Why Didn't Walburga Disown Sirius After He Became a Gryffindor?
Walburga Black, a staunch advocate for pure-blood supremacy and a member of the Slytherin house, held very rigid beliefs about blood status and family loyalty. Despite her profound disappointment in Sirius Black for choosing to become a Gryffindor and rejecting the family's values, she did not immediately disown him. This decision reveals a complex interplay of familial loyalties, control, and fear of social repercussions.
Family Loyalty
Walburga may have felt an inherent obligation to keep Sirius within the family fold, viewing disownment as a public acknowledgment of failure or shame. This sense of family duty suggests that Walburga valued the connection to her family above all else, even when her child made choices that conflicted with her beliefs. Her decision to keep Sirius within the family circle could be seen as a way to maintain the illusion of control and to preserve the family’s reputation within the wizarding community.
Control and Manipulation
Walburga likely saw Sirius's behavior as a phase that could be corrected. By maintaining him as a family member, she might have hoped to exert control and steer him back to the family's beliefs. This strategic approach to maintaining familial ties and leverage may have been rooted in her desire to ensure that Sirius would eventually abandon his newfound Gryffindor ideologies and return to the family’s legacy and values.
Fear of Repercussions
The potential social fallout from disowning a family member was a significant factor in Walburga's decision. Even within the close-knit wizarding community, disownment could trigger a chain reaction of negative consequences. By keeping Sirius, Walburga may have been hoping to avoid backlash and maintain a semblance of family unity, even if it meant tacitly accepting her son's choice until it became too conspicuous to ignore.
Later Actions and Decisions
It was after Sirius's actions and decisions became more pronounced – such as running away from home and his subsequent association with the Order of the Phoenix – that Walburga made the decision to officially disown him. This is evidenced by the family tapestry where Sirius is no longer depicted, showing that her patience had run out. Walburga's ultimate decision reflects a shift from initial tolerance to a definitive rejection of her son's values and choices.
Understanding Walburga's Perspective
Some might argue that Walburga thought Sirius had no choice but to be placed in Gryffindor, giving him the benefit of the doubt. During the Sorting ceremony, each house represents different values, and it's possible that the Blacks, favoring Slytherin for centuries, had a few family rebels who chose other houses. Additionally, the idea of shaping or even 'redeeming' Sirius if the school had enough old-guard authority figures who could guide him back to the old ways suggests a more forgiving and hopeful approach.
Walburga was not cold enough to disown an obviously magical boy with a strong personality simply because he ended up in Gryffindor. An owl delivering a Howler might have been her immediate reaction when informed by her nieces the same night. However, as Sirius grew older and his actions became more pronounced, the glaring differences between the family's ideals and his decisions became too much for her to tolerate.
In conclusion, Walburga Black's decision to not disown Sirius Black after he became a Gryffindor was driven by a combination of familial loyalty, a hope to exert control, and a fear of social repercussions. It was only as Sirius's actions became more definitive and contrary to her beliefs that Walburga made the ultimate choice to disown him, as reflected in the family tapestry.