Umbridge's Selwyn Connections (WAS: CHAPDISC: DH - Ch. 21 – The Tale of the Three Brothers

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 183087

Goddlefrood:
>
> Umbridge claims relation to the Selwyns when we meet her in the
> MoM earlier in DH, one of the Death Eaters at the Lovegood house
> is a Selwyn, hence the link. Her nephew? Brother-in-law? Something
> else?
>
> Sickening though it is to think that the toad might have been
> married.

Potioncat:
I don't think she's currently married. Her simpering on about Fudge
indicated an interest that was more than political. The Selwyn
connection was brought up to support her own Blood status, and I'm
certain there are some Muggle connections a bit too close to home. So I
suspect the Selwyns are on her mother's side--or else her father's
maternal side. They must be close enough for favors, at any rate.
Debbie:
Umbridge related to the Selwyns?  I thought she was lying through her teeth
because, as Potioncat says, her Muggle connections are a bit too close to
home.  Her response to Hermione/Mafalda is full of lies -- the locket is not
a family heirloom, and the S does not stand for Selwyn, just as her
interrogation of Mary Cattermole, which immediately precedes it, is full of
accusations Umbridge knows full well are not true. So why should the Selwyn
connection be true?

I think the most likely inference is that Umbridge purchased this old relic
in a pawnshop and made up a story to go with it that panders to
those currently in power.  She may have even deliberately sought to purchase
something she could use to build a story around.  Note that she says she's
related to the Selwyns; if the relationship was close enough for her to know
the Selwyns I think it's more likely she would have claimed that she *is* a
member of the Selwyn family.

It's not so different from her behaviour in OOP, where she referred to Fudge
as "Cornelius", implying a relationship closer than just his
undersecretary.

Debbie


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]