Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)

[TCO]

Any comments on my mysteries to be revealed list?

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Then aneeshm will go "AHA!"

Maybe I will, maybe I will.....

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui


I wouldn't go so far as to call them "well-respected". It apparently seems that Lucious Malfoy is tolerated rather than respected.

Lucius was, IIRC, sitting with a high ministry official at a place of honor at the Quidditch World Cup. In book 3 he is still on the Hogwarts Board, and had enough influence (coupled with bribes and threats) to control that board. Seems like until book 5 he WAS well respected. Sure, he wasnt above being investigated by a mid ranking civil servant in book 2, but thats cause the wizarding world in the UK is still more or less a govt of laws. Though it may be that its on part because of his pursuit of Malfoy (rather than his eccentric fascination of muggles) that Arthur Weasly has not advanced further in the ministry.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Power tends to follow money. It doesn't mean he was respected, but just rich enough to buy him positions. As you said, instead of being able to persuade other Hogwarts board members because of who he was, he had to bribe them or threaten them (and being a former DE, his threats had a bit more bite to them).

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Power tends to follow money. It doesn't mean he was respected, but just rich enough to buy him positions. As you said, instead of being able to persuade other Hogwarts board members because of who he was, he had to bribe them or threaten them (and being a former DE, his threats had a bit more bite to them).

clearly his money was important, but it was also well known how he used it - Fudge is quoted talking about all the good causes Malfoy gives to. Look, Im not saying he was well-liked, but but he was more than tolerated. He was accorded status commensurate with his money and lineage. He was treated as if his claim to have acted only under the imperius curse was taken seriously. That may not be "well respected" I suppose. Certainly Weasley and others mistrusted him. But much of what makes the reader dislike him - his snobbism about money and purity of blood - is considered quite acceptable by many wizards who are NOT death eaters.

[Drake Tungsten]

lord of the mark is correct, of course.

[Imran Siddiqui]

But much of what makes the reader dislike him - his snobbism about money and purity of blood - is considered quite acceptable by many wizards who are NOT death eaters.

Well, that depends. I always got the picture that Fudge was more scared of Lucious than simply giving him his due (Fudge appeared to be scared of most everything, looking back). It appeared his gained his followers through threat or force. I guess we can't speak for the wizard on the street, but from the people we see, it doesn't appear that many believed Lucious' claim that he was simply under the Imperius Curse; just a convenient story.

And I'm not sure that purity of blood was considered all that acceptable, especially after Voldemort's rampage. Aside from Slytherin House, it seemed to be a decidedly out of vogue belief.

[TCO]

I hope they hang him.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

But much of what makes the reader dislike him - his snobbism about money and purity of blood - is considered quite acceptable by many wizards who are NOT death eaters.

Well, that depends. I always got the picture that Fudge was more scared of Lucious than simply giving him his due (Fudge appeared to be scared of most everything, looking back). It appeared his gained his followers through threat or force. I guess we can't speak for the wizard on the street, but from the people we see, it doesn't appear that many believed Lucious' claim that he was simply under the Imperius Curse; just a convenient story.

And I'm not sure that purity of blood was considered all that acceptable, especially after Voldemort's rampage. Aside from Slytherin House, it seemed to be a decidedly out of vogue belief.

Slytherin and its alums seem to make up about ahout one quarter of the UK wizarding world (although looking at the streets of diagonally, the world cup, the celebrations when Voldemort was defeated, there seem to be MORE wizards in the UK than there are Hogwarts alums - self-taught, undereducated?) And Slytherins distinction is that its folks really believe in purity of blood. Theres a big gap between believing in purity of blood, and believing that that belief is a terrible thing. My impression is theres a big middle - wizards who personally accept intermarriage with muggles for practical reasons, but who dont see anything all that morally wrong in pride about purity of blood. (Certainly in our world we see that kind of middle ground all the time)

[TCO]

Yeah, the numbers totally don't work in Rowling's world. How can you have enough people to have English League teams in Quidditch as part of the economy when you only have 40 students/year coming out of Hogwarts.

[Imran Siddiqui]

It seems to me that Hogwarts is an elite school, kind of like Eton or something, for the students who have the most potential (or something). It seems there are far more who are home schooled or self-taught. I don't think Sam Shunpike (of the Knight Bus) went to Hogwarts.

I guess we see more into Gryffindor where it appears that pure blood is frowned upon. We're not sure what Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff think. I haven't noticed anyone in those houses look down upon or taunt Hermione Granger, a muggle born... only Slytherin.


Though I guess this entire line is all speculation until Rowling writes her own Similarion (if she ever does).

[TCO]

There's nothing in the books to discuss non-Hogwarts-educated magicians and one would expect it to have raised its head. I think JKR is just a bit scatterbrained. I'm sure she will come up with some lame explanation, that is just a rabbit out of a hat.

[Skanky Burns]

Originally posted by TCO
Here are some of the things that remain puzzling to me:

6. What is Aunt Petunia hiding, her role?

Order of the Phoenix
I am speaking, of course, of the fact that your mother died to save you. She gave you a lingering protection he never expected, a protection that flows in your veins to this day. I put my trust, therefore, in your mother's blood. I delivered you to her sister, her only remaining relative ... While you can still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort.

I doubt there is much more to her role than that.

[reismark]

Originally posted by Skanky Burns

Order of the Phoenix
I am speaking, of course, of the fact that your mother died to save you. She gave you a lingering protection he never expected, a protection that flows in your veins to this day. I put my trust, therefore, in your mother's blood. I delivered you to her sister, her only remaining relative ... While you can still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort.

I doubt there is much more to her role than that.

Actually, JKR is on record as saying that there is more to Petunia that we've seen, though she's denied the (reasonably obvious) speculation that Petunia's a Squib.

[Jaguar]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
It seems to me that Hogwarts is an elite school, kind of like Eton or something, for the students who have the most potential (or something). It seems there are far more who are home schooled or self-taught. I don't think Sam Shunpike (of the Knight Bus) went to Hogwarts.

Stan Shunpike.