So Fitz is...

[heidi_storage]

...the son of Tera West and Harley MacFinn, right? Bad luck for him if so.

[Regenbogen]

Where did you get that information? I thought it was just a theory, nothing confirmed. Did I miss something?

[heidi_storage]

Not confirmed at all; I was just rereading Ghost Story and the WoJ about Fitz's name meaning "bastard." Wanted to know if there was a possibility of an ectomancer--like loup garou running around in future.

[LostInTime]

Unless MacFinn's line died out, and it isn't supposed to until the end of time, there's a Loup Garou running around.

[g33k]

Unless MacFinn's line died out, and it isn't supposed to until the end of time, there's a Loup Garou running around.

"until the end of time" ... or until someone more clever / more powerful comes along to break the curse!  Entirely possible in the Dresdenverse.
Harry didn't even try to end the curse, it was all he could do to kill MacFinn; so he didn't do it.

Maybe someone else did it, offstage?  Or someone WILL do it?

Not like an (orphaned, resentful) loup-garou isn't a dangling plot-hook coming to bite Harry in the ass, eh?
 

[Mira]

"until the end of time" ... or until someone more clever / more powerful comes along to break the curse!  Entirely possible in the Dresdenverse.
Harry didn't even try to end the curse, it was all he could do to kill MacFinn; so he didn't do it.

Maybe someone else did it, offstage?  Or someone WILL do it?

Not like an (orphaned, resentful) loup-garou isn't a dangling plot-hook coming to bite Harry in the ass, eh?

Perhaps he didn't try because there is no way to lift the curse.  I need to go back to reread the passage, but I believe Bob said as much.  I also think that McFinn and all of his ancestors would have searched for and found it if there was a way.  The only way to end it for the McFinns was to end the last McFinn, which Harry did.  However that doesn't mean there aren't other families out there suffering from the same kind of curse, so I wouldn't be shocked if there are more Loops out there, they just aren't McFinns.

[Tinfoil hat]

Okay hear me out. We know the major players have been watching harry and in Chicago for sometime now. What if only a starborn can trigger the end of the world. Like the final conformation that harry is the Starborn rather than a starborn was doing the impossible. Macfinns bloodline can only end at the end of the world. It was an alarm clock for the major players. Like when the last of the bloodline died (thor voice) 'it was a signal that we are switches to (dr stange voice) in the endgame now.
Those who know what to look for immediately know that only the Starborn could have done it. I little research shows its harry. Those who had doubts are convinced.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

The assumption as to Fitz parentage is shaky at best, why would Fitz even be in Chicago? Why hadn’t the curse manifested by ghost Story, why would he be named Fitz in the modern age? You all also appear to be applying it incorrectly it is a patronymic applied to both legitimate and illegitimate heirs. The important part isn’t the Fitz part of his name, but the part we are not given Fitzwhat? Who is he the son of? The term is Anglo - Norman (back to Brittany again) and generally means the child has been claimed by the father

I think that Fitz is actually most likely a scion, maybe a Changeling. Remember Ronald Ruel had been dead several years by Ghost Story, so he would not have been around to look after him, especially if his father died around the same. Fitztalos perhaps? The claimed child of Marshall Talos of Summer who dies in Summer Knight. If so Harry had a hand in Fitz fathers death and led him to being cast out into the cruel world as an orphan. Since when has Jim turned down the opportunity to cause Harry pain?

[g33k]

Perhaps he didn't try because there is no way to lift the curse.  I need to go back to reread the passage, but I believe Bob said as much...

Harry didn't know anything about it; everything he knew about the curse, he learned "on-screen" in Fool Moon.
It was everything he could do, just to survive and keep others alive -- in fact, that was MORE than he could do, as several people died despite his attempts at protecting them.

I'd lay long odds on Mab knowing of a way to lift the curse.
I'm certain that one of Mother Winter's unravelings could undo it.
Angelic power -- if the Angel was free to act -- could lift it gently, or smash it with simple force.

...  I also think that McFinn and all of his ancestors would have searched for and found it if there was a way...

But they are mere mortals; they have no magical talent, no great insights or allies to achieve their aims.

One key bit that I hadn't recalled... Apparently (per the DF wiki) Harry got some of his info from Chauncy??!?  Which makes the info very suspect indeed!

...  The only way to end it for the McFinns was to end the last McFinn, which Harry did.  However that doesn't mean there aren't other families out there suffering from the same kind of curse, so I wouldn't be shocked if there are more Loops out there, they just aren't McFinns.

Unless -- as per the OP -- Fitz is a bastard child of the MacFinn line, so Harry didn't end the line...?

