[HPforGrownups] Re: Question about the inheritance thread...

[jennifer.r.junker at wellsfargo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 66446


Me (Bill):

I do not think that he was able to leave the Black legacy to Harry.  
If it were possible to leave it to someone other than the closest 
living relative, then Sirius would never have inherited from Mrs. 
Black, who despised him.  I expect that there is some form of 
binding magical contract on the estate, forcing the inheritance 
issue.

Bill

There did use to be (and may still be for all I know) a peculiar system in
the UK (and elsewhere) that prohibited the free devise of property- property
could be entailed so that it HAD to pass to the eldest son- or eldest male
relative if there was no son (which left many widows at the mercy of their
own sons since the property title changed hands at the death of the
husband.)  You'll see this in Pride and Prejudice- (and my understanding is
that JKR is an Austen fan.)  Perhaps that's what's going on here?

Jennifer