Halfbreeds

[leahsm2]

I, personally, think that Vampires are incapable of mating, since, though attractive in a strange, Goth way, are, less face it, basically reanimated dead tissue. Werewolves, in my world view, retain the same DNA they had before they were unfortunately set upon by whatever did that to them, so the baby may get daddy's blue eyes, but the lycanthropy is not a gene, and therefore not inheritable.

As to whatever else is possible, I think we need to remember that there are any number of "creatures" who feel that being called a "being" is an arbitrary Wizard categorizing thing, and so while they may be compatible, would never stoop so low as to allow another species to decide their very nature. All sorts of wierd and wonderful things might therefore be within the rhelm of mother nature!

[CakeorDeath]

Just a thought: Half breed doesn't seem like a very respectful term. Do you know what is the PC way of putting it?

[OliveOil_Med]

I'm not sure. That's the only term I've heard used in the books. Anyone, anyone at all?


Although, there aren't technically people who really are half giant or half veela, so maybe that's why there's no PC. Someone has to be offened for a PC term to come around.

[saizine]

Actually, I think that just referring to them as "half Giant" or "half Veela" would be more politically correct than anything else. I don't see how referring to them as what they are can be offensive, especially if they are proud of it (like Fleur). And I know that this will sound strange, but it's one of the first things that I would have thought of: how would producing a giant/human baby happen? It just seems... really strange and, frankly, almost undoable. I know it's been done but...

What place do you think Changelings have in the Potterverse? Would it be overreaching to assume that fairies may take a wizarding baby they really liked and leave a Changeling in its place? Maybe there's a special office in the Ministry to deal with Changeling related kidnappings (the cases would be prosumably cold because according to legend, parents wouldn't know they had a Changeling for sure until it was too late).
Originally Posted by OliveOil_Med

I've always been slightly fascinated with the concept of changelings whenever it was brought up after reading A Midsummer Night's Dream. I think from what we've seen in Potterverse, some creatures take great offense to things that humans say or call them (such as Hippogriffs or Centaurs), so maybe fairies or imps could have been offended by something a human said to them and then stole their baby for revenge? I know it doesn't completely fit with the tales, but it's a start.

A changeling child would probably be viewed as a victim, I think, and any traits or mannerisms that it picked up while it was being brought up by the fairies would just be things that were not the child's fault and lengths would be taken to correct them. I'd expect a reasonable amount of press coverage, then it would just die down without much ado (read: a huge deal then - nothing).

I have a problem with the vampire. I guess it comes from the whole being dead thing. Aren't vampires actually dead then brought back by blood? If so, how could they have a baby? Okay, I am not going to delete what I just wrote, but I did find an entry on Lexicon under named beings for a vampire who was listed as "part vampire". Though it doesn't explain how he was only part vampire.
Originally Posted by mudbloodproud

I'm assuming that someone can become a vampire the same way that Bill Weasley was turned into an almost werewolf - by not being bitten, or the initial transformation being interruped. I don't think that they are a *true* vampire; I shouldn't expect them to be able to "infect" other people, nor would they be burned to death in the sun. I don't think that they would be genetically bred that way, just a transformation gone wrong.

On that same line, I don't think that someone who is a half-werewolf or a half-vampire should be considered a "halfbreed" simply because the creatures themselves are not breeds (they cannot be bred, only created, I believe people in this thread have come up with and I agree with them). They would probably be called a "halfbreed" as a derogatory name, but they wouldn't be a true half-breed. Any thoughts?

[OliveOil_Med]

how would producing a giant/human baby happen? It just seems... really strange and, frankly, almost undoable. I know it's been done but...

Yes, but in the canon gospel according to J.K., it is indeed possible. And as with many things in J.K.'s playground, it's better not to ask questions. Maybe its just safer to assume any humanoid creature can crossbreed with humans.

I think from what we've seen in Potterverse, some creatures take great offense to things that humans say or call them (such as Hippogriffs or Centaurs), so maybe fairies or imps could have been offended by something a human said to them and then stole their baby for revenge? I know it doesn't completely fit with the tales, but it's a start.

A changeling child would probably be viewed as a victim, I think, and any traits or mannerisms that it picked up while it was being brought up by the fairies would just be things that were not the child's fault and lengths would be taken to correct them. I'd expect a reasonable amount of press coverage, then it would just die down without much ado (read: a huge deal then - nothing).

Interesting. These instances could very well be the tabloid kidnappings of the wizarding world. Oh, my head is just swimming with plot bunny ideas!

Okay, I am not going to delete what I just wrote, but I did find an entry on Lexicon under named beings for a vampire who was listed as "part vampire". Though it doesn't explain how he was only part vampire.

