- "Blood traitor is next to Mudblood in my book."
- — Pure-blood supremacy and beliefs[src]
"Blood traitor" was a derogatory term commonly used by elite pure-blood wizarding families to describe witches or wizards, especially pure-blood ones, who sympathised with the non-magical community or willingly associated with Muggle-borns.
Other similar terms included "Muggle-lover",[1] "Mudblood-lover",[2] "Dunglicker", "Scumsucker", as well as "Mudwallower".[3] All these referred disparagingly to those who were comfortable in the company of Muggles or Muggle-borns, whom prejudiced wizards and witches believed were dirty and inferior. The most well-known blood-traitor family were the Weasleys.
Types of blood traitors[]
- "My whole family are blood traitors! That's as bad as Muggle-borns to Death Eaters!"
- — The Death Eater's opinions on blood traitors[src]
Among those usually considered to be "blood traitors" were:
Pure-bloods who married Muggle-borns or Muggles, such as Andromeda Tonks. Isolt Sayre was a famous example of this. Isolt married a Muggle, against the wishes of her blood supremacist aunt, Gormlaith Gaunt.
Pure-bloods or half-bloods who openly rejected the doctrine of blood purity or openly supported equal rights for Muggle-borns and Muggles. The Weasley family was notorious for this. Sirius Black was also known for this, rejecting his entire family's beliefs.
Pure-bloods or half-bloods who fraternised with Muggle-borns or Muggles. The Weasley family was notorious for this as well, particularly Arthur Weasley, who always had an intense fondness for anything to do with Muggles. Sirius Black was also known for this, befriending many Muggle-born witches and wizards.
Treatment[]
- Lucius Malfoy: "What's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"
- Arthur Weasley: "We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy."
- — An argument over wizarding beliefs[src]
Most pure-blood wizards and witches considered themselves to be the elite of the wizarding world, akin to aristocracy. They looked down upon half-bloods, Muggle-borns, and half-breeds, as well as considered the Muggle world to be inferior to their own. Pure-bloods, as well as even half-bloods, who did not share this view were considered traitors to their own kind, hence the term "blood traitor".
They were considered disgraces by pure-blood supremacists such as the Malfoys. Even then-Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge tended to ignore the blood-traitor family Weasleys due to the patriarch Arthur being a well-known Muggle-lover, which Fudge considered to be a telltale sign of one lacking in wizarding pride.
Elitist pure-bloods believed that it was a sign of weak magic to enjoy non-magical company,[3] as well as seemed to believe that some of the supposed dirtiness of Muggles and Muggle-borns would rub off on those who associate with them, thus they considered blood traitors to be "filthy" as well.[4]
Some extremists considered blood traitors to be nearly as bad as the Muggle-borns they were prejudiced against. Bellatrix Lestrange, for example, claimed that "blood traitor is next to Mudblood in [her] book",[5] as well as her family often disowned and blasted off the family tree any members who could be considered blood traitors. Blood traitors might also be shunned by their families and acquaintances: for example, Bellatrix and her younger sister Narcissa Malfoy stopped seeing their sister Andromeda after she married a Muggle-born wizard, Ted Tonks.[5]
Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters targeted blood traitors during the First and Second Wizarding Wars because they opposed their goals. When they were temporarily in control of the Ministry of Magic in late 1997 and early 1998, they kept blood traitors such as Arthur Weasley under surveillance. However, even most Death Eaters were reluctant to kill pure-bloods, even "traitorous" ones, if it could be avoided. The same situation existed at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry while Voldemort was in power.[6]
Examples[]
Anti-purity ideology[]
The following individuals were considered "blood traitors" for openly opposing the ideology of pure-blood supremacy.
"Blood traitor" | Reason(s) |
---|---|
Albus Dumbledore | Dumbledore was once supremacist towards Muggles, but eventually he decided to give up his beliefs and decided to fight for Muggle rights. He advocated against blood status all his life and founded the Order of the Phoenix to protect Muggles and Muggle-borns from Lord Voldemort. |
Beedle the Bard | Beedle thought that Muggles were ignorant, but he still had pro-Muggle views which were adopted in his stories. He wrote stories about Muggles marrying pure-bloods which displeased people like the Malfoy family. |
Carlotta Pinkstone | Pinkstone was an activist who believed that Muggles had rights and they should know all about wizards. She performed magic in front of Muggles which led to imprisonments, presumably in Azkaban. |
Charity Burbage | Burbage had a strict Muggle-rights curriculum when she was Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, for which Voldemort had her killed. |
Godric Gryffindor | Ended their relationship with Salazar Slytherin, because of Slytherin's supremacist views. |
Helga Hufflepuff | |
Rowena Ravenclaw | |
Idris Oakby | Oakby would have been considered a traitor since she supported Squibs, who elitist pure-bloods also look down upon. |
Order of the Phoenix members | The Order opposed Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, opposed blood status and protected Muggles and Muggle-borns. |
Phineas Black | Disowned for not sharing his family's beliefs in pure-blood supremacy. |
Sirius Black III | Disowned for not sharing his family's beliefs in pure-blood supremacy. Later joined the Order of the Phoenix, a blood traitor organisation. |
Pro-Muggle[]
Some pure-bloods were considered "blood traitors" for not only being unbiased about blood purity and towards Muggles, but for showing outright fondness and admiration for the Muggle world.
