The Malfoy Family

The Malfoy family is one of the oldest, wealthiest, and most influential pure-blood wizarding families in Great Britain. Renowned for their staunch belief in pure-blood supremacy, they hold a disdain for Muggles, Muggle-borns, half-bloods, and wizarding families considered “blood traitors,” such as the Weasley family. For centuries, they have maintained their wealth and power through cunning and social maneuvering. During the First Wizarding War and Second Wizarding War, the family, led by its patriarch Lucius Malfoy, were prominent supporters of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Their primary members featured in the series are Lucius Malfoy, his wife Narcissa Malfoy (née Black), and their son, Draco Malfoy, who served as a key rival to Harry Potter at Hogwarts.

The Malfoy lineage in Great Britain began with Armand Malfoy, who arrived with William the Conqueror's army in the 11th century and was granted a prime piece of land in Wiltshire by the king for services rendered (Pottermore). For centuries, the family cultivated relationships with wealthy and powerful Muggles, amassing more land and wealth, while publicly espousing anti-Muggle sentiments within the wizarding community. With the imposition of the International Statute of Secrecy, the Malfoys ceased their dealings with Muggles and became leading proponents of the pure-blood doctrine, successfully integrating themselves into the power structure of the newly formed Ministry of Magic (Pottermore). In the 20th century, Abraxas Malfoy (Draco's grandfather) was a widely respected, albeit feared, figure. Following his death from Dragon Pox, his son Lucius Malfoy became the family patriarch. Lucius served Lord Voldemort as a Death Eater during the First Wizarding War. After Voldemort's first downfall, Lucius claimed he had been acting under the Imperius Curse, thus avoiding a sentence in Azkaban and preserving his family's reputation and influence. During the Second Wizarding War, the Malfoys were central to Lord Voldemort's plans. Lucius Malfoy led the Death Eaters in the battle at the Department of Mysteries but failed in his mission and was subsequently imprisoned. As punishment for Lucius's failure, Voldemort tasked a sixteen-year-old Draco Malfoy with the seemingly impossible mission of assassinating Albus Dumbledore. During this time, Malfoy Manor was commandeered by Voldemort to serve as a Death Eater headquarters, and the family's status within the Dark Lord's inner circle plummeted. Their allegiance ultimately shifted from ideology to self-preservation. At the Battle of Hogwarts, Narcissa Malfoy lied directly to Lord Voldemort about Harry Potter's death to ensure she could reach her son, an act of deception that was critical to Voldemort's final defeat. Because of this, the family avoided imprisonment after the war. In the subsequent generation, Draco Malfoy married Astoria Greengrass, and they had a son, Scorpius Malfoy. They chose not to raise him with the belief that Muggles were inferior, breaking with centuries of family tradition (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child).

• Physical Appearance: The Malfoys are known for their distinctive physical appearance, which includes pale skin, sharp, pointed features, and striking platinum-blonde hair. Their eyes are typically a cold, unforgiving grey.
• Personality: The family is characterized by its immense pride, arrogance, and a deep-seated sense of superiority. They are cunning, ambitious, and adept at political manipulation. While they present a facade of unshakeable loyalty to the pure-blood cause, their ultimate allegiance is often to their own power and survival, as demonstrated during the final stages of the Second Wizarding War.

The Malfoys possess enormous “old money” wealth, which affords them considerable influence within the wizarding world. Lucius Malfoy expertly wielded this influence, making generous donations to the Ministry of Magic and St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, and using bribery and threats to achieve his goals, such as influencing the Hogwarts Board of Governors.

• Malfoy Manor: The family's ancestral home is a grand, stately mansion located in Wiltshire, England. The estate is extensive, with a lavishly decorated interior that includes a large drawing room and a dark, damp cellar used to hold prisoners during the Second Wizarding War.
• House-Elves: The family has long owned house-elves, including Dobby, who was famously freed by Harry Potter, and another unnamed elf who served them during the war.
• Dark Artefacts: The Malfoys had a significant collection of dangerous and illegal Dark Arts objects hidden in a secret chamber beneath their drawing-room floor. Before a Ministry of Magic raid, Lucius sold many of these items at Borgin and Burkes, including the cursed opal necklace and the Hand of Glory. He also secretly passed Tom Riddle's Diary, a Horcrux, to Ginny Weasley, engineering the re-opening of the Chamber of Secrets.

• Armand Malfoy: The first of the family to live in Britain (Pottermore).
• Nicholas Malfoy: Lived in the 14th century and was reputed to have disposed of Muggle tenants under the guise of the Black Death (Pottermore).
• Septimus Malfoy: An influential advisor at the Ministry of Magic in the late 18th century (Pottermore).
• Abraxas Malfoy: Father of Lucius and grandfather of Draco. Died of Dragon Pox.
• Lucius Malfoy: Patriarch of the family during the series; a prominent Death Eater.
• Narcissa Malfoy (née Black): Wife of Lucius and sister to Bellatrix Lestrange and Andromeda Tonks.
• Draco Malfoy: Son of Lucius and Narcissa; Harry Potter's school rival.
• Astoria Malfoy (née Greengrass): Wife of Draco Malfoy (Pottermore).
• Scorpius Malfoy: Son of Draco and Astoria (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child).

The name “Malfoy” is likely derived from the Old French phrase “mal foi” or “mal foy”. This translates to “bad faith” or “unfaithfulness.” This is highly appropriate for the family, reflecting their deceitful nature, their treachery towards others, and Lucius's false claim of being under the Imperius Curse. It also foreshadows their ultimate “bad faith” towards Lord Voldemort, whom they abandon when their family's safety is at stake.

• In J.K. Rowling's writings on Pottermore (now Wizarding World), she provides an extensive backstory for the family, detailing their cunning integration into both Muggle and wizarding high society over the centuries.
• The stage play *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* features Draco Malfoy and his son Scorpius Malfoy in prominent roles. It explores Draco's life as a father and the family's effort to move beyond its dark past.
• In the film adaptations, Lucius Malfoy's wand is uniquely concealed within a silver-topped, snake-headed walking cane. This was a design choice for the films and is not mentioned in the novels (film).