Alastor, and James' money, and godmother/marriage, and Snape as half-brother

[Catlady (Rita Prince Winston)]

No: HPFGUIDX 110248

Justine wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/110165 :

<< No, I don't really think Moody is ever so evil (yet), but during
one of my routine geeky knowledge-gathering sessions, I came across
something most interesting. Alastor was one of the fallen angels of
Satan's Court. He was known as "the executioner," the executor of
decrees handed down by the court. Is this a hint for the future
books? Or have we already seen this played out in the form of Fake!
Moody? Theories? >>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastor says: 
"In Greek mythology, Alastor ("avenger") was the personification of
familial feuds. He was also associated with sins that pass down from
parent to child. As a genius, or spirit of the household in Roman
mythology, he incited people to murder and other sins. He was
originally a mortal, son of Neleus, King of Pylos. He was later
downgraded to a minor demon after he and his brothers were killed by
Heracles."

Apparently there is now a band named Alastor filling up all the pages
of hits on Ask Jeeves, but back when when I looked up "Alastor" right
after GoF, I found lovely pages and pages of commentary on Greek
Mythology and the Shelly poem, which at that time said that "Alastor
was the Greek god of revenge, sort of a male Nemesis" and that the
Romantic poets evolved Alastor from a spirit of revenge to the
personification of any inherited curse. "A male Nemesis" is a very
wonderful name for Real!Moody the Auror.

<< who think Remus is Ever So Wonderful :) >>

Me, too.

Justine wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/110168 :

<< Firstly, there was no question about Sirius's marital status. As
far as I know, godparents do not have to be married--my godparents
barely know each other! Jo was the one who brought up marriage...
why? >>

I *think* she meant that, if Sirius had been married, his wife would
have been with him so they could have rushed over *together* to the
Potters, so there would have been a woman (Mrs. Sirius) present when
they did this emergency 'christening', so she could have been
godmother. 

Stefanie wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/110175 :

<< Who refuses to believe that there are so many Wizarding bachelors
out there: "The world must be peopled!" (Benedick, Much Ado About
Nothing) >>

Remember these wizards and witches are 18 years old when they get out
of Hogwarts (maybe 19 if they were held back a year). And they were no
more than 25 when their story ended (James and Lily dead, Sirius in
prison, Peter in hiding) -- IIRC the Lexicon timeline has them merely
*21* at that time. It's no big surprise that many Muggles are still
unmarried at age 21, or even 25, and the wizarding folk have those
longer lifespans, so they could probably wait to have their first
child at age 40 and their second at age 60.

Rebecca huntergreen wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/110179 :

<< James had to get all that money from somewhere. I wonder if he had
inheritence too? >>

The Goat Pad is still useful, even tho' it hasn't been updated for a
year: http://www.angelfire.com/magic/aberforthsgoat/index.html

It found:
http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2000/1000-livechat-aol.html
:

JKR: "But James inherited plenty of money, so he didn't need a
well-paid profession."

Q: "Where did James get his Invisibility Cloak?"
JKR: "That was inherited from his own father -- a family heirloom!"

Luckdragon wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/110182 :

<< The idea of Sirius and Severus being half brothers is interesting
and certainly resolves the enmity issue between them. It does,
however, bring two thoughts to mind.
1) Snape would then possibly (legally) be entitled to the Black family
fortune and home.
2) Phineas Nigelus when told of Sirius's death say's "the last of the
Blacks is dead"? >>

As an OUT-OF-WEDLOCK child, Snape would not be entitled to any
inheritance from his father and his father's family, and would not be
entitled to use his father's surname. Thus Phineas Nigellus would not
consider him a Black. 

Laura wrote in
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/110183 :

<< I've just got back from the Edinburgh Book Festival, and I can't
believe the transcript is up and people are talking about it already!
I asked Jo if Snape can see the thestrals and if so why, and also if
he was a pure-blood wizard (glad to see the person typing up the
transcript edited my question slightly to hide the nervous stuttering
and mumble that 'I love Snape' ;) >>

Congratulations on being there and being able to ask your question!
Thanks for asking such a good question. The 'I love Snape' appears in
the transcript: "Apart from Harry, Snape is my favourite character
because he is so complex and *I just love him*. Can he see the
Thestrals, and if so, why? Also, is he a pure blood wizard?"

JKR indicates her disapproval of loving Snape here and in another
answer:

"JKR: But you must not forget that Snape was a Death Eater. He will
have seen things that... Why do you love him? Why do people love
Snape? I do not understand this. Again, it's bad boy syndrome,
isn't it? It's very depressing. [Laughter]. One of my best
friends watched the film and she said, "You know who's really
attractive?" I said, "Who?" She said, "Lucius Malfoy!"

(Catlady: but he IS! I just want to keep a safe distance away while I
ogle him.)

"Q: Also, will we see more of Snape?
JKR: You always see a lot of Snape, because he is a gift of a
character. I hesitate to say that I love him. [Audience member: I do].
You do? This is a very worrying thing. Are you thinking about Alan
Rickman or about Snape? [Laughter]. Isn't this life, though? I
make this hero -- Harry, obviously -- and there he is on the screen,
the perfect Harry, because Dan is very much as I imagine Harry, but
who does every girl under the age of 15 fall in love with? Tom Felton
as Draco Malfoy. Girls, stop going for the bad guy. Go for a nice man
in the first place. It took me 35 years to learn that, but I am giving
you that nugget free, right now, at the beginning of your love lives."