Kreacher the Plot Device Elf

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 161957

Carol:
> > Which leads me to wonder how Kreacher, or the painting of Mrs. 
Black, know that Hermione is a Muggleborn. 

a_svirn:
> Maybe because there aren't any Grangers in the "Natural 
Aristocracy" Debrett's and Burke's?

Ceridwen:
The name Granger is definitely attested to in Wizarding circles.  
(HBP US hardcover, page 185) Slughorn speaking to Hermione:

"Granger?  Granger?  Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth-
Granger, who founded the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"

So there is a Granger in the Wizarding World.  Whether Mr. Dagworth-
Granger is a Pureblood, or whether his family is listed in "Natural 
Aristocracy", is another matter.

Carol:
> > Surely, her blood status isn't a topic of conversation at 12 GP. 

a_svirn:
> Why not? If anything they should have sent someone to fetch her 
from her muggle home, shouldn't they? Quite possible they discussed 
the proper way of doing so.

Ceridwen:
They might have sent someone for her who hadn't been to her house 
before, and warned them to keep a low profile because she lives in a 
Muggle area.  but, the Blacks seem to live in a Muggle area and 
they're Purebloods.

After reading this branch of the discussion, I wonder how someone 
told Kreacher that Hermione was a Muggle-born.  He must have known it 
some way.  One way might be that Sirius told him not to 
say 'Mudblood' because one of the guests would be a Muggle-born.

Ceridwen.