Draco Malfoy and the Gothic Manor - Common Law

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 128664

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "a_svirn" <a_svirn at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboyminn at y...> wrote:
> > --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "a_svirn" <a_svirn at y...> 
> wrote:
> > > Khilari wrote: 
> > > 
> > > > And Draco Malfoy may be next in line to inherit. 
 
> > > A_Svirn
> > > Not if wizards adhere to the law of primogeniture. And if they 
> > > don't then Sirius could have willed it to Harry. Or to Remus,
> > > for that matter.
> > > 
> > > a_svirn
> > 
> > 
> > bboyminn:
> > 
> > ...,..., who is the oldest living male with Black blood flowing in
> > his veins, ...
> > 
> > That would be Draco. He is the oldest living male, that we know
> > of, who has Black blood.  
> > 


> a_svirn responded:
> 
> I honestly do not think that the rule of primogeniture allows male 
> cousins to inherit through the female line. A girl – if she is a 
> direct heir – can inherit on a condition that later the lands, 
> manorial rights etc., etc, would pass to her heirs male. But a 
> cousin can inherit only through the male line and normally only from 
> the original title- or landowner. Since Draco is related to Blacks 
> through his mother, it doesn't apply to him. 
> 
> a_svirn


bboyminn:

A_svirn, you are right in general principle, but, to the best of our
knowledge, the only close living Black relatives are three female
(presumably) first cousins, the son (Draco) of one of those cousins,
and the daughter (Tonks) of one of the other cousins. Those are the
only available relatives left to inherit anything, so whatever the
answer is, one or more of them have to be a part of it. Either that,
or the inheritance is lost to the state.

Of the available, it's either equally among the three first cousins,
or Draco, the oldest living male with Black Blood. The alternative is
that it is lost, or new Black relatives appear in the story. Uncles,
if they exist, generally don't inherit since the inheritance always
DESCENDS.

The only thing amending this or creating conflict is if Sirius left a
Will; a Will that I'm sure will be contested.

As far as storyline, the simplest resolution is to divide equally
among the female cousins; quick, clean, and the story moves on. The
best for interesting story line, and renewed and expanded conflict is
for Harry and Draco to fight over it.

I do agree with Andromeda that /for now/ the best thing for The Order
is to keep Sirius's death quiet, but at some point, sooner or later,
it's something that will have to be dealt with.

As to Andromeda's point about Kreacher, I don't think Kreacher is
still bonded by anything but general loyalty. As far as magical bonds
or slavery, he has lost his Master, as well as all other Black
ascendants and descendants, and is now a free agent. Again, I want to
emphasize that even though I believe Kreacher is a free agent, he is
still very loyal and dedicated to the Black family.

In truth, sad as it is, and hard as it is to accept, I think Kreacher
is dead. Dumbledore, benevolent as he is, simply could not allow a
dangerous and unstable liability like Kreacher to continue, especially
now that here was nothing to fully bind him to the House of Black.
With nothing and no one to fully contain and control Kreacher, he was
just too dangerous. It was the life of one very mad and deranged
house-elf weighed against the lives of many many others.

That's the way I see it.

Steve/bboyminn