Dark Creature Favortism?

[author_by_night]

I apologize to those on my flist who are not into Harry Potter, but this is a poll I want to make available to those not necessarily on my friends list.

I have noticed that Vampires do not seem to be shunned in potterverse, like Werewolves. They have special candy for them, and apparently can be famous singers and invited to Christmas Parties in school (wherein they are followed by girl students.)

So - my poll:

[Poll #857657]

Comments

[daniellafromage.livejournal.com]

Ha. I chose nearly all of them.

I don't think that JKR has really put much thought into it, so on one level the relative popularity of vampires doesn't need to make sense.

But to actually put a reason behind it...I suppose in the wizarding world vampires may be idolised in the same way are in this world. Plus, as you said, vampires (presumably) have more control over themselves than vampires.

The Ministry might not have such a problem with them because of their form. Vampires can pass for humans; there's no way a werewolf at that "time of the month" could.

Alternatively, there's the idea of a vampiric thrall, which I don't think is canon but I believe could be possible within Potterverse. Even if there are vampire-specific laws, they'd be tricky to enforce if a vampire could CONTROL YOUR MIND. D:

[delleve.livejournal.com]

I think it's probably because vampires can control their thirst for blood more easily than werewolves. I mean, they could just drink cow's blood or something to feed their need for blood and then be totally fine around humans.

Also, if you think about pop culture (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc). vampires are sometimes portrayed as fairly good looking, so there's that as well. xD

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I've no idea--I figure JKR just didn't think about it, but my guess is that Vampires are sexy and werewolves are savage, a common stereotype of the two. They may also be less contagious so that a vampire bite doesn't turn you into a vampire. It may be something you're born with instead of having to be a person who contracts a disease over which they have more control.

[a-t-rain.livejournal.com]

On looking at the latest Wizard of the Month, I'm starting to think Potterverse vampires may be a different magical race, like veela or goblins, rather than having a condition transmitted by biting. I don't see how else Lorcan d'Eath could be a "part vampire."

[barbed-whispers.livejournal.com]

Hullo! Followed the link on d_s :)

I'm kind of a vampire enthusiast (okay, not really, but I have spent a ridiculous amount of time studying different vampire mythologies and reading the vampire encyclopedia, heh), so now you can have my two (or fourteen, hah, sorry) cents :D

When canon has both vampires and werewolves, vampires tend to be more popular/accepted than the 'wolves. (In my experience. I don't claim to have read every vampire/werewolf book out there...) I think it's because vampires look human at all times, they have really long lives (which helps them get better at PR and surviving), and getting bitten by a vampire is generally thought to be more glamorous than getting eaten by a 'wolf. I mean, look at Anita Blake. The vampires are very successful, rich, and well-liked by humans, but the lycanthropes all have to hide their true identities for fear of being shunned.

Of course, there is also usually a rivalry between the two. In most of the stories I've read, in a fight between a 'wolf and a vampire at about the same level of power, the 'wolf will almost always win when in animal form, but the vampire will almost always win otherwise. In several 'verses, werewolves are treated as second-class citizens or are scorned by all of the other preternatural beings, which I think goes back to their lack of control. They are animals in human skins, and they are generally treated as such. But they're also still technically humans, so they hate vampires (who aren't, even though they can pass).

Also, sort of in response to a_t_rain's comment about whether vampires are a race or if it's passed by biting- it may be both. In some mythologies, vampires can have children. In some, there are two types of vampires- the kind that can grow older and have kids, and the kind that can't. I tend to assume that JKR has only the vaguest notion of which kind she's writing, so I just use the broadest definitions and then bend them to fit my mood *g*

[purple-ladybug1.livejournal.com]

I put they have more control, they are different than we think, I don't really know, and other.

In a sort of combo of all those, I've read a short series of universe with vampires, witches, and other dark creatures. Some vampires held parties where humans willingly went to have their blood sucked. It was like a drug. Other vampires wanted to be peaceful, so they joined an organization that welcomed all creatures, even "natural enemies," but it also provided blood for vampires, so they could survive without victimizing anyone.

So, I'm thinking that they can control their thirst more than werewolves can control themselves, they can go to blood banks?, and there are more people willing to be bitten by a vampire than a werewolf.

Just some thoughts. Interesting idea. I hope JKR fills us in.

[unlikely2.livejournal.com]

I think Slughorn is a kind of vampire in that he takrs 'value' from those around him for his own benefit. For example, what sort of kickback did he get for choosing that dodgy textbook? Who is he likely to recommend for a post at Saint Mungo's? The better student or the one with an Aunt on the Wizengamot? How do you feel about the better connected but less effective healer treating your child? (What if s/he's out on the magical equivalent of the golf course?) For some reason that kind of predation is often more acceptable than someone thieving in order to eat.

[arianablack.livejournal.com]

Not to be repetitive, but I think it really does come down to the issues of control and conformity. Vampires have so many more ways of blending into human society than werewolves. While werewolves may look perfectly human a majority of the time, there's always that one time of the month where its impossible for them to hide what they are. Even should no one they know be around them at those times, it seems inevitable that their regular disappearances will be noticed. Look at Lupin and the Marauders. Heck, even Hermione figured it out, and she really only saw him during class, not every single day like the Marauders. Vampires, on the other hand, can usually pass for humans up until the moment they decide to sink their fangs into you. Werewolves have no choice in whether they transform or not, while vampires can not only choose when and who they bite, they can also make the decision not to attack a person at all, but rather an animal. Werewolves seem to prey solely on humans (though I'd love to see something like a were-hamster).

I also think vampires can be a bit more rational than werewolves could ever be in their animal form. Granted, wolfsbane is available, but as Lupin said, its a fairly recent development, and it doesn't sound as though its available to everybody. Lupin had to depend on Snape for his supply.

It may also be partly to do with the respective transformations themselves. By all accounts, the werewolf transformation is a grotesque experience, whereas with vampires, its usually just their teeth getting longer. And I think "barbed_whispers" made a good point about werewolves being animals. It sounds as though, without wolfsbane, werewolves on the full moon are really little more than animals.

Of course, with people like Fenrir Greyback running around preying on children, who can really blame the Wizarding community for favoring vampires over werewolves? Between Greyback and Bela Lugosi's Dracula, I know who I'd rather be around.

[hinotori.livejournal.com]

That's a really interesting question. I never thought much about it myself, but now that you brought it up... hm.

I think JKR's take on lycanthropy is interesting anyway -- she treats it like a dangerous, incurable disease that can be highly contagious and/or fatal if precautions aren't taken. The whole set-up of werewolves being discriminated against (i.e. people not wanting to hire werewolves for fear of their "condition" etc)-- it kind of reminds me of the way Andrew Beckett in "Philadelphia" was treated when people in his company found out that he had AIDS.

I don't even know whether JKR ever came clear about "her" idea of the infection with vampirism -- her portray of Slughorn's friend in book 6 was kind of disappointing to me also. (Okay, so I read too much Anne Rice when I was younger... anyway.) I think it's just one of her quirks. But interesting nevertheless! :D :D

werewolves .vs. vampires

[(Anonymous)]

I'm sorry. No offence to vampires, but werewolves rule! Werewolves are so cool. Anyone that thinks otherwise, no offence, but your dumb.

(Never dis a werewolf)