I'm unconvinced that Fitz' backstory is a MacFinn (tho I think it entirely possible, given Fitz' eyes & Tera's), but I think it highly-probable that Fitz is indeed the son of somebody from Harry's past... How 'bout (just throwing out ideas) the son of Justin DuMorne?
 

[g33k]

The assumption as to Fitz parentage is shaky at best ...

All the WAGs are shaky, man!  It's the nature of WAGgery.
Don't rain on the parade.   

... why would Fitz even be in Chicago?

  It's often the nature of young wolves to go wandering for a period, when they first leave their mothers.  And it's the nature of humans -- particularly those who never knew one/both parents -- to be curious about their origins & parentage.

... Why hadn’t the curse manifested by ghost Story ...

  Dunno.  Maybe it doesn't "hit" until a certain age, or a "blood moon" lunar eclipse, or somesuch.  Hands can be waved, excuses can be found.   

... why would he be named Fitz in the modern age?

  Tera West is hardly one to observe such passing fads.
Or maybe Fitz himself claimed it, in a fit of being a young male drama-queen.

... You all also appear to be applying it incorrectly it is a patronymic applied to both legitimate and illegitimate heirs

"We all" are working off the notion that Jim himself subscribes to the "Fitz means bastard son" notion.
(despite it technically just meaning "son of," it became widely-used in the Stuart era to denote bastard sons, and the connotation has been pretty strong for 400 years now)
In fact:  by ignoring the WoJ that this is the intended usage of "Fitz," you are the one "incorrectly" applying it...   
 

... The important part isn’t the Fitz part of his name, but the part we are not given Fitzwhat? Who is he the son of? ...

Yes indeed!  Fitzwhat, Fitzwho?  You've cut to the very heart of the matter!

... Since when has Jim turned down the opportunity to cause Harry pain?

And there is the other side of the matter!

When we ask, "Fitzwho?" we should ask, "who in Harry's past would cause the greatest complication & pain for Harry, should their Fitz arrive on-scene?"

I think that Fitz is actually most likely a scion, maybe a Changeling. Remember Ronald Ruel had been dead several years by Ghost Story, so he would not have been around to look after him, especially if his father died around the same. Fitztalos perhaps? The claimed child of Marshall Talos of Summer who dies in Summer Knight.

Reuel wasn't a faerie, though -- no scionage there!  The whole point of the Knight-mantle is that it brings the Court a Mortal agent (mortal agency & free will).

I don't think Talos was ever a sympathetic-enough character to fill the role of Fitz' papa in the books.

MacFinn ticks several boxes, there -- victim of a Curse, good-hearted philanthropist, ripped prematurely away from his true-love Tera.  I think he's a better candidate (tho FAR from the only one!).  Given the call-out of Fitz' eye-color, I think Tera West is the parent for whom we have the most Watsonian evidence (slight though it is); and MacFinn follows by way of Doyle.  Plus, this makes Fitz a latent loup-garou.  MacFinn is a good fit, overall!

Up-thread, I mentioned the idea of Justin DuMorne's son; the "but why Chicago?" objection applies even more-strongly, there!  Still...

But how about Victor Sells' bastard son?
++Bastardy because Sells was married at the time.
We know from the Beckitts that Sells was actively pursuing "sex magick."
Harry's first (on-screen) kill, and we know how Harry feels about orphans!  Sells' son...
so.
much.
guilt.
For Doylist use, I like this one a LOT.

[Mira]

Harry didn't know anything about it; everything he knew about the curse, he learned "on-screen" in Fool Moon.
It was everything he could do, just to survive and keep others alive -- in fact, that was MORE than he could do, as several people died despite his attempts at protecting them.

Yes, from Bob.. However when told he understood what a Loop was.  Part of the reason why so many died, is nobody, including Murphy could wrap their heads around what was happening.  They ignored the warnings as to how dangerous a Loop was, and they died.  Had no connection to Harry being able to lift the curse or not, though yeah, if he could have it would have helped.

I'd lay long odds on Mab knowing of a way to lift the curse.
I'm certain that one of Mother Winter's unravelings could undo it.
Angelic power -- if the Angel was free to act -- could lift it gently, or smash it with simple force.

Perhaps, but she hadn't entered the picture yet, and unless it was to her advantage, her answer to the curse most likely would be a shrug of shoulders since it was strictly a mortal problem.

But they are mere mortals; they have no magical talent, no great insights or allies to achieve their aims.

Maybe at first, but I doubt they were ignorant about what a curse was, they were well aware and had evidence that a supernatural curse was put upon their heads.  When it was done, a great many wizards roamed the earth, magic etc was taken seriously at that time by everyone... So don't you think they would have consulted with as many "experts" in the field of curses both religious and magical as they could at the time and since in an attempt to lift it?

