Social Structure in the WW (was:Re: Hero types / Why Snape must...)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 152120

> >>Pippin:
> Will it? It sounds like you're describing the 19th century system
> of promotion satirized by Mark Twain and Gilbert & Sullivan, where 
> blood was all and merit was nothing.

Betsy Hp:
I am, sort of.  Though, I think those who hold to such things in the 
WW would say blood *is* merit.  I'm not saying this is a *good* 
system.  I mean, look how well run the Ministry actually is.  But 
it's the sort of system that makes sense to the very, very closed 
off WW.

> >>Pippin:
> But it sounds like this system has collapsed  because otherwise    
> Draco would have just rolled his eyes at Lucius's comment and      
> said, "Yes, frightfully keen, I'm afraid." She wouldn't be a      
> threat. Merit does count for something apparently.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Ah, but Draco should have the top grades *because* he is a Malfoy, 
because of his blood.  By failing (and to a muggleborn at that) 
Draco is failing his blood.  But *that's* what the system decrees.  
Not that merit doesn't count.  But that those of purer blood will by 
their nature pull the higher grades.  (In a way, the much honored 
Weasley brothers would be proof of this to any who believed in such 
things.)

But that is also what makes Hermione so unique.  In spite of her 
blood, she does so well.  Why, it's like a singing monkey, or a dog 
walking on hind legs!  But she's the exception that proves the rule 
(to those who believe such things), and her insanity with the house-
elves would only go to show that you can take the girl away from the 
Muggles, but you can't take the Muggle out of the girl.

> >>Pippin:
> It's possible that Percy abandoned his interest in muggleborn     
> Penelope, and I've wondered myself whether Molly will really be   
> pleased to put Muriel's tiara on Hermione's head, but Penelope's   
> name suggests that Percy will come back to her eventually.

Betsy Hp:
I can see Percy and Penelope getting married.  And I can see Molly 
being not quite that thrilled that two of her sons are marrying 
muggleborns.  She'll keep a sharp eye on the grandchildren, make 
sure they're raised right without too much "outsider" influence.  
But Molly is married to Arthur.  And while she might not fully 
support his issues, she does seem to realize that she can only fight 
them so much.

Both Penelope and Hermione will be taking the Weasley name, too.  I 
wonder how Molly (or even Arthur) would have reacted should *Ginny* 
have chosen to marry a Muggleborn.  There may have been a bit more 
protest.

> >>Pippin:
> Muggleborn males don't seem to have trouble finding mates, as far 
> as I can see. Ted Tonks landed himself a pureblood and so did 
> Tobias Snape.

Betsy Hp:
Andromeda was disowned by her family (per the tapestry, anyway).  
And Mr. Tonks himself hasn't been named as holding a job of power or 
position within the WW.

Tobias was a full out Muggle though.  And something obviously went a 
bit wrong with that marriage.  Especially with his son joining an 
extreme political group that was so very hostile to Tobias and his 
ilk.

Betsy Hp