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We know that from Pottermore there were 28 pure blood families in the 1930s a Pure-Blood Directory was published.

The so-called 'Sacred Twenty-Eight' comprised the families of:

Abbott
Avery
Black
Bulstrode
Burke
Carrow
Crouch
Fawley
Flint
Gaunt
Greengrass
Lestrange
Longbottom
Macmillan
Malfoy
Nott
Ollivander
Parkinson
Prewett
Rosier
Rowle
Selwyn
Shacklebolt
Shafiq
Slughorn
Travers
Weasley
Yaxley

My question is, of these do we know which Molly Weasley originally was?

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    Trying to hack her email? Oct 1, 2015 at 10:03
  • Buttface MacSmellypants. :P
    – Obsidia
    Dec 18, 2017 at 19:26

1 Answer 1

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Molly Weasley is a member of the Prewett family. Rowling first revealed this in a note posted on her old website1:

Before her marriage Mrs. Weasley was Molly Prewett. As you will note from chapter one, Philosopher's Stone, she has lost close family members to Voldemort.

She would confirm this in the books in Deathly Hallows. For his birthday, Mrs. Weasley gives Harry a watch that belonged to her brother "Fabian"2:

"It's traditional to give a wizard a watch when he comes of age," said Mrs. Weasley, watching him anxiously from beside the cooker. "I'm afraid that one isn't new like Ron's, it was actually my brother Fabian's and he wasn't terribly careful with his possessions, it's a bit dented on the back, but..."

Deathly Hallows Chapter 7: "The Will of Albus Dumbledore"

And, in the epilogue, we learn that it was indeed Fabian Prewett's watch3:

[Harry] checked the battered old watch that had once been Fabian Prewett's.

"It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board."

Deathly Hallows Epilogue

Fabian Prewett had been previously identified in Order of the Phoenix, as a member of the original order who died a heroic but unfortunate death (emphasis mine)

"That's Edgar Bones... brother of Amelia Bones, they got him and his family, too, he was a great wizard... Sturgis Podmore, blimey, he looks young... Caradoc Dearborn, vanished six months after this, we never found his body... Hagrid, of course, looks exactly the same as ever... Elphias Doge, you've met him, I'd forgotten he used to wear that stupid hat... Gideon Prewett, it took five Death Eaters to kill him and his brother Fabian, they fought like heroes... budge along, budge along..."

Order of the Phoenix Chapter 9: "The Woes of Mrs. Weasley"

But we had no indication before Deathly Hallows that he and Molly were related.


1 Which has since been taken down; archived copy courtesy of the Wayback Machine; I feel justified in saying this is the "first" because the first Wayback Machine snapshot of the page is March 2006, and Deathly Hallows was released in July 2007

2 Thanks to Au101 and ThruGog for reminding me of this hint in comments

3 Thanks to Martijn and Harry Johnston for confirming this part in comments.

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    I can't access my books right now but in Order of the Phoenix Chapter 9 (The Woes of Mrs Weasley) we learn from Moody that Molly's brothers (Fabian and Gideon Prewett) were killed in the original Order of the Phoenix. Molly being a Prewett is absolutely canon and it is listed in many a website. I just wish I could find a quote!
    – ThruGog
    Oct 1, 2015 at 0:08
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    In 7 when Molly gives Harry his watch, however, she says it was her brother Fabian's and that he didn't take much care of his possessions. Don't know that the link is ever made absolutely explicit, though?
    – Au101
    Oct 1, 2015 at 1:08
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    In the Epilogue (19 years later), Harry looks at the watch "that had been Fabian Prewett's", doesn't he? That would close the circle.
    – Martijn
    Oct 1, 2015 at 7:11
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    @Martijn: yep. "He checked the battered, old watch that had once been Fabian Prewett's." Oct 1, 2015 at 9:10
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    Just want to say: phenomenal bit of detective work! I'm in awe...
    – Kryten
    Oct 1, 2015 at 14:29

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