Alphard's niece, married Muggle-born Ted Tonks The Blacks intermarried with several other pure-blood families, including the families of known Dark (or at least, malicious) wizards, such as Flint, Bulstrode, Malfoy, Crabbe, Rosier, Yaxley, Burke, and Lestrange, and also non-Dark families such as Potter, Crouch, Longbottom, Macmillan, Prewett, and Weasley. The last several generations of Blacks all trace their ancestry back to Phineas Nigellus Black and Ursula Black (née Flint). The Blacks believed in Voldemort's idea of "purifying the wizarding race", but many, such as Sirius' parents, refrained from outwardly supporting him once they saw what he was willing to do for power. Sirius' brother Regulus Black was a Death Eater, but was apparently murdered when he tried to quit.[6][9] Narcissa Malfoy (née Black) is married to Death Eater Lucius Malfoy. Her sister Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black) is one of only two female Death Eaters known so far. Walburga Black was a member of the family by birth as well as by marriage—she married her second cousin, Orion Black, and together they are the parents of Sirius and Regulus Black. Although there are several living Black family members, including Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy, and half-blood Nymphadora Tonks (an Auror and member of the Order of the Phoenix), all are either female, female-line distaff Black descendants, or descendants of disowned family members, and none of them has the name of Black. The last known surviving bearer of the family name, Sirius Black, was murdered by his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. [edit] The Crouch family Status: Presumed Extinct The Crouch family figures prominently in the plot of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. They are a once-great and respected family of wizards completely destroyed because of Voldemort. Bartemius "Barty" Crouch Senior was the head of the family, a powerful figure in the Ministry of Magic. His son Barty Crouch Junior was one of the Death Eaters who tortured Frank and Alice Longbottom. He was tried by the full Wizengamot (judicial committee) in a Ministry court, a trial conducted by his furious father. Mr Crouch sentenced his son and accomplices to the wizarding prison Azkaban, devastating his wife, who was ill and dying at the time. She convinced her husband to allow her to trade places with her son. Mrs Crouch and her son drank Polyjuice Potion to take on each other's appearance. She died shortly thereafter in Azkaban, having managed to maintain the deception, and was buried by the Dementors outside the walls, under her son's name. When Crouch Jr., impersonating the famous Auror Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody by means of Polyjuice Potion, attempted to kill Harry Potter, Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and professors Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape forced him to reveal himself and tell his true story through the truth potion Veritaserum; he revealed that he had killed his own father. Barty Crouch Jr. later had a Dementor's Kiss performed on him (had his soul sucked out through his mouth) and the Crouch bloodline ended: although Barty Jr.'s body is still technically alive, there is no reason to believe that he will be able to have children. According to the Black family tree, Caspar Crouch married Charis Black (granddaughter of Phineas Nigellus Black), and produced a son and two daughters. [edit] The House of Gaunt Main article: The House of Gaunt Status: Presumed extinct The last known pure-blood descendants of Hogwarts founder Salazar Slytherin, the Gaunt family had an obsession with blood purity which spurred them to marry their own cousins through the generations, resulting in mental instability. The last members of the Gaunt clan were Marvolo and his children Morfin and Merope. Merope died shortly after giving birth to Tom marvolo Riddle, who later became Lord Voldemort.[8][10] Morfin died in Azkaban having been convicted of killing Voldemort's Muggle father and grandparents, a crime actually committed by Voldemort himself. As Voldemort is a female-line descendant of this family, Slytherin still has at least one living descendant; however, he does not carry the Gaunt name, which ended with his uncle Morfin's death, and he is a half-blood because his father was a Muggle. [edit] The Lestrange family Status: Extant The Lestrange family consists of Rodolphus, his wife Bellatrix (née Black), and his brother Rabastan. There is no mention in the Harry Potter series or on the Black family tree regarding Rodolphus and Bellatrix having any children. It is also unknown whether Rabastan has a spouse or any children, or if there are any other living adults with the surname Lestrange. After their torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom, all three Lestranges were tried, convicted, and imprisoned in Azkaban until their escape in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. [edit] The Longbottom family Status: Extant Known living members of the Longbottom family include Neville Longbottom, his grandmother Augusta, and his parents, Frank and Alice Longbottom, who are both mentally incapacitated from being tortured with the illegal Cruciatus Curse by the Bellatrix Lestrange. Frank and Alice are in a special ward for permanent residents at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Harfang Longbottom married Callidora Black, granddaughter of Phineas Nigellus Black. It is unknown whether his son and daughter have any relationship with the other Longbottoms. The Black family tree shows that Callidora was born in 1915, and is still alive, but she cannot (barring a name change, or use of a middle name) be Neville's paternal grandmother, whose first name is Augusta.