"Blood traitor" | Reason(s) |
---|---|
Arthur Weasley | The Weasleys are known for not supporting the notion of blood purity. They were considered one the biggest "blood traitor" families within the wizarding world of Great Britain. They willingly associated with Muggles, Muggle-borns, and other "blood traitors". Arthur Weasley was openly fascinated by Muggles, particularly Muggle inventions and technology. Furthermore, the Weasley family openly deplored their inclusion in the Sacred Twenty-Eight.[7] They were proud of their Muggle ancestors. Notable members of this family even joined the Order of the Phoenix, a blood traitor organisation who opposed Voldemort and Death Eaters. |
Molly Weasley | |
Bill Weasley | |
Charlie Weasley | |
Percy Weasley | |
Fred Weasley | |
George Weasley | |
Ron Weasley | |
Ginny Weasley | |
Weasley family |
By marriage or association[]
The following individuals were considered "blood traitors" because of their close association with Muggles, Muggle-borns or other blood traitors.
"Blood traitor" | Reason(s) |
---|---|
Andromeda Tonks | Married a Muggle-born, Ted Tonks. |
Cho Chang | Married a Muggle. |
Eileen Prince | Married a Muggle, Tobias Snape. |
Ernie Macmillan | Fought against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. Ernie also befriended muggle-born Justin Finch-Fletchley. |
Harry Potter | Fought against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters during the Second War to oppose blood purity. Open supporter of Albus Dumbledore. Best friends with blood traitor Ronald Weasley and Muggle-born Hermione Granger. Married "blood traitor" Ginny Weasley. |
Horace Slughorn | Though he did have some bias, believing that pure-bloods were usually more talented at magic than Muggle-borns, Slughorn’s favourite students included Muggle-born witches Lily Evans and Hermione Granger. He also fought against Voldemort himself during the Battle of Hogwarts. |
Isolt Sayre | Married a Muggle, James Steward. |
James Potter (I) | Married Muggle-born witch Lily Evans. Was friends with werewolf Remus Lupin. Also joined the Order of the Phoenix, a blood traitor organisation who opposed Voldemort and Death Eaters. |
Lavender Brown | Dated Ronald Weasley, a "blood traitor", in 1996. Although they eventually broke up, she still fought against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. |
Merope Gaunt | Bewitched and married a Muggle Tom Riddle Snr |
Neville Longbottom | Fought against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. |
Gervaise Ollivander | Married a Muggle-born witch, Mrs Ollivander. |
Percival Dumbledore | Percival would likely have been considered a blood traitor for his marriage to a Muggle-born witch, Kendra. However, when he was imprisoned in Azkaban for attacking Muggles and refused to reveal the reason, many believed it was because he was a supporter of the notion of blood purity.[5] |
Reginald Cattermole | Married a Muggle-born witch, Mary Cattermole. |
Rionach Gaunt | Associated with Muggles. |
Ron Weasley | Married to Muggle-born Hermione Granger and fought against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters during the Second Wizarding War to oppose blood purity. |
Viktor Krum | Despite attending Durmstrang Institute, a school that does not permit Muggle-born students, Viktor became romantically involved with Muggle-born witch Hermione Granger for a time, as well as later remaining her friend. |
William Sayre | Associated with Muggles. |
Isobel Ross | Married a Muggle, Robert McGonagall, and lost all contact with her family. |
Talbott Winger's mother | Supported the fight against the Death Eaters and their pure-blood supremacy during the First Wizarding War along with her husband. |
Talbott Winger's father | Was vehemently opposed to the Death Eaters claim of a pro-pure-blood world and assisted the fight against their reign of terror. |
Iola Black | Married a Muggle man, Bob Hitchens. Disowned by her family as a result. |
Seamus Finnigan's mother | Married a Muggle man with whom she had a half-blood son, Seamus Finnigan. |
Dean Thomas's father | Originally married a Muggle woman, but left her to ensure the safety of his wife and son from the Death Eaters. |
Astoria Greengrass (possibly) | Turned her back on the ideals of pure-blood supremacy after the Second Wizarding War and refused to indoctrinate her son, Scorpius, with such beliefs. |
Sirius Black | Refused to believe in family's radical beliefs. Sorted into Gryffindor and associated as such with much more muggle-borns and those of impure blood as a result, as opposed to if he would have in Slytherin. Left and ran away from home and was disowned by family. He also joined the Order of the Phoenix, a blood traitor organisation who opposed Voldemort and Death Eaters. |
Behind the scenes[]
- The term likely took inspiration from the real-life slur "race traitor", used towards a person perceived to advocate for practices that aren't in the interest of their own race. During Apartheid, the South African government referred to White anti-Apartheid activists as race traitors.
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Indirectly mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Called "Muggle Lovers")
- Pottermore
- Wizarding World
- The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 4 (At Flourish and Blotts)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 11 (Aboard the Hogwarts Express)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Tales of Beedle the Bard (real)
- ↑ The various terms for blood traitors, such as Dunglicker, Scumsucker, as well as Mudwallower, all make associations with uncleanliness. Marvolo Gaunt also called his daughter a "filthy little blood traitor" for admiring a Muggle and Blaise Zabini once declared that he would never so much as touch a "filthy blood traitor" like Ginny Weasley, despite finding her physically attractive.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ Neville Longbottom says of the Carrows in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 29 (The Lost Diadem): "They don't want to spill too much pure blood, so they'll torture us a bit if we're mouthy but they won't actually kill us." Given this statement, as well as the fact that the Weasleys were only in direct danger after Ron Weasley's help of Harry Potter was revealed to the Death Eaters, it seems that they were hesitant to kill blood traitors unless they were very rebellious.
- ↑ Writing by J. K. Rowling: "Pure-Blood" at Wizarding World