One key bit that I hadn't recalled... Apparently (per the DF wiki) Harry got some of his info from Chauncy??!?  Which makes the info very suspect indeed!

Unless it happened off page, Harry didn't get much if anything about this from Chauncy, most, if not all of it came from Bob.

Unless -- as per the OP -- Fitz is a bastard child of the MacFinn line, so Harry didn't end the line...?

I'm unconvinced that Fitz' backstory is a MacFinn (tho I think it entirely possible, given Fitz' eyes & Tera's), but I think it highly-probable that Fitz is indeed the son of somebody from Harry's past... How 'bout (just throwing out ideas) the son of Justin DuMorne?
 

Too easy.. Heck, since Thomas is out of the picture for now, Fitz could be another half brother, or perhaps nephew.

Okay hear me out. We know the major players have been watching harry and in Chicago for sometime now. What if only a starborn can trigger the end of the world. Like the final conformation that harry is the Starborn rather than a starborn was doing the impossible. Macfinns bloodline can only end at the end of the world. It was an alarm clock for the major players. Like when the last of the bloodline died (thor voice) 'it was a signal that we are switches to (dr stange voice) in the endgame now.

Till the end of time, if the bloodline doesn't end, or till the bloodline ends, which ever comes first.  Some bloodlines do end over time, I also totally doubt that the McFinns were the only ones cursed in this particular way.  Bob describes what a Loop is, a, which says to me there is more than one running around in the world.  Like describing what a lion is and looks like, tells about that lion, but he or she is one of many representing that species.

[g33k]

... Yes, from Bob.. However when told he understood what a Loop was.  Part of the reason why so many died, is nobody, including Murphy could wrap their heads around what was happening.  They ignored the warnings as to how dangerous a Loop was, and they died.  Had no connection to Harry being able to lift the curse or not, though yeah, if he could have it would have helped ...

My point is, Harry never considered "lifting the curse" as a viable method of stopping the loup-garou.
If Harry had had even an inkling, he would have considered it:  Harry's rather good at that sort of "outside the box" thinking.

Instead, he just went directly to a confrontation -- a fight -- with a magically-strong, magically-fast, magically-insta-healing monster.
Not even Harry Dresden is that needlessly stupid!  If he had known another way, he'd have taken (or at least considered) it.

... Maybe at first, but I doubt they were ignorant about what a curse was, they were well aware and had evidence that a supernatural curse was put upon their heads.  When it was done, a great many wizards roamed the earth, magic etc was taken seriously at that time by everyone... So don't you think they would have consulted with as many "experts" in the field of curses both religious and magical as they could at the time and since in an attempt to lift it? ...

I expect they tried, yes.
I don't expect they got very far.
I doubt they had much to offer anyone with enough knowledge and/or power to do the job.

MacFinn of the modern era had some resources, though.  He was rich; evidently, he had some spookyside contacts
He managed to get a pretty powerful circle built, to contain himself in loup-garou form.

Harry recognized most (all?) of it; it wasn't utterly beyond him (though building it may have been more than he could have done on his own, at that time; I suspect late-series-Harry could have duplicated it).

[Ed0517]

The Loup could also be someone off a cadet line from several generations back. . I also question if a shapeshifter like Tera could carry a semi-human to term, and if it would be considered part of his bloodline.

A cadet branch generations back could have left Ireland during the Famine. Many did. Might I point out the odious Daleys in Chicago?

I doubt Harry could do much to the curse, at least without a great amount of work and ritual. McFinn likely did about all he could. Who could do something? Well, i think it also depends whose power did it. St. Patrick? I'd imagine a heavy hitter in human terms, but less than, say, a Mab. But if St. Patrick was just a channel from Above.... yeah, even a Mother or Uriel may be overwhelmed, if Above went in large. But ... likely Mab would work. Upstairs usually uses some restraint in their works... they found Michael's Panic room, and that was... Raphael? was it? a named angel, if not one of the top guys.  But he didn't blanket the place with a monster veil. A good one, but I am sure he could have done more. 

[Mira]

My point is, Harry never considered "lifting the curse" as a viable method of stopping the loup-garou.
If Harry had had even an inkling, he would have considered it:  Harry's rather good at that sort of "outside the box" thinking.

  Or realized it was a waste of time once Bob told him what kind of curse it was to consider it. Especially once he met Finn, if there was any other way Harry would have gone for it.  Also consider, when Harry met Finn, he was still very young in wizard terms, and his education from Justin and even Eb was limited, we also know from Peace Talks or Battle Ground that the Council made sure his education stayed limited, remember parts of the White Council library was off limits to him.  So the only reliable source of information for him was Bob, and even he has limits to his knowledge and has been known to make mistakes from time to time.