[11] The Longbottoms, like the Weasleys, do not espouse fanatical beliefs in blood purity.[5] [improper synthesis?] Augusta Longbottom is proud that her grandson is a friend of half-blood Harry Potter, and also admires Muggle-born Hermione Granger for helping Neville out in class. The Longbottoms are not as poor as the Weasleys, and they seem to be considered a more respectable family in pure-blood circles: Cedrella Black was disowned for marrying Septimus Weasley, but her sister Callidora, who married Harfang Longbottom, remains on the Black family tapestry. The Longbottoms were terrified by Neville's lack of juvenile spontaneous magic, believing him to be a Squib because he showed absolutely no signs of magical ability as a young boy.[12] [edit] The Malfoy family Main article: Malfoy family Status: Extant The Malfoy family members identified in the series so far are Lucius Malfoy, his wife Narcissa (née Black), their only son Draco, and Lucius' now deceased father Abraxas.[HP5] In Half-Blood Prince, Harry suspects that Draco, like his father, has become one of Voldemort's followers—a Death Eater. While this is unconfirmed, the events surrounding Dumbledore's death at the end of Half-Blood Prince confirm that he is at least working under Voldemort's direction.[13] [edit] The Potter family Status: Extant The Potter family was a very wealthy, pure-blood wizarding family, and the last pure-blood scion of that house was James Potter. Although the Potter line survives through James' son Harry, Harry's mother was a Muggle-born, making him a half-blood, so the Potter family as a pure-blood line may be considered extinct. [edit] The Weasley family Main article: Weasley family. Status: Extant The Weasley family is a pure-blood wizarding family, but are considered blood traitors by some other pure-bloods as they do not demonstrate "proper respect" for and pride in their blood purity. Arthur Weasley is fascinated by Muggles and enjoys his few opportunities to speak with Hermione Granger's Muggle parents. Ron and Ginny Weasley have developed strong friendships with half-blood and Muggle-born students such as Harry Potter and Hermione. Some of the Weasley children are or have been romantically involved with persons not of pure wizarding blood: Ginny with Harry, Ron with Hermione, Bill Weasley with Fleur Delacour (whose grandmother was a Veela, and who is therefore not fully human), and Percy Weasley with Muggle-born Penelope Clearwater while at Hogwarts. Arthur Weasley's mother was a member of the Black family, and Molly Weasley (née Prewett) is also related to the Black family via the marriage between Ignatius Prewett and Lucretia Black. Therefore, the Weasleys and the Blacks, and the Weasleys and the Malfoys are distant cousins: the seven Weasley children are Draco Malfoy's third cousins, once removed. Molly Weasley's family, the Prewetts, was also a pure-blood family. Both of Molly's brothers died heroic deaths while fighting Voldemort's supporters. As all of the sons of the family are dead, and as it is unclear whether Molly has any male Prewett cousins, the family may be considered extinct. Molly does have a living male second cousin, but he is a Squib and his surname is never mentioned.[14] [edit] Other known pure-blood families Statuses: Varying There are very few surviving pure-blood families left in Britain. The following families are those pure-blood lines in addition to the ones mentioned above which are known with certainty to be living in England and Scotland. The Avery family The Bones family The Borgin family The Bulstrode family The Burke family The Cornfoot family The Crabbe family The Diggory family The Filch family The Flinch family The Flitwick family The Flint family The Greengrass family The Goyle family The MacDougal family The Macmillan family The Macnair family The Montague family The Nott family The Prewett family The Rosier family The Yaxley family [edit] Half-blood Half-blood wizards are not Muggle-born, but their heritage includes one or more Muggle ancestors. Half-bloods are the most common kind of wizard (Rowling has stated that of the Hogwarts annual intake, 50% are half-bloods), especially as magical folk would have dwindled to extinction without marrying Muggles. Half-bloods include people whose parent are either a Muggle or a Muggle-born (but still a wizard/witch). Blood purity fanatics regard half-bloods as inferior wizards, though they think of them as superior to Muggle-born wizards. Severus Snape and Lord Voldemort are two of the most important half-blood characters, and they are also two of the most powerful. Harry Potter himself is also a half-blood. [edit] Notable individuals Harry Potter: Father, James Potter, pure-blood; mother, Lily Evans , Muggle-born. Tom Marvolo Riddle/Lord Voldemort: Father, Tom Riddle, Muggle; mother, Merope Gaunt, pure-blood. Severus Snape: Mother, Eileen Prince, was a witch; father, Tobias Snape, Muggle. Remus Lupin: A half-blood per an interview with J. K. Rowling.