Pure-blood supremacy

> "*I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families.*"
> ― Draco Malfoy's pure-blood prejudice at an early age[source]
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**Pure-blood supremacy** was the belief that wizards and witches whose family has not married any muggles or Muggle-borns were inherently biologically superior to wizards and witches who had done so. Proponents of this ideology typically regarded Muggle-born wizards as impure, unworthy of possessing magical ability, and often actively discriminated against them.

## Attitude and beliefs

**Lucius Malfoy**: "*Dear me, what’s the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don’t even pay you well for it?*"
**Arthur Weasley**: "*We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy*"
**Lucius Malfoy**: "*Clearly, the company you keep, Weasley… and I thought your family could sink no lower.*"
— An intense argument over blood status[src]

The byproduct of aeons of wizarding history, pure-blood supremacists were of the opinion that only pure-bloods were real witches and wizards, and were often inclined to consider themselves as the elite of the Magical world; a place in which they believed that Muggle-borns did not belong. Despite their magical ability, pure-blood supremacists were prone to be very hostile towards both Muggle-borns, as well as those that were accepting of them, fearing that the promotion and acceptance of the the mixture of magical and non-magical blood would dilute or even negate the wizard identity. More militant subscribers of this philosophy even considered considered themselves to be akin to royalty. They viewed Muggles, Muggle-borns, half-bloods, half-breeds with contempt and considered the Muggle world to be inferior to their own. Pure-bloods, and even half-bloods, who do not share this view are considered traitors to their own kind or "blood traitors." They were considered disgraces by pure-blood supremacists such as the Malfoys.

Elitist pure-bloods even believed that it is a sign of weak magic to enjoy non-magical company and seem to believe that some of the supposed dirtiness of Muggles and Muggle-borns would rub off on those who associated with them, thus they considered blood traitors to be "filthy" as well. 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,*" and 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. Similarly, although disdaining half-bloods and considering them inferior, they recognised that there were not enough Pure Blood families left and so (if only begrudgingly), accepted half-bloods in their new world order. The same situation existed at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry while Voldemort was in power.

## Degrees of prejudice

### Pure-blood elitism

> "*Toujours Pur*"
> ― "Always Pure," the motto of the House of Black[source]
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The most extreme of the pure-blood supremacists sought to purge the world of those they consider "impure." They often tolerated half-bloods out of necessity (though still disdained them), but Muggle-borns were persecuted and Muggles were viewed as nothing more than animals. Supremacists debated amongst themselves whether Muggles and Muggle-borns should be subject to death or slavery, but the generally agreed goal of pure-blood supremacy was a world where Muggles are relegated to a lesser role.

### Pure-blood bias

> "*Your mother was Muggle-born, of course. Couldn't believe it when I found out. Thought she must have been pure-blood, she was so good.*"
> ― Horace Slughorn showing bias[source]
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Some wizards, while believing somewhat in the inherent superiority of pure-bloods, do not actively discriminate against or show hostility to Muggle-borns and are even fond of them in some cases.

 Severus Snape | During his time at Hogwarts, Severus fell in with a group of future Death Eaters in his desire for power and acceptance. Despite his childhood claim that blood status didn't matter, he began to use the term "Mudblood" to describe Muggle-borns. However, an accidental application of the term during an argument towards Lily Evans ended their friendship. Snape was upset by this, and attempted to atone for using the remark and being prejudiced by becoming a double agent for Albus Dumbledore, however, he was still supportive of actions of many pure-blood elitists, for example by often being cruel to muggle-born Hermione Granger and favouring the poor attitudes and behaviours of pure-blood Slytherins. Due to these combinations of actions, however, Snape is a somewhat ambiguous case.