Was doing a wiki-walk, when I saw something that could be applied, in modified form, to the Potterverse. In the middle ages, along with renting land with money (called socage), or with military service, there was another form of payment, called serjeanty: performing various duties for the king, or another landowner. This could mean being the Queen's Champion, keeping a Royal Forest, providing a glove at the coronation, counting and putting away the King's chessmen after a game, or all sorts of other things.
One that I found odd and amusing is the variant called pimp tenure, which is pretty much what it sounds like: keeping some number of prostitutes for the use of the king and his men.
Lucius Malfoy has a pimp cane, at least in the movie.
Now, canon British Wizarding society doesn't much resemble medieval British society, and we can only speculate as to whether the Queen has any authority over it (probably not much, if any), but serjeanty could be 'paid' to a lesser landowner, instead - perhaps to the Wizengamot (or member thereof), the Minister, or just someone rich. It might even be a nominal fee that's fallen out of use, because the landowner(s) simply stopped 'collecting' it. The family still owes it, on request, but it may have been generations since they've been asked to pay - or, it could be a normal part of life, that Harry had no reason to know about (after all, he tends to sleep in History of Magic, which is the only class it's likely to be mentioned in).
By itself, of course, this is not an idea, but a springboard for them, which is why it's not in the Misc. Ideas topic.
Some thoughts that spring from this:
OK, so Malfoy has a pimp cane. Who does he owe pimp tenure to? The Potters, perhaps? OTOH, suppose that the Weasleys or the Prewetts were once quite wealthy, but they gave out most of their land for serjeanties, rather than cash payments, and the contracts don't allow them to take it back for non-payment, if they don't bother to ask for it (which, over time, they stopped doing). Ron finds out that the Malfoys owe his family a serjeanty, but not what it is, and decides to demand Draco pay up (which Ron may or may not legally be able to request, as he's not the head of the family - then again, it depends on the terms of the contract, as if it's on demand by the landowner or any of his sons, Ron properly has a right to request a whore). Hilarity ensues, especially if he's already got a girlfriend.
Another thought, also of pimp tenure, is that the Weasleys (or, again, perhaps the Prewetts) owe pimp tenure to the House of Potter. Ginny discovers this, and jumps to entirely the wrong conclusion about her mother encouraging her crush on Harry. Of course, she wants him, quite a lot, but for her own reasons, not because her mother feels the need to whore her out without telling her. Que legendary Prewett temper, and many misunderstandings (or you could go with angst, since they probably can't afford another mouth to feed). Could also go with Fleur discovering it, and questioning her relationship with Bill. Either way, Harry would be quite surprised, and really wouldn't want Hermione finding out.
Of course, pimp tenure is far from the only form of serjeanty that could lead to a story, it's just the one that surprised me enough to get ideas flowing. This could be crack, serious, or anything in between.
One that I found odd and amusing is the variant called pimp tenure, which is pretty much what it sounds like: keeping some number of prostitutes for the use of the king and his men.
Lucius Malfoy has a pimp cane, at least in the movie.
Now, canon British Wizarding society doesn't much resemble medieval British society, and we can only speculate as to whether the Queen has any authority over it (probably not much, if any), but serjeanty could be 'paid' to a lesser landowner, instead - perhaps to the Wizengamot (or member thereof), the Minister, or just someone rich. It might even be a nominal fee that's fallen out of use, because the landowner(s) simply stopped 'collecting' it. The family still owes it, on request, but it may have been generations since they've been asked to pay - or, it could be a normal part of life, that Harry had no reason to know about (after all, he tends to sleep in History of Magic, which is the only class it's likely to be mentioned in).
By itself, of course, this is not an idea, but a springboard for them, which is why it's not in the Misc. Ideas topic.
Some thoughts that spring from this:
OK, so Malfoy has a pimp cane. Who does he owe pimp tenure to? The Potters, perhaps? OTOH, suppose that the Weasleys or the Prewetts were once quite wealthy, but they gave out most of their land for serjeanties, rather than cash payments, and the contracts don't allow them to take it back for non-payment, if they don't bother to ask for it (which, over time, they stopped doing). Ron finds out that the Malfoys owe his family a serjeanty, but not what it is, and decides to demand Draco pay up (which Ron may or may not legally be able to request, as he's not the head of the family - then again, it depends on the terms of the contract, as if it's on demand by the landowner or any of his sons, Ron properly has a right to request a whore). Hilarity ensues, especially if he's already got a girlfriend.
Another thought, also of pimp tenure, is that the Weasleys (or, again, perhaps the Prewetts) owe pimp tenure to the House of Potter. Ginny discovers this, and jumps to entirely the wrong conclusion about her mother encouraging her crush on Harry. Of course, she wants him, quite a lot, but for her own reasons, not because her mother feels the need to whore her out without telling her. Que legendary Prewett temper, and many misunderstandings (or you could go with angst, since they probably can't afford another mouth to feed). Could also go with Fleur discovering it, and questioning her relationship with Bill. Either way, Harry would be quite surprised, and really wouldn't want Hermione finding out.
Of course, pimp tenure is far from the only form of serjeanty that could lead to a story, it's just the one that surprised me enough to get ideas flowing. This could be crack, serious, or anything in between.