[15] Nymphadora Tonks: Father, Ted Tonks, Muggle-born; mother, Andromeda Black, pure-blood. Seamus Finnigan: Muggle father, pure-blood mother. Dean Thomas: Muggle mother, father a pure-blood wizard killed by the Death Eaters (though he does not know this and believes that he is a Muggle-born).[16] [edit] Part-humans Some half-bloods are products of unions between human wizards and magical beings. Known beings with the capacity to interbreed with humans include goblins, giants and Veela. Rubeus Hagrid is half-giant; Beauxbatons Headmistress, Olympe Maxime, is also suspected to be half-giant (a suggestion which she vehemently denies, claiming she merely has "big bones"). Filius Flitwick is part-goblin, and Fleur Delacour is at least one-quarter Veela. Prejudiced wizards (such as Dolores Umbridge) often use the insulting term "half-breed" to describe someone of mixed-species parentage, a term often incorrectly extended to people such as werewolves and to half-humanoid creatures like centaurs. [edit] Notable individuals Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour: Quarter-Veela witches through a grandmother. Rubeus Hagrid: Hagrid's father was a wizard, while his mother was a giantess. Olympe Maxime: Part-giant, part-witch (denies giant heritage). Filius Flitwick: Part-goblin, part-wizard (goblin ancestry is remote). [edit] Muggle-born Muggle-borns are witches and wizards who have Muggle (non-magical) parents or Muggle grandparents. According to Rowling, in order to be considered pure-blood, one's parents and grandparents must be wizards. Their magical abilities do not seem to be affected by their parentage. In fact, many Muggle-borns have been among the most powerful witches and wizards of their time.[17][18] Blood purity fanatics despise Muggle-borns above all other groups, considering them insults to everything wizards stand for, or Muggles seeking to rise above their station.[citation needed] Pure-blood fanatics use the derogatory term "Mudblood" (lit. "dirty blood") to refer to Muggle-born wizards, which is analogous to racial and ethnic slurs found in the non-magical world. The proportion of the wizarding population that is Muggle-born seems to be on the rise as the pure-blood families shrink in size and number (according to Rowling, of the annual Hogwarts intake, 25% are Muggle-born). Notable Muggle-born characters include Hermione Granger and Harry's mother, Lily Potter (née Evans), both of whom are exceptional witches who come from all-Muggle families. [edit] Notable Muggle-borns Hermione Granger Lily Potter Penelope Clearwater Colin Creevey Dennis Creevey Justin Finch-Fletchley [edit] Squibs A Squib is a person of wizarding heritage who lacks magical ability; as Ron Weasley explains, Squibs are, in essence, the opposite of Muggle-born wizards. A Squib is a very rare anomaly; the only known Squibs so far introduced in the series are the Hogwarts caretaker, Argus Filch; Arabella Figg, a neighbour of the Dursleys; an unnamed cousin of Molly Weasley, who works as an accountant; and Sirius Black's great-uncle, Marius Black (who was erased from the Black family tree). Voldemort's mother, Merope Gaunt, was referred to by her father as a Squib, but Dumbledore speculates that her magical abilities were compromised by the verbal abuse she suffered at the hands of her father and brother. The Ministry of Magic does not keep records of Squib births, a sign, perhaps, of wizard society's general disregard for them.OP Ch.5 [19] [improper synthesis?] Squibs share much in common with Muggles; unlike Muggles, however, they are aware of and comprehend the wizarding world, and may be able to perform simple magic, though sometimes with unreliable results.[citation needed] Filch attempts to acquire some measure of magical ability through the "Kwikspell" correspondence course, although Rowling has stated that this course never worked for him.[20] Things that are hidden from Muggles with spells (rather than by the very nature of the hidden thing) seem to be visible to Squibs, for example Filch is able to work at Hogwarts, which appears only as a dangerous old ruin to Muggles (this may be because such illusions do not work on those who know of their existence; Hermione's parents, both Muggles, are able to enter The Leaky Cauldron, which is normally invisible to non-wizards, under their daughter Hermione's direction, as they visit Diagon Alley in the second book).[21] This allows them the choice to inhabit the wizarding world or the Muggle world. Squibs are able to have magical relationships with animals: Filch and Mrs. Figg both have cats that appear to function as messengers. Mrs. Figg admits in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix that she posted one of her cats under a car at Number Four, Privet Drive as a lookout. This cat is seen leaving when Mundungus Fletcher Disapparates and Mrs Figg later shows up to assist Harry after his battle with the Dementors.  
|
