Astoria Malfoy (née Greengrass)

[babewithbrains]

Personally, I always get a little anxious about descriptions. JKR gives us almost nothing, even about fairly important characters like Lavender Brown, who is never described at all (she was black in at least two movies).

I'm probably unlike most, as I don't think that any of the major characters are good looking (with the possible exception of Harry and Ginny, who are independantly described as "fanciable" and "good looking"). Ron, Draco and Pansy certainly are not.

The only times I've referred to Astoria in my stories it's been obliquely:

‘You’re not even the ugliest girl your house, Fenella,’ Colin told her. ‘Daphne’s sister, what’s her name?’

‘Astoria,’ Fenella supplied.

‘Astoria, that’s her. She looks more like a horse than most horses I’ve seen. You’re much better looking than she is.’

But then, that's probably just me.

I don't think that skin colour or appearance would bother Draco. Blood purity is all that matters to him and his family. His parents were (anti-Muggleborn) racists, he was brought up to believe in blood purity and at no point has he ever shown any inclination to change that view. Her Pureblood status would be the only thing that matters to him.

N

I agree. I'm not entirely sure about Lavender even being in the movies until the sixth one, but yeah, you have a point. You are probably unlike most, Neil, when it comes to thinking who's good-looking and who's not. Personally, I think Movie!Draco is good-looking, as is the Draco in my head and, I'm sure, in JKR's too. Ron, I'm not so sure. JKR did describe Harry as good-looking, having inherited those looks from his parents. And she always did say that Ginny was fanciable, yes.

And yes, I suppose you're right about skin colour. However I don't think there are any black wizarding families, not that I can remember.

[Northumbrian]

Personally, I always get a little anxious about descriptions. JKR gives us almost nothing, even about fairly important characters like Lavender Brown, who is never described at all (she was black in at least two movies).

I'm probably unlike most, as I don't think that any of the major characters are good looking (with the possible exception of Harry and Ginny, who are independantly described as "fanciable" and "good looking"). Ron, Draco and Pansy certainly are not.

The only times I've referred to Astoria in my stories it's been obliquely:

‘You’re not even the ugliest girl your house, Fenella,’ Colin told her. ‘Daphne’s sister, what’s her name?’

‘Astoria,’ Fenella supplied.

‘Astoria, that’s her. She looks more like a horse than most horses I’ve seen. You’re much better looking than she is.’

But then, that's probably just me.

I don't think that skin colour or appearance would bother Draco. Blood purity is all that matters to him and his family. His parents were (anti-Muggleborn) racists, he was brought up to believe in blood purity and at no point has he ever shown any inclination to change that view. Her Pureblood status would be the only thing that matters to him.

N

[Northumbrian]

And yes, I suppose you're right about skin colour. However I don't think there are any black wizarding families, not that I can remember.

Draco is pale, blond and has pointed features. That’s all we know.

He is almost certainly not a snappy dresser:

Royal Albert Hall interview:
Stephen Fry (I think): Malfoy is reasonably stylish…
JKR: Malfoy is certainly stylish in the film (admittedly, she doesn’t say “but not in my head, but she implies it).
As for appearance, all I can find is this:
I'm trying to clearly distinguish between Tom Felton, who is a good looking young boy, and Draco, who, whatever he looks like, is not a nice man. JKR - The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet interview

Blaise Zabini is a Pureblood (and a Muggle-born hater like Malfoy) and is black.

N

[Astoria Greengrass]

I agree. It does sort of narrow Astoria down into a box just a little bit, but Draco's like that. Even though he's somewhat changed by the War I think he'd still be a bit of a snob. He may raise Scorpius to be a better person but it would probably be hard for Draco to drop all of the things he's been instilled with from his family. So Astoria would probably have to at least minorly possess some qualities that he'd deem acceptable. But love is love.

[babewithbrains]

Blaise Zabini is a Pureblood (and a Muggle-born hater like Malfoy) and is black.

N

Oh! Zabini is black? I didn't realise! I never knew, honestly. That was my bad.

[Rose Nym]

I think in respect to racism, as in real-life racism, based on color; it probably doesn't exist in the wizarding world. There are many wizards of all colors; on both sides of the pureblood debate. I think maybe J.K.R. did this for irony, as the wizarding world has so much problems with wizard/Muggle racism. They would probably find the fact that some Muggles discriminate on something as trivial as skin colour ridiculous. Anti-Muggle wizards might even seize on this, as ammunition for their position against Muggles as brain-dead animals. At least that's how I see this.

