Just a thought concerning Lily (Breeding)

[Chelle]

No: HPFGUIDX 95759

Ffred wrote:
::snip snip::

 But there is one key point to bear in
> mind: wizards have been steadily removing people with the wizarding gene
> from the Muggle world for generations. The official Separation was
in the
> late 17th century so something like 10 Muggle generations have gone
by since
> then. But a good case could be made for saying that wizards
intermarried by
> preference for a long time before that. Whereas the gene pool _used_
to be
> evenly distributed in very ancient times, I would argue that a
wizard with
> two Muggle parents is now quite rare.

You have to take into consideration that the muggle idea of 'Courtly
Love' was still rather new. Love and its theories did not exist before
the 14th Century.

I know a great part of England and Europe were like this at this time.
A boy began training in his trade at 5, so he could be more than an
apprentance by the time he married. (Around 12-14) His wife would be
considered marriagable when her monthly courses visited the first
time. (Not the usual fictional mumbo jumbo: 'Let's make sure she's
regular first.')

Honey mead was sacred at first and for the Honeymoon. (Apparently the
theory was if he wasn't into girls and hadn't hit puberty himself
getting drunk helped the consummation.

Parents did arrange their childrens partnerings during this time. 
Before the 17th Century, as long as the Muggle parents didn't consider
wizardry a curse there would be no reason not to pair up your child
with a wizard or witch. It was probably considered useful. (Probably
leading to the split and muggle pressure for wizarding solutions.)

Since wizards tend to live a antiquated lifestyle in general, arranged
marriages probaby still occur in some social circles.

Sure, times have changed, but it wouldn't shock me if Harry found out
the parents of some of his classmates came from such pairings, even if
the students parents would never consider an option like that for
their child. (Or that some of his half-blooded classmates were the
result of a pureblood running off with their muggle lover to avoid an
arranged marriage.)

Chelle