Half Blood, Pure Blood--Help Pease

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 129827

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff Bannister" 
<gbannister10 at a...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Alina <mysticowl at g...> wrote:
> 
> Alina:
> > Now you guys got me thinking. I remember wondering a while ago if 
a
> > child of a witch/wizard and a muggle who's not magical is called a
> > squib or a muggle. 
> 
> Geoff:
> Canon suggests that squib would be the correct word...
> 
> '"And what on earth's a Squib?" said Harry.
> To his surprise, Ron stifled a snigger.
> "Well - it's not funny really - but as it's Filch.." he said. "A 
Squib 
> is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn't got any 
> magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards but 
Squibs 
> are quite unusual..."'
> (COS "The Writing on the Wall" pp.110/11 UK edition)

Finwitch:

The BIGGEST difference between a squib and a muggle, is that a squib 
has always known about the magical world and more or less ignorant 
about Muggle-world whereas muggles are ignorant of magic world - 
until and unless a magical child is born into their family.

Actually, I've wondered whether a muggle becomes a squib trough 
gaining a magical child into his/her family, but when Hermione says 
in OOP -- 'prefect is something they can understand'. - I'd say that 
a Squib understands magic, having seen it in use in everyday life as 
a child...

What I wonder, is Petunia. JKR tells us (when asked if she's a 
squib) "no, she's a muggle, but.." - but- since Lily, Petunia's 
sister, was magical, Petunia *knows* about as much of magic as much 
as a Squib does. BUT - since Petunia rejected all that magic-business 
(and married a big muggle like Vernon) including her sister, she's a 
Muggle. In her case, it's a matter of *attitude* rather than 
awareness.

Finwitch