HP Coloring Books, etc.

[Ebony]

No: HPFGUIDX 7012

Hi!  My Drama classes' holiday play went extremely well today... it's 
*so* nice to exhale over e-mail for a change...

HERMIONE'S ANCESTRY

If I were to do a Granger family tree, it would be very Northern 
European.  There would be Scottish, Irish, German, and Anglo-Norman 
branches... maybe a great-grandmother from Spain and another ancestor 
from Scandinavia.  I think the magical aspects of Granger genealogy 
would be interesting to contemplate also.  *Who* gave Hermione the 
magical chromosome?  (I realize that there was a recent re-hash of 
the wizarding genetics topic, but I haven't yet had the chance to 
read these...)  

My wish-fulfillment theory is that Hermione is a distant descendant 
of one of the founders.  I'm sure you know which one...

AN HP COLORING BOOK

Responding to Rita's observation:  we do paint the world according to 
the way we see things, I guess.  Usually, if I'm reading a book, I 
don't think much about ethnicity unless that is the topic at hand or 
there is heavy description (which in the HP books, there isn't).  One 
thing that is funny, though... if a character is described as 
being "dark" my mind instantly registers them being dark all over, 
not just skin and eyes.  (I inserted myself into many a novel as a 
child this way, even if the author had no original intention of 
inserting someone like me. ;))  It wasn't until high school that I 
realized that I was picturing them "wrong".

I can honestly say that I assumed that most of the Harry Potter 
characters "of color" were white at first, but when I found out they 
weren't, it didn't jar.  I've been able to picture Angelina as being 
black since GoF (especially since she attended the Yule Ball with 
Fred, lucky girl), but I'm having a hard time with Dean.

I agree that Lee's a toss-up.  It's fun thinking up a background for 
him... right now, about seven different nationalities figure in his 
family.  He may be one of those people who you'd have to ask about 
his ethnicity.  He could very well be blond with blue or grey eyes... 
but I grew up with plenty of very fair multiracial blondes and 
redheads who identify as black.  I'm pretty sure this phenomenon is 
particular to America, though.  In other countries, they wouldn't 
have categorized census forms and such nonsense to fill out.

My theory for the FAQ that I'm writing is that in the wizarding 
world, this doesn't matter nearly as much as it seems to matter in 
the Muggle world.  Which is definitely a good thing.

WAVES TO

Sheryll, Neil, Voicelady and Penny to welcoming me back.  Also hellos 
to Scott, Dee, Catlady Rita, and other regular Sunday chatters.  I've 
missed the posts and the chat--I'll try to make it this Sunday.

WELCOME TO

Kelly from Michigan--we're neighbors.  You'll find several regulars 
from the Great Lakes State around here.  Hope you enjoyed the 
blizzard this week... I'm still shoveling out!

Take care!

Ebony