By E. Nazari
In my past seven years at Hogwarts, I have been called almost every derogatory name in the book because of my (supposed) lack of magical blood purity. People who have called me these names have ranged from the elderly in the highest social classes of the magical world to those who are my peers who thought they were better than me just because of who their families happen to be. But, the question remains, does blood purity really matter or is this obsession a sign of something a whole lot more dangerous.
So, to begin with our talk about blood purity, let’s examine exactly what it is. According to some wizarding families, there are different levels within the wixen world based on one’s blood. And this played a role in both the First and the Second Wizarding Wars.
So, the question is, why do people cling to this antiquated idea? One that the lowest social class (for lack of a better description) in the magical world are those known as muggle born children. They are those who are born to two non magical parents. And those who believe the concept of blood purity often call those who are muggle born a name that is offensive due to the fact that it implies that people are dirty just because of their blood. During the Second Wizarding Wars those who are muggle born were often accused of stealing their wand and magic and as punishment sent to Azkaban as a punishment. Yes, this was sorted out at the end of the Second Wizarding War with the defeat of Voldemort and the reforming of the ministry. This idea of stolen magic provided pureblood families, a scapegoat and an explanation for squibs (or those who are born in magical families but have no magic.) However, the concept of “stolen magic” being what caused squibs is a falsity as well. Because in the effort to keep the magic within certain families, they actually caused more damage to their family tree by marrying their close family relatives (also known as inbreeding) than good. The symptoms of the damage to the family genetics can be evidenced in mental and physical disorders including the creation of squibs. This includes mental instability and low birth rates which leads to smaller families. The results of inbreeding can even be seen in the muggle world with the ruling families of Europe with the now infamous Habsburg jaw within the Spanish royalties the last one, Charles II had mental, physical, and reproductive issues that ultimately led to the War of Spanish Succession when he failed to produce a male heir.
So, now that we know what blood purity is, let’s examine what it is in reality. If you were to look at how those who adhere to the belief of blood purity treat those who are not pureblood the evidence is clear. It is a form of systematic discrimination against those that people might deem to be ‘below’ others. This discrimination can take many forms ranging from name calling (m-db-d for example) to refusing to interact with people just because of who their family might be (killing a friendship over it). There are other forms of discrimination that happens but sometimes it can be as plain as bullying. In reality, all of it is bullying. And that gets no one anywhere.
So, can there be anything done if bullying is happening because of the concept of blood purity? The answer to that is yes! Yes! There is a lot that can be done. But it all involves someone speaking up and saying something. Tell an older student. Tell a prefect. Tell the head students. Tell a professor. Tell your head of house. All of these people are here to help solve situations like this in the castle. This goes for if you are the person being bullied and if you witness it. The more people who report it the more likely something will be done to handle the problem. Also, speak up for your friends and yourself. Don’t let the bullies win by walking over people just to make themselves feel better. Be the shoulder that people need to make it through this situation. Protect your friend–not necessarily with magic [writer’s note: magic in the corridors is frowned upon]–but create a buffer around your friend if the person who is bullying comes around. Get them out of the situation if you can. If you can’t, make it so that the person who is the bully can’t have easy access to their victim. When I was younger, all of these things helped me stay sane as I dealt with my own bully over blood purity.
So, here’s the thing, after the Second Wizarding War the belief of blood purity has slowly been dying out, leaving behind a shell of what used to be of the most powerful families within the magical world. But, those families are losing status and members with each passing year. It is just a matter of time before the wizarding world is a mixture of mixed and muggle born wixen. And remember what one of the former headmasters of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore said, “You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be!” Blood doesn’t matter in the big picture–it doesn’t set you up to be the greatest wixen in the world. But rather, you make those decisions based upon your actions. So decide–who do you want to be? And what do you want to be known for?
Ultimately, it’s your choice.