mothers in HP and a correction of my fathers post

[Schlobin at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 136377

 


More on the mothers in HP
 
Merope Riddle, mother to Tom Marvolo Riddle, later styling  himself Lord 
Voldemort. LV searches Hogwarts in vain to find evidence of his  father, and 
finally discovers that his mother is a witch and descended from  Salazar Slytherin. 
Merope names him after his father and grandfathers, but LV  rejects them all, 
as they have rejected Merope. According to DD, Merope probably  used a love 
potion to ensnare Tom Riddle, father of Voldemort (although it could  have been 
the Imperius Curse). Merope has been verbally, emotionally and  physically 
abused by her father, and probably by her brother. She yearns  hopelessly after 
the handsome Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle abandons her WHILE she is  pregnant. She 
is destitute. She is given a pitiful amount of money for the  Slytherin 
artifact. She survives long enough to get to the orphange and give  birth to her son. 
Harry is shocked that she wouldn't use magic to save her and  judges her 
because she "wouldn't even stay alive for her son." DD says she might  have 
renounced the use of magic, but also could have lost her powers due to  despair. DD 
says that Harry should not judge Merope too harshly but also state's  Merope 
never had Lily's courage. I think this is unfair both of Harry and of  
Dumbledore. Merope had a far, far worse life than Lily Evans Potter, and may  have 
sunk into despair despite her own best efforts. She is a pitiful person, to  be 
pitied.
 
Eileen Prince, mother to Severus Snape. We know that she was  President of 
the Gobstones Club at Hogwarts and is described there as looking  cross, sullen 
with a heavy brown, and a long pallid face. We know that she is a  witch, and 
was mistreated by Tobias, Severus' father. She might have been a  person who 
loved Snape (JKR confirms that Snape was loved by someone, unlike  LV).. But we 
don't know. If Snape turns out to be a true member of the OoP, it  might have 
been due to Eileen's influence, but this is speculation not based on  fact.
 
Narcissa Black, mother of Draco Malfoy, spouse to Lucius  Malfoy. Well, we 
now know that Narcissa loves Draco so much that she is willing  to defy her 
sister Bellatrix, undercut Lord Voldemort and beg Severus Snape to  help her (it's 
interesting that she thinks that he might help her -- why?).  Narcissa does 
not embody sweetness and light. She receives Kreacher, and helps  engineer the 
entrapment of Harry. In Madam Malkin's shop, she threatens Harry,  says "I 
expect Potter will be reunited with dear Sirius before I am reunited  with 
Lucius", and refers to Harry, Ron and Hermione as "scum".
 
Mrs. Crouch, mother to Barty Crouch, Jr. Mrs. Crouch shows up  at Barty 
Junior's trial, and sobs as Junior cries "mother!". She convinced Barty  Senior to 
let her substitute for Barty Junior in Azkaban. Clearly, Mrs. Crouch  loved 
her son. But this is clearly a case of vile father having more influence  than 
loving mother. 
 
Mrs. Black, mother to Sirius. We meet Mrs. Black who screams and raves at  
the mudbloods, the muggle borns, the filth and the blood traitors who have  
invaded #12 Grimmauld Place, obviously a monument to the pure blood bigots of  the 
wizard world. Sirius was desperate to escape both his parents, and took  
refuge at Hogwarts and with James Potter's parents. She favored Regulus who  
became a death eater before being killed trying to leave the DEs. It is  
interesting to note, however, that both of Mrs. Black's sons were killed by  Voldemort 
or his followers, and both opposed LV. It is also interesting that the  entire 
Black family are NOT adherants of LV...in addition to Sirius and Regulus,  
there is Andromeda and Alphard.
 
Petunia Evans Dursley, mother to Dudley and stepmother to Harry. We  first 
see Petunia in the Philosopher's Stone where she is wrestling Dudley into  his 
high chair, and indulging his every whim. When he whines about not getting  
more birthday presents than the year before, she placates him by promising him  
two more gifts.  She and Vernon spoil and damage Dudley, leaving him a  bully 
and a sneak. She neglects Harry, doesn't feed him, gives him only  Dudley's 
worn out clothes, makes him wait on the rest of the family, threatens  him with 
physical violence, etc. She resents and dislikes her sister Lily, and  begrudes 
giving Harry even the cupboard under the stairs. JKR says that there is  more 
to Petunia than meets the eye. We will find out more about her in Book 7.  By 
giving Harry room in her house, she has protected him from Lord  Voldemort.
 
Dr. Granger, mother of Hermione Granger. Is proud of Hermione's academic  
accomplishments. Has the distinction of being the only married mother who works  
outside of the home.
 
Molly Weasley (see separate post).
 
Lily Evans Potter. Lily lays down her life for Harry. We know her only from  
others. I'm sure she had her faults but we don't know of any yet. She had 
green  eyes that will be significant in Book 7.  She was a popular and smart girl  
who excelled in Potions. She was Head Girl and started dating James when he 
was  Head Boy. She confronts James for bullying Snape but doesn't take any guff 
from  Snape who calls her a mudblood (hardly the stuff for a ship romance 
between  snape and lily).
 
Alice Longbottom, mother of Neville Longbottom, was tortured by Bellatrix  
Lestrange, and her buddies so that they could find out where Lord Voldemort was. 
 She is insane, and is in St. Mungo's. She and her husband Frank were in the  
original Order of the Phoenix, and her son looks like her. One of the more 
heart  breaking scenes is in the OoP where she gives Neville a gum wrapper.  She 
 and Frank escaped Lord Voldemort three times, and Neville could have been 
the  Chosen One.  (I suggest, however, that Neville still could be the chosen  
one. DD explains clearly to Harry that even without the prophecy HP would have  
decided to destroy LV. Neville may decide the same thing; he seems to have  
already decided it about Bellatrix Lestrange).
 
Augusta Longbottom, mother to either Frank or Alice Longbottom, probably  
Frank. Grandmother to Neville. Probably there is a little controversy about her.  
She is a formidable woman and obviously intimidates Neville, who at the  
beginning of the books is chronically timid. She obviously compares Neville to  
his father. But as Neville blossoms, she becomes more proud, praising him for  
being with Harry (who she admires) at the MoM in the OoP. Minerva McGonagall  
assures Neville that she will confront Augusta and tell her to be proud of the  
grandson she has.
 
Mrs. Diggory, mother to Cedric. A loving mother.
 
Mrs. Lovegood, mother to Luna, a very talented witch who died when Luna was  
9 -- Luna still misses her..
 
Grandmother Potter, mother of James.....we assume is a good woman, takes  
Sirius in.
 
Grandfather and Grandmother Evans. I left this out of the father's post,  but 
we do know something about Lily's parents. Petunia tells us that they were  
proud and excited to have a witch in the family.
 
So, although the mothers on the whole stack up better than the fathers on  
the whole, it's still a mixed bag of moms.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Susan  McGee
SusanGSMcGee at aol.com
707-441-1434





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