Hm, maybe a person is considered half when the have a parent who is a vampire, whether is was done before or after the child in question was born. Form what I've seen in the Potter books, pureblood fanatics will look for any excuse to lable someone as having dirty blood.

On that same line, I don't think that someone who is a half-werewolf or a half-vampire should be considered a "halfbreed" simply because the creatures themselves are not breeds (they cannot be bred, only created, I believe people in this thread have come up with and I agree with them). They would probably be called a "halfbreed" as a derogatory name, but they wouldn't be a true half-breed. Any thoughts?

Repeating what I said above, the people who would care would look for any excuse to label them as having dirty blood. Besides, who's to say having one of these creatures for a parent, despite being a garnered condition, wouldn't leave the child with some genetic trace of their parent's condition.

[saizine]

Repeating what I said above, the people who would care would look for any excuse to label them as having dirty blood. Besides, who's to say having one of these creatures for a parent, despite being a garnered condition, wouldn't leave the child with some genetic trace of their parent's condition.
Originally Posted by OliveOil_Med

I agree with the fact that people would look for any excuse to label people with a parent who is a creature like a vampire or a werewolf, but the fact is that a vampire cannot produce a child. If the child was concieved and born before the transformation occured, then there is no possibility of them having vampirific traits (unless their parent bit them afterwards, but that doesn't seem like a good parenting choice ).

With werewolves it's a slightly different story, but I still do not think that a werewolf can pass lycanthropy to their children. I don't think that a werewolf has his genetics altered apart from when he or she is undergoing a transformation or is transformed (but, as someone has said before, it's impossible for a human and a wolf to concieve a child... but maybe the chromosomes are altered when it's a werewolf and not a normal wolf... any thoughts on this?). I tend to think that becoming a werewolf would be like cutting off your arm: you look different, but your genetics are unchanged.

In fiction, the most common cause of lycanthropy is to be bitten by another 'werewolf' or lycanthrope. In other cases, lycanthropy is not given any specific cause other than being generally attributed to magic, which may be voluntary (a supernatural power) or involuntary (a curse). Another suspected common cause is the mental state of the person. The mental state of a human has been shown to make them believe that they are, indeed, a lycanthrope.
Originally Posted by Wikipedia

As far as I know, lycanthropy is more like a curse than it is a medical condition. It seems like it just alters a lycanthrope's body for that night and maybe with a few other, all-round traits (such as a tendency for cravings of rare/raw meat) and not his or her genetics. However, if they were raised by a werewolf or vampiric family, then the child - despite not being a creature themselves - they would probably hold a lot of traits that accompany the creatures (aversion to light or a taste for rare meat).

xoxo Lessie

(I'm so sorry for being so contradictory, but I absolutely adore biology and genetics - don't take it personally! )

[JOHN91043353]

Just on thought on the subject of changelings. I know that here in Sweden, back in old times people used to keep sissors and other iron itemes in the cradles, because it was said changelings could not kidnap the baby then. Just some old superstition, but maybe it's rellevant in the wizard world.

[Rhi for HP]

Not sure how relevant this is to your story but I believe Flitwick is supposed to be part goblin.

I know, that's what it looks like in the movies, but according to my friend (who reads every lexicon article and every Jo interview ever) according to Jo Flitwick is pure human. Just small.

[Striped_Candycane]

I know, that's what it looks like in the movies, but according to my friend (who reads every lexicon article and every Jo interview ever) according to Jo Flitwick is pure human. Just small.

Here to correct the correction : JKR has stated on her official site (FAQs), that Flitwick "is human but with a dash of goblin ancestry – something like a great, great, great grandfather." She does, however, go on to say that "I was taken aback when I saw the film Flitwick, who looks very much like a goblin/elf (I’ve never actually asked the filmmakers precisely what he is), because the Flitwick in my imagination simply looks like a very small old man."

Just thought I'd clear that up!

I also think, as some people have been saying, that lycanthropy can't be passed from father to son, although I think that some minor characteristics (an affinity for raw meat) may be passed on. A werewolf isn't like a goblin or veela or giant; you aren't born one, you must become one, and I think that makes all the difference. I agree with Lessie in that it is more like a curse than something like AIDS.

~Veronica

[Emily_Anne]

So Flitwick is about a quarter goblin? That would make sense to a certain degree.... But say, perhaps, that he mates with another part goblin such as himself, then would their child have more of the goblin characteristics, or the human ones?

I like vampires. I really do. But I was wondering. if a person is attacked (but not bitten) by a vampire, would not their DNA change in order to acquire certain vampire-istic attributes? So then if they later had a child, the child would, in theory, also have certain vampire qualities, such as gauntness, pale skin, sensitivity to light, or a preference for extremely rare meat. They might for also have heightened sense of smell, sight, and hearing. Please correct me if I'm wrong.