Re: How Rare are Muggle-borns? and Analysis of “Purity” in the Order

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 104687


<snip> I apologize if this has been discussed before, 
> but it seems to me that we have seen very few purely Muggle-born 
> wizards throughout the books.  I believe the only ones we can be
sure of are Hermione and Moaning Myrtle; is it likely that all of the 
> students attacked in CoS were Muggle-born?  Here are the attacks: 
<snip>

Carol responds:
IIRC it's clearly stated that all of the petrified students (as
opposed to the kidnapped, possessed, and nearly murdered Ginny) were
Muggleborns. That was the point of the attacks.


karenoc1 wrote:
<snip> This brings me to an analysis of the original Order of the
Phoenix; 
> how many were purebloods and why?
><snip>
> Marlene McKinnon – don't know.  (Still alive at conclusion of
> OoP)

Carol responds:
IIRC, the McKinnons were killed by a DE named Travers as reported by
Karkaroff in the Pensieve scene in GoF. Marlene is not among the
advance guard in OoP. I don't remember exactly what Mad-Eye says about
her in the discussion of the Order photo in OoP, but I think he states
that she's dead. If I'm wrong, please correct me. (Sorry to change the
focus of your post--I'm more interested in whether they're alive than
whether they're purebloods.)
>
karenoc1 wrote:
> Remus Lupin – probably pureblood?  Half-breed? (Still alive at 
> conclusion of OoP)

Carol responds:
JKR said in her most recent chat that he's a half blood, so one of his
parents was either a Muggle or a Muggleborn. Given that he was bitten
by a werewolf at an early age and clearly lived in the WW, I'm betting
a Muggleborn parent (a parallel with Harry).


karenoc1 wrote:
Sturgis Podmore – don't know.  (Dead at conclusion of OoP)

Carol responds:
Sturgis isn't dead. He's due to be released from Azkaban at about the
time Book 6 begins. Interesting note: Someone mentioned his age (38 at
the end of OoP?) so he's close in age to the Marauders. Maybe he and
Lupin will reminisce together about Sirius, James, and Lily? Maybe
even about Severus, if he's not present. ;-)


Caradoc Dearborn – don't know. (Possibly dead prior to PS/SS
> – body never found)

Carol responds:
Enticing little tidbit, isn't it? I hope this particular loose end is
cleared up because I want to find out how he could just disappear. I
just wish his name didn't remind me of Meriadoc Brandybuck every time
I read it.

karenoc1 wrote: 
Elphias Doge – don't know.  (Memory block here; is he still
alive at end of OoP?)

Carol responds:
He's one of the Advance guard in OoP and since we aren't told of his
death or capture in that book, I think we can safely assume he's still
alive.

karenoc1 wrote: 
> Dean Thomas – Halfblood (Gryffindor). 

Carol responds:
I know that JKR presents him as a half-blood in the unpublished
backstory on her site, but in the books he's presented as a
Muggle-born. That may be his own mistaken view or JKR may have simply
abandoned that plot thread. Dean *thinks* he's a Muggle-born and his
family are definitely Muggles, including the father or stepfather.

karenoc1 wrote: 
> Lavender Brown – don't know (Gryffindor)

Carol responds:
I think Lavender is a Muggleborn. She has a pencil case, keeps a
rabbit as a pet, and doesn't know what a Grim is. Sounds like a Muggle
background to me. (Not proof, I know.)

karenoc1 wrote: 
> Justin Finch-Fletchley – probably Muggle-born (Hufflepuff)

Carol responds:
Justin, who almost went to Eton, is definitely a Muggle-born, which is
why he felt so threatened by Harry (the suspected Heir of Slytherin
who could speak Parseltongue) in CoS.

Carol, who apologizes for not quoting canon here but will never get
caught up on posting if she looks everything up