Magical Aristocracy (WAS: Why the Malfoys are as they are)

[pigwidgeon37]

No: HPFGUIDX 33534

Southernscotland wrote:
<<I have a little theory (please be gentle and use candles instead 
of flames!) about why the Malfoys might not like muggles. They are 
afraid of them (us).>>

Nice as it is, I'd really like to contradict this theory.
It is not canonical evidence, but I think it qualifies as a very 
solid assumption, that the Malfoys are an old family. And I 
mean "old" in a strictly European sense- don't flame me, this isn't 
arrogance, it's a matter of fact. The origin of the name "Malfoy" 
being clearly French ("of bad fame" or "untrustworthy"), I'd hazard 
the theory that the family pedigree is traceable back to the Normans 
and probably even further, as it is more than possible that the first 
Malfoy who had crossed the channel married some noble Saxon witch of 
even more impressive and long-standing pedigree. So what we are 
facing here is aristocracy, both of blood and money.
Now I don't want to go into a detailed description of snobbish, 
snotty, arrogant aristocrats, moreover what I'd have to say about the 
British variety would only be an extrapolation of my Austrian 
knowledge, but let me say this: Much as they may plead the contrary, 
most descendants of nobility ARE incurably arrogant and see 
themselves as the Selected Few. They may tolerate the occasional 
parvenu (which means the Nobel Prize winner as well as the film star 
or the industry tycoon), but in the end it all comes down to the 
superiority of "old blood" and "breeding".
This is exactly the Malfoys' attitude, which we learn mostly by 
Draco's comments, though we can be fairly sure that he only repeats 
what he hears from his father and, if her attitude during the QWC is 
a valid indication, also from his mother. Considering the often 
discussed wizarding population of GB and putting it into relation 
with the Muggles living there, how many wizarding families would you 
guess are up to the Malfoys' standards? Three? Four? Not many, 
anyway. Apart from these, I think there is a very subtle hierarchy in 
the "real" aristocrats' perception of worth and social rank: No.1 are 
the Malfoys and the aforementioned three or four families, equally 
outstanding for blood and wealth. One step down: The purebloods 
sticking to a strictly anti-Muggle and anti-Mudblood ideology (Crabbe 
and Goyle seem to fit into that category). Next step: Purebloods with 
more liberal views, the so-called "Muggle-lovers" like the Weasleys 
and Dumbledore. One down: halfbloods. One more down: Mudbloods. And 
then, at the bottom end of the ranking, there's Muggles, House Elves, 
Werewolves who fall into the category of "worthless scum".
Therefore, I would even venture the suggestion that the Malfoys 
don't "hate" Muggles: They consider them worthless, crawling 
creatures whom you might use to have a bit of fun (Voldemort's 
invitation for Lucius to join him in a bit of Muggle-torturing), 
because they can't use magic and are thus infinitely inferior. Maybe, 
and here Southernscotland has a point, the origin of despising 
Muggles IS fear, but a fear lost in the mists of time when Muggles 
started to persecute magical folk.
The true hate of the likes of Malfoy and company IMHO is directed 
against wizards like Hermione who are regarded as intruders, and 
against those who defend or befriend them. That's why I'm leaning 
towards the theory that Lucius Malfoy and a few other DEs have joined 
Voldemort not because they fear or adore him so much, but because 
they see his power as a means to achieve their very own aims, namely 
the elimination of those they've always been regarding as disturbing 
factors. 
Susanna/pigwidgeon37