Inheritance in the Wizarding World

[Eustace_Scrubb]

No: HPFGUIDX 95965

udder_pen_dragon burst Eustace_Scrubb's bubble by having the correct
quotation available:

> POA UK Paperback Ch 20 The Dementors Kiss first page 
> > Quote:
> 
> > I'm your Godfather."
> 
> "Yeah, I knew that." said Harry.
> 
> "Well your parents appointed me your guardian ," said Sirius
stiffly. "If any thing happened to them...." 
> 
> End of quote
> 
> So Harry is not only Sirius's Godson but also his legal ward and
Hogwarts obviously accept this, quite what this means I do not know.
> U PenDragon                                        

Eustace_Scrubb foolishly continues:

Well, the quotation clears one thing up:  Sirius _was_ to have been
Harry's guardian, according to the Potters' intentions.

But as far as either the wizarding or muggle world are concerned, were
their intentions ever made effective during Sirius' lifetime?  I would
argue that they were not and that the only ones who ever acknowledged
that Sirius had a guardian relationship with Harry were Dumbledore and
other members of the Order--and then only in a limited way.

When the welfare of a child is concerned, the authorities in the WW
can probably override the wishes of parents, even if they are codified
in a legitimate will.  And since the entire WW believed that Sirius
was responsible for the deaths of Harry's parents, he would never have
been allowed to take up the appointed role of guardian.  Someone else
would have been appointed "by the court."  Now in the muggle world, we
know that the Dursleys are looked upon as Harry's guardians.  I would
guess that the Wizarding authorities, at Dumbledore's suggestion,
accepted this as well.

Cheers,

Eustace_Scrubb, not a lawyer and I don't play one on TV