I read this thread: https://forums.darklordpotter.net/threads/pureblood-apologism-and-classism.38661 and noticed that most agreed that the op hasn't read good stories and that he should read better fanfiction.

So, which stories explore best pureblood/wizarding society and all its intricacies? Or any thoughts/insights in general?

 

I will always recommend Out of the Night by RainingInk.

I don't know about 'and all its intricacies', but its exploration of Dark magic and Dark Wizards are tightly connected to ideas of blood purity. It expands and gives depth to the canon conflict, and in so doing gives a bit more depth to wizarding society generally. (and, mentioned below, partly inspired by Raining ink as I understand it, Victoria Potter by Taure).

That's the short.


The Long
OotN adds a great touch in (to minor spoil) having Voldemort and his Death Eaters be disapproved of by Dark Wizards generally, and not championed by most, but they stick together after a fashion (and for good reason). And you have people from all classes and backgrounds. Yes a lot of the Dark Wizards are from Old Families, but then there is Mrs Temple who is widowed and teaches little magics in a class to help get by (and the well to do families send their kids to her because she /is/ good with them, but also presumably to help in a non hand-out way). And Knockturn is full of all sorts including the down and out, on the fringe of society etc. not necessarily Dark, but looked down on and disapproved of by general wizarding society. So again Harry discovers they aren't simply rich, powerful, blood-powers, family grimoire, harem-having, rape of muggleborns is okay pure-bloods. They are, shock and horror, people. Some of whom have rallied behind Voldemort to change their (Dark Wizards) lot.

Which to me is really the way to do the wizarding world generally and indyharry especially properly. A Harry who discovers discovers things which develop his view into something that is really his own and not perfectly aligned with the Order/Dumbledore, but by no means enemies of it.

On this front I think Victoria Potter by Taure is exploring this where Voldemort does have insights into magic that are/would be to the benefit of wizards, but to get them you basically have to be one of his followers. Yet that doesn't mean they are evil practices. In all likely hood they should be cultivated. Also family alchemy (which is near blood stuff in my own mostly-in-my-head non-fic). So you can see why some wizards would look down on others. Something we all do in one place or another. People using vivid setting from store on their TVs, eating at garbage places and garbage food as opposed to the clearly superior options etc etc. Like you have magic, and you could be so much more. Much like Harry in canon vs his abandoned hero's journey arc to Voldemorts equal and opposite- or at least a lot more competent. We /want/ to see him become what he was meant to be. But giving Harry that insight and desire to plumb the depths can neatly combine with a disconnect to decent wizards who may not be the most 'magical', and thus naturally finds himself in company with those who respect and revere magic, and shun and disdain the non or less magical (for good and ill).


The Unnecessary
I just realized what I love about Out of the Night. Yes Harry's exploration and fascination with magic is great, and expanding the wizarding world in a new wondrous place is fantastic- and these are probably the main draws for most (As well as some excellent OC's). But something only a scratch beneath the surface which I've overlooked, and what I love, is Harry's discovery, his opening his eyes and becoming aware that those he hates aren't entirely hateful, that /all/ those he thought were his enemies aren't really his enemies (only some), and that prejudice and bitter hatred (in other words blindness) is most definitely on 'his' side too (some fairly justified, some not).

Which has further made me realize a big reason why I've had so much trouble with my in progress yet never working on fic. I completely circumvented this discovery and growth by having Harry be sorted in Slytherin and becoming friends with those who will now never be the hated enemy, and thus robbing him/myself/the reader. So shit. I can't see a way to not have him in Slytherin, and I can't see a way to not be friends with those Slytherins. But exploring Dark/Pureblood/Wizarding society with an enemies to allies aspect is a central pillar too. I feel like a dog with three legs looking to remove one.

A last, completely unnecessary, tangent. Dealing with people/family like the OP in real life drives me mad. As Dr Kelso? no, Cox said 'we're bastard coated bastards with bastard filling'. I /hate/ it when people seemingly aren't even willing to open themselves to consider. Which doesn't mean the cynical view of 'both'/all sides/people are the same. Like you can recognize George Washington isn't some mythologized demi-god, but neither are he and Fidel Castro both simply 'freedom fighters'. The last last side tangent- I was reading a book about famous ships to my nephew and got to one Castro used and it it talked about how he fought to free his people, and then completely omitted the word communist and dictator and simply mentioned in passing that he /happened/ to still in power decades later and ignored that any voting that occurred was meaningless not to mention firing squads etc etc and it was like the person took to heart the lesson of 'be fair and balanced' meant ramping up the wrongs of some, while omitting the wrongs and exaggerating the good in order to get there. I want stark clear truth. Everyone's a bastard, but some are magnificent bastards, some are silly bastards, some are softy bastards, some are raging cunt bastards, but the bastards I hate most are the blind superior bastards who act as though they have a complete nuanced view of things when that is never a fixed point and requires constant reexamination. As with the OP of the other thread, most times the views aren't even nuanced to begin with, and when confronted with the hypothetical idea that fictional purebloods (and yes even Death Eaters) could be given facets to make them three dimensional, human, and not entirely 100% evil... but, but Nazi's, apologist.

rant over, and my tea, naturally, is cold.