======Bloodline in the Wizarding World======
=====Introduction=====
In the wizarding world, **bloodline**, often referred to as **blood status**, is a concept that classifies witches and wizards based on their immediate ancestry. It denotes whether an individual descends from magical, non-magical ([[Muggle]]), or mixed parentage. This classification is a central element of societal structure and prejudice, forming the ideological basis for major conflicts, most notably the two [[Wizarding War|Wizarding Wars]] led by [[Lord Voldemort]]. While blood status has no bearing on a person's magical ability, the belief in "blood purity" has deeply influenced wizarding history, politics, and social hierarchy for centuries.
=====Blood Status Classifications=====
The wizarding society is primarily divided into several distinct blood statuses, each with its own social standing and connotations.
  * **Pure-blood:** A witch or wizard with no known [[Muggle]] or [[Muggle-born]] ancestors. Families who claim this status often go to great lengths to maintain it, sometimes through intermarriage with other pure-blood families, which occasionally led to instability and negative genetic traits, as seen in the [[Gaunt family]]. Many extremist pure-blood families, such as the [[Malfoy family|Malfoys]] and the [[Black family|Blacks]], hold the belief that their pure magical lineage makes them superior to others. The "Sacred Twenty-Eight" is a list of supposedly truly pure-blood British families published in the 1930s (Pottermore).
  * **Half-blood:** A witch or wizard with both magical and [[Muggle]] ancestry. This is the most common blood status among wizards. This category includes individuals with one magical and one [[Muggle]] parent (e.g., [[Severus Snape]]), one magical and one [[Muggle-born]] parent (e.g., [[Harry Potter]]), or two half-blood parents. Despite their prevalence, some pure-blood supremacists still view them as inferior. [[Lord Voldemort]] himself was a half-blood but hypocritically championed the cause of pure-blood supremacy.
  * **Muggle-born:** A witch or wizard born to two non-magical parents. Their magical abilities are a natural, though rare, occurrence in [[Muggle]] families. They often face significant prejudice from blood purists and are derogatorily referred to by the slur `[[Mudblood]]`. Notable [[Muggle-born|Muggle-borns]] include [[Hermione Granger]] and [[Lily Evans|Lily Potter]]. During [[Lord Voldemort]]'s second rise to power, the [[Ministry of Magic]] established the [[Muggle-Born Registration Commission]] to persecute them under the false claim that they had "stolen" magic.
  * **Squib:** A non-magical individual born to at least one magical parent. A [[Squib]] is the opposite of a [[Muggle-born]] and cannot perform [[magic]]. They exist on the fringes of the wizarding world, often facing shame or being hidden by their families. Notable [[Squib|Squibs]] include the [[Hogwarts]] caretaker, [[Argus Filch]], and [[Harry Potter]]'s neighbor, [[Arabella Figg]].
  * **Half-breed:** A related, highly offensive term used to describe individuals of mixed ancestry between humans and other magical sentient beings, such as giants, [[Veela]], or [[goblin|goblins]]. Individuals like [[Rubeus Hagrid]] (half-giant) and [[Filius Flitwick]] (part-goblin) faced prejudice due to their heritage.
=====Societal and Magical Significance=====
=====Prejudice and Bigotry=====
The core of [[Lord Voldemort]]'s ideology and the platform of his [[Death Eater|Death Eaters]] was the supremacy of pure-bloods. This belief system promoted the subjugation and eradication of [[Muggle-born|Muggle-borns]] and the domination of the [[Muggle]] world. Families like the [[Weasley family|Weasleys]], who were pure-bloods but did not share these prejudiced views, were labeled "blood traitors." This bigotry fueled the creation of discriminatory laws and institutions, culminating in the witch hunts conducted by the [[Ministry of Magic]] under Voldemort's control.
=====Inherited Abilities=====
While blood status does not determine magical power, certain rare magical abilities are known to be passed down through specific family bloodlines.
  * **[[Parseltongue]]:** The ability to speak to snakes was passed down from [[Salazar Slytherin]] to his descendants, the [[Gaunt family]], and ultimately to [[Lord Voldemort]]. [[Harry Potter]] was not a true inheritor but gained the ability through his connection to Voldemort's [[soul]].
  * **[[Metamorphmagus]]:** The rare ability to change one's physical appearance at will is an inherited trait. [[Nymphadora Tonks]] inherited this skill, which was then passed on to her son, [[Teddy Lupin]].
=====Social Standing=====
Historically, bloodline has been tied to power, wealth, and influence in the wizarding world. The "Ancient and Most Noble Houses," such as the [[Black family|House of Black]], were old pure-blood families who held considerable social sway and often possessed ancestral homes, vaults at [[Gringotts]], and significant political power within the [[Wizengamot]].
=====Notable Family Bloodlines=====
  * **[[The Gaunt Family]]:** An ancient, inbred pure-blood line descended directly from [[Salazar Slytherin]]. They were fanatically proud of their heritage but lived in poverty and squalor by the 20th century.
  * **[[The Malfoy Family]]:** A wealthy and influential pure-blood family who were ardent supporters of blood purity and [[Lord Voldemort]]. They used their wealth and status to exert influence over the [[Ministry of Magic]].
  * **[[The Black Family]]:** One of the oldest and largest pure-blood families, whose motto was //Toujours Pur// ("Always Pure"). They were known to disown any family member who did not uphold their pure-blood ideals, including [[Sirius Black]] and [[Andromeda Tonks]].
  * **[[The Weasley Family]]:** A well-known pure-blood family that was considered a disgrace by supremacists due to their poverty and friendly association with [[Muggle|Muggles]] and [[Muggle-born|Muggle-borns]].
  * **[[The Potter Family]]:** An old and respected pure-blood family until the marriage of [[James Potter]] to the [[Muggle-born]] [[Lily Evans]], making their son [[Harry Potter]] a half-blood. The Potters were known for their opposition to the [[Dark Arts]].
=====Behind the Scenes=====
J.K. Rowling has stated in interviews that the obsession with blood purity in the wizarding world was a deliberate allegory for the racial and ethnic supremacist ideologies of regimes like the Nazis. The terminology used by [[Death Eater|Death Eaters]], such as "pure-blood," "half-blood," and the slur `[[Mudblood]]`, directly mirrors the discriminatory language used to enforce such doctrines.