Malfoy's position and "manor" (was: Re: the term "professor" and titles in

[eloiseherisson at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 58613

Christian:

>Well, the title "Sir" is, with exception of baronets, not 
>inheritable, and I do believe beheadings had ceased being common by 
>the time baronetcies were commonly handed out <snip>
>Wizards might well have given such services to Crown and Country that 
>knighthoods or peerages may have been thought a suitable reward.

Eloise:
True. Nick is an Elizabethan and therefore likely a knight. We don't know 
Podmore's vintage.

Christian:
>Also, I do not believe we know that the Malfoys live in a manor, much 
>less that it is called Malfoy Manor - it is common enough in fanfics, 
>but as I recall, it comes from Harry in one of the books thinking 
>somewhat derisively about Draco probably living in some large manor, 
>with servants to both hands, and so on - and Harry did not assume a 
>name, as such. 


Eloise:

This also is strictly true, I think. Oh dear! Is there really no good canon 
for "Malfoy Manor"?

Darco tells Polyjuiced Harry and Ron about his father's cache of secret 
things under the floor in their *Manor* (capital letter implying *name*, I think). 
Mr Malfoy, OTOH, refers to his *manor* (no capital) when negotiating with Mr 
Borgin.

What I did notice, which is interesting, is that in his snide remarks after 
the Malfoys have left, Borgin emphasises the words, "*Mister*" and "*manor*". 
They are, as I have tried to indicate, italicised. Is this telling us something 
about Malfoy's status? Is Borgin suggesting that there *is* some anomaly 
there, that perhaps the Malfoys have assumed a status to which they were not 
originally entitled? What is clear is that he pays him respect to his face, but not 
behind his back. I had originally read that as at least as much a comment on 
Borgin as on Malfoy, but now I'm wondering. JKR is recorded as saying that 
there are a lot of clues hidden in CoS. I wonder if this is one of them. 

Christian:
>Incidentally, if the home of the Malfoys is actually 
>a proper manor (a property which holds certain feudal rights), and 
>has been in the possession of the Malfoy-family for the duration of 
>the existance of Malfoys, they may well hold that to be much more 
>honourable than any "new" title.


Eloise:
Oh, indeed. Although as you imply, it is a term which may also be applied to 
properties which do not have feudal rights few of which are upheld, now I 
think. At least by the holders of them. 

I'm beginning to think that he purchased it, though, that he *is* the 
wizarding equivalent of "new money", that his family have "bought" success through 
their involvement in the Dark Arts and that they are in this way also an 
antithesis to the Weasleys, whom others have characterised as impoverished gentry.

~Eloise


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