| The Hidden Benefit of Having Disgraceful Relatives | |
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Their histories are so infamous as to require no introduction nor explanation. Arthur Pettigrew. Reuben Crouch. Annabelle Scrimgeour. Freya Trelawney. Many of our readers without such an abominable family member will have read with some degree of schadenfreude of the antics of these notorious no-goods, but it may never have occurred to the average socialite that there may, in fact, be some benefit to having an infamous relation: that of not being subjected to as much (or perhaps any) scrutiny of their own. What became of the rest of the Trelawneys? The illegitimate offspring of the late Freya Trelawney are now adults, but she had a brother who has never caused even the slightest stir of scandal. His life and subsequent family have been entirely free from scrutiny, as he could never hope to match the scandal of his sister; those not in direct contact with him may not even know his name. It is unusual for a family of this wealth and influence to be so entirely solitary without causing some speculation. Annabelle Scrimgeour's siblings seem to have benefited similarly, as Miss Araminta Scrimgeour's rather lackluster first season out went entirely without comment in light of her sister's more scandalous behavior. In the case of the Scrimgeours, one could even argue that perhaps this distinction between the two sisters was at least partially planned. After Annabelle's rough upbringing sabotaged her chances of being a properly bred young lady, did Mr. Scrimgeour harden his heart towards his wayward daughter intentionally as a way of elevating his other? If that was his intention, things have certainly gotten out of hand, as he would hardly plan to be arrested on charges of assault and battery — but whatever the case, Miss Araminta Scrimgeour has been the object of sympathy, but little scrutiny, which means the ultimate benefit was still achieved despite her father's current difficulties.  How much encouragement would Arthur Pettigrew really need to squander a fortune?In the case of the Pettigrews and the Crouches, the families in question may also be responsible for if not encouraging their wayward relation's behavior, at least recognizing the benefit to themselves and doing nothing substantial to reign in their wayward relations. |
Quidditch mogul Thom Pettigrew has recently been making some news with his connection to his wife, the infamous Hannah Pettigrew nee Echelon, but one could argue that this is only because Arthur Pettigrew, having run out of finances to squander and settling slightly into something like normalcy through his marriage, has moved out of the spotlight. During the height of Arthur Pettigrew's downward spiral, Thom Pettigrew was first cavorting around the world with his fledgingly business, and then rather hastily marrying his first wife, Chastity nee Browne (a woman of decidedly more humble origins), all of which went without speculation. His two younger brothers managed to avoid any sort of public opinion at all until Albert Pettigrew's encounter with a veela this spring, and were it not for that, the world might still be oblivious to anything other than Arthur Pettigrew's disgraces, and Thom Pettigrew's successes. Slytherin Aldous Crouch is too devious not to have some sort of motivation for allowing his brother to run rampant!The Crouch family, a once wealthy pureblood line with a now slightly ... less prestigious position in society, may be the most egregious instance of intentionally sacrificing a particular member of the family — provided that one knows what to look for! It would surprise no one to learn that Aldous and Roman Crouch aspired to restore their family to its former glory (and the marriage of their sister, November, to Gaius Malfoy, would be a mark in favor of this particular goal), but they seem to have been foiled by their youngest brother, who spent several years after Hogwarts marauding around the continent getting himself into trouble before returning to a career (if one could call it that) as a freelance cursebreaker. It may surprise our readers, however, to learn that Reuben Crouch's travels were entirely funded by his older brother! This speaks, at least, to a severe negligence in Aldous Crouch's leadership of the family — unless the ongoing antics of his brother Reuben serve their purpose as a distraction! What is the rest of the family getting away with, right under our unsuspecting noses? Our reporters will continuing digging, but feel free to send your speculations in to us. Is Aldous Crouch using his position in the International Department of Magical Cooperation to secretly seduce a foreign princess? Is Roman Crouch plotting to overthrow the Minister's office from the inside? |
Arthur Pettigrew Thom Pettigrew Albert Pettigrew David Pettigrew Lucy Pettigrew Cassandra Trelawney Sarah Townsend Miriam Trelawney Bella Scrimgeour Araminta Scrimgeour Julius Scrimgeour