Half-Bloods

A half-blood is a term used in the wizarding world to describe a witch or wizard who has both magical and Muggle ancestry. The most common definition refers to an individual with one magical parent and one Muggle parent. However, the term is also used more broadly for any person with known Muggle heritage in their recent family history, distinguishing them from pure-bloods (who claim no Muggle ancestry) and Muggle-borns (who have two Muggle parents). By the late twentieth century, half-bloods were the most common type of witch and wizard in Britain. According to Sirius Black, most old wizarding families who claim to be pure-blood have simply removed Muggles or Squibs from their family trees to maintain an illusion of purity.

The concept of blood status is a central source of conflict and prejudice within the wizarding world, largely driven by pure-blood supremacists. While the most venomous prejudice is often directed at Muggle-borns, referred to by the slur “Mudblood,” half-bloods are also considered inferior or “tainted” by these extremists. This ideology was most famously championed by Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. In a profound irony, Lord Voldemort himself was a half-blood, a fact he deeply resented and concealed. He murdered his Muggle father and his family, seeking to erase the non-magical side of his heritage while simultaneously building a regime founded on the principle of pure-blood superiority. During the Second Wizarding War, the Ministry of Magic under Voldemort's control established the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, which persecuted Muggle-borns. While half-bloods were not the primary target, the regime's ideology devalued anyone who was not a pure-blood. The term can also be a point of identity. Severus Snape famously styled himself “The Half-Blood Prince” during his time at Hogwarts, combining his mother's pure-blood surname (Prince) with his half-blood status, which stemmed from his Muggle father.

Many of the most significant characters in the series are half-bloods, challenging the notion of pure-blood superiority through their actions and abilities.

• Harry Potter: The son of the pure-blood wizard James Potter and the Muggle-born witch Lily Potter.
• Lord Voldemort (Tom Marvolo Riddle): The son of the pure-blood witch Merope Gaunt and the wealthy Muggle Tom Riddle Sr..
• Severus Snape: The son of the pure-blood witch Eileen Prince and the Muggle Tobias Snape.
• Albus Dumbledore: The son of the wizard Percival Dumbledore and the Muggle-born witch Kendra Dumbledore.
• Seamus Finnigan: The son of a witch and a Muggle father. His father only discovered his wife's magical nature after they were married.
• Dean Thomas: Raised by his Muggle mother and stepfather, he was unaware of his blood status. His wizard father, who had never revealed his nature to his wife, was killed by Death Eaters for refusing to join them.
• Remus Lupin: The son of the wizard Lyall Lupin and the Muggle Hope Howell (Pottermore).

• J.K. Rowling has elaborated that a witch or wizard is considered a half-blood if they have one or more Muggle parents or grandparents. The children of two half-bloods would also be considered half-bloods (J.K. Rowling interview).
• The central theme of prejudice based on blood status in the Harry Potter series serves as an allegory for racism and discriminatory ideologies in the real world. The fact that the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time, Voldemort, and his greatest adversary, Harry Potter, are both half-bloods, fundamentally undermines the doctrine of pure-blood supremacy.