[HPforGrownups] Re: Voldemort's title (was: the term "professor" and titles in general)

[yellows at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 58632

In a message dated 5/25/2003 12:35:29 PM Eastern Standard Time, catlady at wicca.net writes:

<<I have trouble believing that TMR would seek to be ennobled by the Queen of England, as to him she is just another worthless Muggle. For him, a peerage conferred upon him by a Muggle would seem about as 'legitimate' as a Ph.D. conferred by a chimpanzee in a zoo would seem to us. For him, his title "Lord" is made legitimate by the power he wields over wizarding society.>>

I both agree and disagree with this. For one, LV's prejudice against Muggle-born magical people, and his prejudice against Muggles in general, suggests to me that he would not be interested in obtaining a legitimate Muggle title, unless it was just to mock them.

But I've noticed in the canon that there are times when Muggles and the Wizarding community communicate with one another. For instance, we know that the Prime Minister is aware of Witches and Wizards because he was told when Sirius Black escaped that a dangerous Wizard was on the loose. This tells me that, under some circumstances, Muggles and Witches and Wizards work together, which *may* mean that Muggle titles are also given to non-Muggles. 

Also, there are many parallels between the magical world and the Muggle world. The Ministry of Magic, for instance, is very similar to any Muggle form of government. Do we have any reason to believe, then, that Witches and Wizards don't have their own system of giving titles to their own people? Perhaps TMR *was* made a Lord within the Wizarding community, according to Wizarding standards.

But, actually, I am of the opinion that LV just put the "Lord" at the beginning of his name to invoke more fear in people. Maybe it doesn't even mean Lord as in the noble title. Maybe he means Lord as in something other-worldly, like a god or a devil.

:)  Brief Chronicles, who is new and very happy to be here.  :)