Use of Madam (was Re: Hogwarts Teachers).

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 86992

I, Ginger had previously wondered:
> > Can anyone think of an example where a witch is referred to as 
Mrs by 
> > anyone who was raised in the WW?  This has had me wondering for 
some 
> > time.  I try to remember it on rereads, but get distracted by the 
> > story :)

To which Shaun replied:
> Well, we have Mrs. Norris (-8
> 
> Besides that, Snape reading from the Daily Prophet in Chamber of 
Secrets refers 
> to Mrs. Hetty Bayliss as one of the Muggles who saw the flying Ford 
Anglia - this 
> suggests the term is not unknown in the Wizarding World, though it 
is an example 
> of it only being applied to a Muggle.
> 
> We also have 'Mrs. Skowers' Magical Mess Remover'  (CoS) which 
would at least 
> imply the use of the title for a Witch (also referenced at the 
Quidditch World Cup).
> 
> In GoF, Mrs. Weasley writes a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Dursley - so 
she is at least 
> familiar with the term.
> 
> OK - Crouch in Goblet of Fire, refers to Mr. and Mrs. Fudge - seems 
the term is 
> used in the Wizarding World.

Back to Ginger now:

Thank you, Shaun!

Yes, Mrs is heard of in the WW.  Now how does one decide on Mrs or 
Madam?

It seems that when referring to Muggles, (Bayliss, Dursley) Mrs is 
used, and when referring to couples (Fudge) Mr and Mrs is used.  In 
fact, that is an interesting example, as when being referred to by 
himself, Fudge is called Minister rather than Mr.

That leaves us with Skower and Norris.  I could chalk Norris down to 
her being a cat, but what of Skower?  Perhaps a marketing tool to 
produce the image of a homebody accustomed to cleaning up after a 
brood of children and doing it well?

Maybe, just a guess here, of course, Mrs is used in conjunction to a 
Mr, underage women (students) are addressed as Miss by the teachers, 
and Madam is used independantly, as we use Ms unless the Ms prefers, 
for whatever reason to be addressed otherwise.  

Ginger, thanking Shaun for those fine examples