As to pure-blood wizards marrying half-bloods, muggle-borns, or muggles, I agree that most who care about "blood purity" wouldn't be caught dead doing it. However, remember that Ron has said most wizards nowadays aren't really pureblood. I think there might be competition, possibly in the form of arranged marriages, for whose pureblood children get to marry the other pureblood children. Then the losers (i.e. I think Eileen Prince could be an example) are left with half-bloods, muggle-borns, and muggles. The winners might consider themselves even more superior because they got the pureblood. If that makes any sense.
To whoever said that J.K.R said that BOTH Daphne and Astoria are in Slytherin, I have yet to read that. All I have heard is that Daphne is in Slytherin, part of Pansy Parkinson's "posse", and Astoria is her sister whose two years younger. Siblings are often in the same House, but not always. (Patil sisters) I don't think EVERY wizarding family has a House that their kids are always sorted into, just some of them. Or else there really would be no point in a Sorting Hat. Thanks for all the insigtful comments!

[Astoria Greengrass]

I see your point about not all wizarding families having a set House, but I find Astoria being in one other than Slytherin to be highly unlikely. True, she may not be exactly like every Slytherin we come across but even J.K. Rowling said that not all Slytherins are created equal. They're not all bad.

But due to Draco's own character I don't think he'd have complete respect for someone who was in a House that he belittled a lot during his whole school life. He has a change of heart near the end, but I still think he'd be proud and stubborn to a degree. Look at the Epilogue! Just a curt nod. It was like saying, "Yes, we've been through a lot and I'll respect you for my child's sake, but don't you think that means that we're friends or anything. Thanks for saving my life. No one will ever let me forget it."

At the most I can sort of see her as a Ravenclaw but I can't picture a Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. He'd probably take advantage of a Hufflepuff and be too proud to even consider a Gryff.

[Rose Nym]

I guess it depends on how you view their relationship. If Draco has had a "thing" for her at Hogwarts, then being in Slytherin is practically a necessity. If, however, as in my story, he only notices her after the final battle, I think another house could work. Not that there's anything wrong with being in Slytherin as such. As she isn't mentioned at all in the books, she could have been unnoticed because she was in another house. I agree that Draco would have trouble respecting either a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff. (Ravenclaw seems kind of neutral). I think after the war, he's changed some; but he's still the same person. Does that person have to be nasty, and looking down on everybody? Maybe, but I think being forced to be a Death Eater very well could cause Draco to rethink some of his positions. Often in real life people who are bullies when their young, after suffering the consequences of their actions, they become nicer. But then again, some people don't change. Draco seems to have a high respect for his parents, and going against their wishes would be something very hard for him. But then, what are Lucius and Narcissa's feelings after the war anyway? There could be a whole story in just that.

One of the things I take issue with in many Draco/Astoria fics (or Draco/Hermione, Draco/Ginny, Draco/Luna, Draco/OC, etc. for that matter) is making it a case of "good girl loves bad boy and makes him change". Though that very rarely has happened in real life, it in general is an unhealthy relationship that leads to heartache on both sides. I think mking Astoria part of the reason Draco "shapes up" if he does, could only work if you made Draco already be feeling uncomfortable with his actions. I mean, Draco is not going to change just for a girl. And I think he deserves a girl who'd love him as he is, and not be having fanciful dreams of what he is not.

[babewithbrains]

I think in respect to racism, as in real-life racism, based on color; it probably doesn't exist in the wizarding world. There are many wizards of all colors; on both sides of the pureblood debate. I think maybe J.K.R. did this for irony, as the wizarding world has so much problems with wizard/Muggle racism.

Fair enough. But my point is that it's hardly likely for Astoria to be black because Scorpius is her son and he's described as resembling Draco as much as Albus did Harry--which we presume to be a lot--so that logically follows to mean that Scorpius also has pale skin and light blond hair etc. Therefore Astoria, his mum, can't possibly be black because if you have a child with parents who are mixed race, some of each of the parents' colours will go into the child, so Scorpius has got to be marginally darker than Draco for this to make sense.

As for what you said about irony, Rose, you're completely right. It is rather funny, I have to say, but in a bitter way, not in a funny ha-ha way. JKR did a great job of portraying racism in a different way than most books do. At the same time, though, I think that half-bloods (equivalent of mixed-race people) are more accepted in Wizarding society compared to Muggleborns (equivalent of black/Asian/non-white), in the sense that mixed-race people still have to face racism, sometimes just as much as fully black/Asian/other non white.

[Sailing Girl]

I know that this question is completely different too the other lines of questioning that have been going on but oh well..
Here goes: Do you think Astoria and Draco were a couple at Hogwarts? If not, where did they meet?

Thanks