[HPforGrownups] Why is Draco an only child?

[Emma Hawkes]

No: HPFGUIDX 127122



    From: "Grey Wolf" <grey.wolf.c at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Why is Draco an only child?


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Emma Hawkes <ehawkes at i...> wrote:
>  Given his family's obsession with bloodlines, why is Draco an only child?

My own take on it is essentially historical: the Malfoys act in all 
respects as a classical
family of nobility. For a noble family, the only three reasons to 
marry were titles, land and
money (two out of three for best results :D ). Now, it is obvious 
that Malfoys aren't aiming
for titles (that is, the only distinction they seem to want is that 
of pureblood, more on that
later), nor are they hurting for money (clearly stablished in many 
places, particularly in the
first couple of books, as well as in the frequent bribes used to 
remain in good standing).
So the most logical aim must be lands, at this point.

Nice summary.  OTOH, this means that the system set up to encourage 
single births (of boys).  This is not good for a social system.  You 
need a spare in case something happens to the heir.  And you need at 
least some people produing girls or all your little boys  wind up 
with no one to marry.

Emma