Entailment

[Bruce Alan Wilson]

No: HPFGUIDX 149536

Nikkalmati:
"If the  house were entailed (a la Jane Austin) the inheritance would go UP 
the family  tree as far as necessary to find a living male descendent.  Draco 
would be  cut off as he can't inherit through his mother. Harry would be 
eligible assuming  Charlus is his ancestor."

It depends on how the original entailment grant were worded.  Some entailments
will pass only in male line; some will pass to the eldest daughter and her
descentants if there are no sons; some will pass to a male heir in the female
line (that is, if there are only daughters, when the father dies the property
will be held in trust until one of them produces a son--there have been cases of
estates being so entrusted for two or three generations until SOMEone gives
birth to a son [e.g., if the youngest daughter of the youngest daughter produces
a son ahead of all her sisters and aunts, the property immediately reverts to
the baby.)  

 
BAW