Blood-Traitor

"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", "Mudblood-lover", "Dunglicker", "Scumsucker", as well as "Mudwallower". 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==
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==
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, 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.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.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", 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.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.Neville Longbottom says of the Carrows in : "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.
==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.
Godric Gryffindor 	Ended their relationship with Salazar Slytherin, because of Slytherin's supremacist views.
Helga Hufflepuff 	Ended their relationship with Salazar Slytherin, because of Slytherin's supremacist views.
Rowena Ravenclaw 	Ended their relationship with Salazar Slytherin, because of Slytherin's supremacist views.
Order of the Phoenix members	The Order opposed Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, opposed blood status and protected Muggles and Muggle-borns.
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. They were proud of their Muggle ancestors.
Molly 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. They were proud of their Muggle ancestors.
Charlie 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. They were proud of their Muggle ancestors.
Percy 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. They were proud of their Muggle ancestors.
Fred 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. They were proud of their Muggle ancestors.
George 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. They were proud of their Muggle ancestors.
Ron 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. They were proud of their Muggle ancestors.
Ginny 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. They were proud of their Muggle ancestors.
Weasley family 	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. They were proud of their Muggle ancestors.
 	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. They were proud of their Muggle ancestors.
===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)
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.
James Potter I 	Married Muggle-born witch Lily Evans. Was friends with werewolf Remus Lupin.
Neville Longbottom 	Fought against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Gervaise Ollivander 	Married a Muggle-born witch, Mrs Ollivander.
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.
==See also==
*Blood purity
*Pure-blood
==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==
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==Notes and references==
Blood traitors
Category:Slurs