Lucius - Full blood (was The [Real] Importance of being Draco Malfoy)

[onnanokata]

No: HPFGUIDX 114230

samnanya wrote:

I wonder if JKR will suprise us all and have Draco Malfoy
turn out to be the Half-Blood Prince.  We know that his
mother's line is pure because of the Blacks, but precious
little is said about Lucius' ancestry......
JKR has already said that pureblood is not necessary to
be a Death Eater.
At the end of GOF (706)  Fudge responds to Harry's
allegation that Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater by saying
"Malfoy was cleared! ... A very old family -"
Hmmm I ownder why the word "wizard" or "wizarding" was
not added as it was in so many other places.
Not much yet to go on, but isn't that what suprises are all 
about? If you don't think so, please provide CANON evidence 
that Lucius is indeed pureblooded........
 
kmc provides the cannon:
Page 113, OotP, Hardback, American version Chapter Six (emphasis mine)
 
"He pointed to another samll round burn mark between two names, 
Bellatrix and Narcissa."'Andromeda's sisters are still her because 
they made lovely, respectable PURE-BLOOD marriages,' 
<snip>
"Sirius mimed blasting the tapestry with a wand and laughed sourly.  
Harry, however, did not laugh; he was too busy staring at the names 
to the right of Andromeda's burn mark.  A double line of gold 
embrodidery linked Narcissa Black with LUCIUS MALFOY, and a single 
vertical gold line from their names led to the name Draco."
 
Cannon - Lucius is full-blood as is Draco.

BTW - When I first heard the title of book six, I was pulling for 
Draco to be half-blood.  But, alas, this is not support by cannon.
 
- kmc

Dharma replies:

I personally do not believe that it is impossible for Witches and 
Wizards who believe they are purebloods to find out that such is not 
the case.  There are characters who hold some pretty important facts 
to be true, only to find out that they are just plain wrong.  Canon 
often reflects what the characters know, until it is the right time 
in the plot to reveal the truth, or another character has a reason to 
present to appropriate information.

-Sirius believes that Peter could not be a spy for 2 or so years, 
only to discover the truth at the cost the Potters' lives.  

-Remus and Dumbledore believe Sirius to be a spy and murderer for 
more than a decade, until they are witness the impossible.  

-Most of Hogwarts seems to be under the impression that Trelawney has 
no Sight, but that is not the case.  She makes very accurate 
predictions regularly.  She only has two known prophesies under belt, 
but her predictions work out.
  
-Bellatrix is unable to accept that Voldemort is not a pureblood 
wizard even though she is given information to the contrary.   Barty 
Jr. knows so why doesn't she?

-Harry believes that Mrs. Figg is just an older Muggle woman in his 
neighborhood.  

-Almost every member of the Wizarding community, including Sirius who 
was imprisoned with him, believed that Barty Crouch Jr. was dead.

Canon suggests to us that "pureblood" families would start disowning 
members if they stepped out of line.  This to me sets up the perfect 
scenario for some family mythology.  Hiding facts, telling lies and 
ignoring evidence have been done commonly in history to 
maintain "noble" family reputations.  We do have canon to suggest 
that there are Wizards who would willingly lie and scheme to protect 
their children (see Mr. and Mrs. Crouch). If there is one 
illegitimate child somewhere in a family history, or a not so 
publicized marriage, it's not too difficult for a pureblood Wizard to 
be come a half blood Wizard.  

Narcissa's phenotype comes to mind on this one.  She might have 
gotten all of those recessive features from the Black line.  But then 
again, we only know what Sirius knows about that part of the family, 
and for me the information is not very complete.  Her mother's family 
is never discussed.  If it only takes one Muggle or Muggleborn Wizard 
in an individuals lineage to alter one's pureblood status and canon 
only reflects what the characters believe to be factual, then we 
could be in for some surprises.

With that said
I'm not sure who the HBP is, but it could be 
interesting if it did turn out to be a character who is under an 
erroneous/incomplete impression about his family history.  That could 
lead to some very interesting developments in books 6 and 7.