Goblins

[templar1112002]

No: HPFGUIDX 127212


>From jkrowling.com
Just like Dean Thomas (see `Extras'), Flitwick has a
background that I now realise will never see its way into the books 
because it is not relevant to the plot. He is human but with a dash 
of goblin ancestry – something like a great, great, great 
grandfather. 
 

GEO wrote: Considering how Flitwick apparently has Goblin ancestry 
does
that mean that the goblins are a subspecies of homo sapiens instead 
of say their own distinct species considering they can breed with 
humans and have fertile offspring in the case of Flitwick's 
ancestors. 
 
One wonders now if that applies to either the House-Elves and Giants.


***Marcela:  I also wonder how come Flitwick was not detected by 
Rita Skeeter, or Umbridge... They are considered 'beings' according 
to FBAWTFT.
As to your question, I'd say that they are not a subspecies of homo 
sapiens, because they are all magical... I mean, you have that the 
only difference between wizards/witches and Muggles is the magic 
itself.  There are no goblin-muggles around... unless there is a 
complete other Goblin world hidden from Muggles and Wizards that we 
don't know about.  I'd say that they are a species in its own.
Besides, their brand of magic seems very different from the 
Wizardkind.
Despite all this, evidently, there is some genetic compatibility and 
goblins and wizards/muggles can procreate, o.O

I also wonder why Dumbledore has not used Flitwick as a liason 
speaker with the Goblins -at least it wasn't mentioned in OoTP...

BTW, did you notice that in the same answer:

"...This is only interesting in as much as it gives him a perhaps 
unexpected empathy for people like Hagrid who are, in Death Eater 
parlance, half-breeds.  However, Flitwick and Hagrid have never had 
a scene together, so Flitwick's genetic composition has been 
relegated to the very back of my mind over the six novels in which 
he features, although I think it has informed his character. 
Slightly dotty though he may be, he is welcoming of all students, 
whatever their background (he did say in `Philosopher's Stone' that 
he was very fond of Lily, thus establishing that he was not 
prejudiced against Muggle-borns). ..."

There she goes again... we don't know if she's talking about the six 
books she's already written or just six books of seven...
Does this mean that Flitwick will not 'be there' in the last book?  
The use of her Simple Present in 'in which he features' is confusing 
me a bit...

Marcela