I reread both the section where Harry first asks Bob about werewolves, Bob names them off, Harry had never heard of a Loop before.  Bob says the last really big killing spree by one was in the 1600s and adds the only way to kill one is with inherited silver.  Then I went and read the part where Harry asks Chauncy about Finn.. Chauncy tells Harry about him, then explains how his family was cursed way back when by St Patrick.  And I think you are right, one of the bits about the curse was the Finn line will never fully die out until the end of time.. So just think if you are a cousin ten times removed or even a hundred times removed, you could be next to find yourself screwed one night by the full moon.. Also considering how Chauncy is and his attempts to get as much as he can on Harry, you'd think if there was a way to life the curse, Chauncy would have offered it in exchange for Harry's full name etc.. He never did, so I don't think there is a cure.

I expect they tried, yes.
I don't expect they got very far.
I doubt they had much to offer anyone with enough knowledge and/or power to do the job.

That's not the impression I got of their history.

MacFinn of the modern era had some resources, though.  He was rich; evidently, he had some spookyside contacts
He managed to get a pretty powerful circle built, to contain himself in loup-garou form.

Which was the extent of his knowledge of how to keep his curse contained.  And yeah, Finn was rich and had resources, so why was he messing around with a second rate young talent? Kim wasn't even an apprentice.. And while Harry did his best to answer her questions, she wasn't his apprentice.  Harry was in the phone book under "W," for wizard.   Also ask yourself, somewhere along the line Finn or one of his ancestors came up with that magic circle, which we also learn from Harry is very special and boarders on forbidden knowledge to build in the first place because of the kinds of creatures it is meant to contain, so why wasn't that wizard able to lift the curse?  Because it could not be lifted and the circle was the only solution.

[g33k]

...  Also consider, when Harry met Finn, he was still very young in wizard terms, and his education from Justin and even Eb was limited ... So the only reliable source of information for him was Bob, and even he has limits to his knowledge and has been known to make mistakes from time to time ...

I suspect these are the critical elements.

Harry has only an approximate understanding -- no practical knowledge -- of how to address the curse.  I liken it to a theoretical physicist trying to design a nuclear reactor:  they understand WHAT is needed, but not (in terms they know how to implement) HOW to achieve that.

... Chauncy tells Harry about (MacFinn), then explains how his family was cursed way back when by St Patrick ...

I re-read the Chauncy bit, too; I noticed something (emphasis added by me).  Chauncy said:

Sometime in the murky past, legend would have it, the man known as Saint Patrick cursed his ancestor to...

Note, Chauncy explicitly is reporting the legend -- not the facts.

Dresden challenges him:

"A Catholic saint did that?"
Chauncy made a sound of distaste.  "I am not responsible for the sorts of people the Other Side employs, wizard.  Or the tactics they use."

Carefully phrased to not be a denial of the allegation (though "conversational norms" would have it as a confirmation).
I'm not buying it (neither did Dresden).

... one of the bits about the curse was the Finn line will never fully die out until the end of time.. So just think if you are a cousin ten times removed or even a hundred times removed, you could be next to find yourself screwed one night by the full moon ...

Or if you are a Fitz.
Not bearing the name, but carrying the weight of the bloodline curse.

...  And yeah, Finn was rich and had resources, so why was he messing around with a second rate young talent? Kim wasn't even an apprentice.. And while Harry did his best to answer her questions, she wasn't his apprentice.  Harry was in the phone book under "W," for wizard ...

Harry's theory was that eco-crusader Kim met MacFinn over their shared drive for the big wilderness area.

MacFinn's ancestors could well have had bad interactions with the White Council; maybe he was unwilling to risk another such.  After all... Kim clearly knew Harry was the better candidate to do the repair; she likely tried to get MacFinn to go directly to Harry.  Why wouldn't he... except for knowing that Harry was WC?

Or maybe it never even occurred to him to open the phone book to "Wizard" -- it wouldn't be most people's impulse, even if they are looking for a wizard!

... Also ask yourself, somewhere along the line Finn or one of his ancestors came up with that magic circle, which we also learn from Harry is very special and boarders on forbidden knowledge to build in the first place because of the kinds of creatures it is meant to contain, so why wasn't that wizard able to lift the curse? ...

I think we should presume that the curse isn't easy to lift.

Maybe the warding circle was all that wizard could manage; I suspect one loup-garou (in immediate proximity) is easier to neutralize than an indefinite number of them, across centuries of time, across oceans & continents!

Also, maybe the curse was laid by somebody the wizard was unwilling to cross; if it were Mab's curse -- or Odin's -- how much of a bribe would it take for you to be willing to earn their ire by lifting their decreed punishment?