Mudblood

Mudblood is a foul, nasty name for a witch or wizard who is Muggle-born (literally “dirty blood”). It is not a term used in polite company (CS7).

Draco Malfoy loved using the word “Mudblood,”especially when the Chamber of Secrets opened in second year. Referring to Hermione as a “filthy little Mudblood” caused Ron to come to her defense with his broken wand, rebounding a Slug-Vomiting Charm onto himself (CS7). When Harry and Ron disguised themselves as Crabbe and Goyle with the Polyjuice Potion, Draco felt comfortable in front of them, saying “Saint Potter, the Mudbloods’ friend. He’s another one with no proper wizard feeling, or he wouldn’t go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood” (CS12). Malfoy also called out all the Muggle-borns when he saw the writing on the wall after the attack on Mrs Norris. He shouted, “Enemies of the Heir, beware! You’ll be next, Mudbloods!” (CS8). Later, he used the term to refer to those who were petrified in the Hospital Wing, telling the person he thought was Crabbe, “Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me” (CS12).

A couple of years later, at the Quidditch World Cup, Malfoy called Hermione a Muggle. When Harry responded that she was a witch, Malfoy said “Have it your own way, Potter. If you think they can’t spot a Mudblood, stay where you are” (GF9). Weeks later, Malfoy was handing out badges that said “Potter Stinks!” He offered one to Hermione, then said “Want one, Granger? I’ve got loads. But don’t touch my hand, now. I’ve just washed it, you see; don’t want a Mudblood sliming it up” (GF18). When Hermione let Harry and Ron know that someone had asked her to the Yule Ball, Malfoy overheard and said “You’re joking, Weasley! You’re not telling me someone’s asked that to the ball? Not the long-molared Mudblood?” (GF23).

As part of Umbridge’s Inquisitorial Squad, Draco Malfoy took ten points from Gryffindor because Hermione was a “Mudblood” (OP28).

In Madam Malkin’s shop in 1996, Malfoy said when Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked in, “If you’re wondering what the smell is, Mother, a Mudblood just walked in” (HBP6).

When confronting Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower, Malfoy bragged about his attempts to murder the Headmaster. He said about the poisoned mead: “Yeah, I got the idea from them. I got the idea of poisoning the mead from the Mudblood Granger, as well, I heard her talking in the library about Filch not recognizing potions …” Dumbledore rebuked him for using that word (HBP27).

Umbridge wrote a pamphlet as Head of the Muggleborn Registration Commission entitled “MUDBLOODS and the Dangers They Pose to a Peaceful Pure-Blood Society” (DH13)

Voldemort seemed to equate Muggles and Muggle-borns, calling his father “a Muggle and a fool. . . very like your dear mother” (GF33). Voldemort captured Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies teacher, and tortured at Malfoy Manor for writing an “impassioned plea” for acceptance of Muggleborns. He told his followers, ” She would have use all mate with Muggles . . . or, no doubt, werewolves . . . ” (DH1)

Sirius Black’s mother, Walburga, used the word profusely when shrieking from her portrait: “‘MUDBLOODS! SCUM! CREATURES OF DIRT!'” (OP10). When the House of Black house-elf Kreacher started ranting about the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione as “Mudbloods and traitors and scum…” Sirius picked him up by his loin cloth and threw him out the door of the room (OP6). Harry inherited Kreacher after Sirius died, and had to forbid him from calling anyone “Mudblood” ever again (DH10).

Pius Thicknesse, Minister for Magic under Voldemort, agreed with Kreacher and Mrs. Black: “If you ask me, the blood traitors are as bad as the Mudbloods” (DH13).

Severus Snape made a terrible mistake when he called Lily Evans (Harry’s future mother) a “Mudblood” in front of their classmates. It ended their relationship as childhood friends (OP28,DH33). Ironically, nine-year-old Lily had worried about being Muggleborn, but child-Snape told her “It doesn’t make any difference” – after all he was a Half-Blood with a Muggle father himself (DH33). As adult Headmaster of Hogwarts, he chastised the portrait of Phineas Nigellus for calling Hermione “the Mudblood,” saying “Do not use that word!” (DH33).