Hi.

I'm writing a fic where Harry is raised as a pureblood 'prince'(He is kidnapped and raised by a Death Eater Augustus Rookwood).

Now, I think that rich purebloods somewhat match with the Nobility of England.

So, my real question is, would it be believable for Purebloods to train in basic skills at sword fighting, Riding and Archery? I'm not meaning some superpowered skills that you learn in 5 minutes, but the basic skills.

I'm also thinking of some training in manners, ball-etiquette and such.

 

Have Harry play polo while wearing a stupid hat and saying old chap or old sport a lot and you've got it.

 

No. Majority of Purebloods hate muggles, so why would they do things that muggles do? Why ride a horse when you can apparate? Why use a sword when you have magic?

Sure.

 

Monocles.

ON BOTH EYES.

 

As to the riding...who says it has to be limited to horses?

What about hippogriffs? Other winged 'horses'?

Sword play...there are precedents for Wizarding swordsmen.

Archery...can be used as a means of training hand/eye coordination.

Etiquette...probably, and it looks like something else Ferret-boy failed at.

There has to be something that the 'rich' Purebloods do that those like the Weasleys don't/can't afford to do.

Where's Methene when you need him?

 

In b4 Methene.

I'd rule out archery as a Pureblood practice, seeing as centaurs are archers - filthy half-breeds they are. Same with riding animals; they've been used ceremonially as carriage-pullers. The only times beast have been ridden were at Hagrid's urging or in emergency situations.

Then again, the primary setting (Hogwarts) suggests a lot of middle age influence. Perhaps they do practice swordplay, archery, etc., but believe that there's a proper way (theirs) and a boorish way (muggle, half-breed, Mudblood).

 

This is what I thought. The only differences between Rich-bitch Malfoys and piss-poor Weasleys should not be the quality of Robes and Brooms, and ability to cheat your way out of problems. There just needs to be something more.

My point exactly. Besides, at least sword is a nice decorative piece for wizard, and learning just some basic techniques isn't overly hard.(I have fenced and trained with Longsword in the past, was not superb, but could still hold my own for short periods of time even against more experienced swordmen.)

 

I will certainly keep that in mind. Thanks for the advice.

 

You could also try your hand on some "family" only skills/arts. While a great deal of authors try to make harry uber powerful with all his Shadow Powers/Merlin-staff/Vella Charms/ Whatever the fuck kids like using these days, theres still potential for a good written fiction with those(as long as you dont focus all your plot on it i guess). After all, if you can put a hair inside a piece of wood and expect it to focus magic, while not explore other magical foci?(dresden rings for instance, are crude but useful.)

but please, dont even try using a Hyper-magic-conduct infused on gryffindor sword that somehow gets bonded on your arms. thats way overdone i think...

and also, i doubt these artifacts should allow easier focus or a better way to perform all kinds of magic, if so, why would you use wands in the first place?

 

Not overdone, I prefer retarded.

Family only skills could be a nice addition, but I can't think of anything that doesn't go quickly towards Super!Harry, which I don't want. Harry can be strong, but not just ultimate kick!ass at least before 7th year...

Want to give me some ideas on this, so I won't have to give him some retarded fire elemental ability which is so overused?

 

I kind of like the idea that Potter's are generally more adept at Transfiguration. I could get Harry to have a personal tutor, who teaches him Animagus exercises, and maybe he could become animagus around 2nd/3rd year(Thinking that Marauders became animagi without help during their 5th year, so if Harry got tutored he could achieve the feat sooner.) That about sums up all 'super' powers I'm willing to integrate into the story.

The home-schooling actually sounds very good. I believe that purebloods should be able to get a bit of an 'head start' in their studies. Unless they are as retarded as young Malfoy.

 

No. I feel like Purebloods would consider turning into an animal beneath them - werewolves would be legit otherwise.

 

Lycanthropy would be considered a disease, whereas animagus are legit wizards who have worked hard to achieve a difficult magical skill. If nothing else blood purists would want to prove they are more capable than any one else and can achieve something few others can.

 

I've always felt that purebloods wouldn't be interested in something so vulgar as muggle peerages. Lord Voldemort's title is utterly assumed, and I don't think the nobility would take him very seriously if he used fake title while they had the real deal.

 

Who's to say that titles are muggle in origin? They may well originally have been held by wizards, or come from time when both societies co-existed in peace.

And Sorrows, titles originally indicated land ownership, so that could be where wizarding families get their titles. No titles are given out any more, they simply apply to those who originally had them. They don't get transfered with the lands, they simply die out with families. It could be a method of distinction in pureblood circles, if you have a title it means your family was around and important at this point in time, whereas if you don't you weren't important enough to merit a title or your family is just that much younger.

 

I disagree with the usage of 'muggle' nobility titles for presenting some kind of hierarchy among the pure blood families.

While I do agree on comparing the pure blooded families to nobilities, many of them might have had some titles given to them during the centuries for various services as well, I doubt that many of those families would parade with those titles. Why? Because they are muggle associated titles, representing ranking under the crown.
It seems more likely to me that the title of a Lord is used mainly to represent the current head of an old family, more so then simply hereditary title.

If you want to present some kind of a hierarchy standing among the magical families, do use the fact of how old those families are. Supporting the idea that older families do have some better way of using magic due to their heritage.

Why don't you explore the possibility of people with pure blood or at least those from old magical families, actually have advantage due to the their 'old' blood?

What I mean is - often you see here and there stories with blood magic and how important it supposevely is, so what if it actually is important? What if wizards using magic do change with time and generations to evolve and become better accustomed to their abilities. Think of a plant adapting to the environmental changes to fit better. What if the older the family the better the affinity to their magic?
That doesn't make them in any way more powerful by default but simply means that they'd have better access to their magic. For example you can think of parents becoming animagi, if they had then the magical heritage would allow their offspring to acquire the skill easier than if they hadn't.

That is why muggle-born wizards, are in a slight disadvantage. But that said it doesn't mean that with enough practice and studies mudbloods can't become powerful and more knowledgeable than the scions from the old families. But rather they are put in behind when talking of more obscure branches of magic because they simply lack the magical affinity to learn them.