The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is full of fascinating characters, magical creatures, and intriguing mysteries. One of the most intriguing aspects of the wizarding world is the complex and intertwined family tree of the pure-blood families. Among them, the Black family stands out as one of the oldest and most influential, as well as one of the most controversial.
The Black family is known for its strict adherence to the pure-blood ideology, which values blood purity over anything else and despises Muggles and Muggle-borns. The family motto is “Toujours Pur”, which means “Always Pure” in French. The family also has a tradition of naming their children after stars and constellations, such as Sirius, Regulus, Andromeda, and Bellatrix.
However, not all members of the Black family share the same views and values. Some of them rebelled against their family’s beliefs and traditions, and were disowned and blasted off the family tapestry. One of the most famous examples of this is Sirius Black, who ran away from home at the age of sixteen and joined the Order of the Phoenix, a secret organization that fought against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.
But who is Sirius Black related to in the wizarding world? And what is his connection to Professor Phineas Nigellus Black, the former headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? In this article, we will explore the surprising truth about the Black family tree and reveal how Sirius Black is related to many other characters in the Harry Potter series.
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Sirius Black’s Parents and Siblings
Sirius Black was born in 1959 to Orion and Walburga Black, who were both Blacks by birth and second cousins. He had a younger brother, Regulus Arcturus Black, who was born in 1961. Sirius and Regulus had a very different personality and outlook on life. While Sirius was rebellious, adventurous, and loyal to his friends, Regulus was obedient, reserved, and loyal to his family.
Sirius hated his parents and their pure-blood fanaticism, and often clashed with them. He also despised his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange, who was a devoted follower of Voldemort and a sadistic murderer. He was sorted into Gryffindor House at Hogwarts, much to his family’s dismay, as all previous Blacks had been in Slytherin. He became best friends with James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, and together they formed a group called the Marauders. They also discovered that Remus was a werewolf, and learned how to become Animagi (wizards who can transform into animals) to accompany him during his monthly transformations. Sirius’ Animagus form was a large black dog.
Regulus, on the other hand, followed his parents’ footsteps and joined Slytherin House at Hogwarts. He also became a Death Eater at a young age, but later regretted his decision and tried to destroy one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes (objects that contain a fragment of his soul). He died in 1979 at the age of eighteen, after being killed by the Inferi (reanimated corpses) that guarded the Horcrux in a cave.
Sirius Black’s Grandparents and Uncles
Sirius Black’s paternal grandparents were Arcturus Black III and Melania Macmillan. They had three children: Sirius’ father Orion, his uncle Alphard, and his aunt Charis. Alphard was disowned by his family for giving gold to Sirius when he ran away from home. Charis married Caspar Crouch and had three children: Bartemius Crouch Sr., Harfang Crouch, and Charis Crouch Jr.
Sirius Black’s maternal grandparents were Pollux Black and Irma Crabbe. They had four children: Sirius’ mother Walburga, his uncle Alphard (who was also his father’s brother), his uncle Cygnus Black III, and his aunt Dorea. Cygnus married Druella Rosier and had three daughters: Bellatrix Lestrange (Sirius’ cousin), Andromeda Tonks (Sirius’ favorite cousin), and Narcissa Malfoy (Sirius’ cousin). Dorea married Charlus Potter and had one son: James Potter (Sirius’ best friend).
Sirius Black’s Cousins
As mentioned above, Sirius Black had three female cousins from his uncle Cygnus: Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black), Andromeda Tonks (née Black), and Narcissa Malfoy (née Black). Bellatrix was one of Voldemort’s most loyal and dangerous Death Eaters. She married Rodolphus Lestrange, another Death Eater, but her true love was Voldemort himself. She killed many people during the First Wizarding War and the Second Wizarding War, including her own cousin Sirius, whom she hated for betraying their family. She also tortured Neville Longbottom’s parents, Frank and Alice Longbottom, into insanity, and Hermione Granger with the Cruciatus Curse. She was killed by Molly Weasley during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Andromeda was the only one of the three sisters who did not share the pure-blood ideology of her family. She married Ted Tonks, a Muggle-born wizard, and was disowned by her family. She had one daughter, Nymphadora Tonks, who was a Metamorphmagus (a witch who can change her appearance at will) and an Auror (a dark wizard catcher). She also joined the Order of the Phoenix and married Remus Lupin, a werewolf and Sirius’ friend. She had one son, Teddy Lupin, who was named after his grandfather. Andromeda lost her husband, her daughter, and her son-in-law during the Second Wizarding War, but survived and raised her grandson.
Narcissa was the youngest and the most timid of the three sisters. She married Lucius Malfoy, a wealthy and influential pure-blood wizard and a Death Eater. She had one son, Draco Malfoy, who was Sirius’ second cousin. Narcissa loved her son more than anything else, and was willing to do anything to protect him. She lied to Voldemort about Harry Potter being dead during the Battle of Hogwarts, in exchange for Harry’s promise to save Draco. She also helped Harry escape from Malfoy Manor when he was captured by the Snatchers.
Sirius Black also had two male cousins from his aunt Dorea: James Potter and Charlus Potter Jr. James Potter was Sirius’ best friend and fellow Marauder. He married Lily Evans, a Muggle-born witch, and had one son, Harry Potter, who was Sirius’ godson. James and Lily were members of the Order of the Phoenix and fought against Voldemort during the First Wizarding War. They were killed by Voldemort on October 31st, 1981, after Peter Pettigrew betrayed their location to him. Sirius became Harry’s legal guardian after their death, but was falsely accused of killing Pettigrew and twelve Muggles and sent to Azkaban prison for twelve years. He escaped in 1993 and tried to clear his name and protect Harry from Voldemort. He died in 1996 during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, after being hit by a curse from Bellatrix Lestrange.
Charlus Potter Jr. was James’ younger brother and Sirius’ cousin. He married Daphne Greengrass, a pure-blood witch from a neutral family during the First Wizarding War. They had two children: Astoria Greengrass (who married Draco Malfoy) and Dorian Greengrass (who married Susan Bones). Charlus Potter Jr. died in 1997 during the Second Wizarding War.
Sirius Black’s Ancestors
Sirius Black’s ancestors were some of the most prominent and influential wizards in history. His great-great-grandfather was Phineas Nigellus Black, who was the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1870 to 1925. He was also the least popular headmaster in Hogwarts history, as he was arrogant, sarcastic, and disdainful of his students and colleagues. He banned Quidditch during his tenure, and did not participate in resisting Ranrok’s goblin rebellion as most members of the staff did. He died in 1925 at the age of 78.
Phineas Nigellus Black had five children: Sirius Black I (Sirius’ great-grandfather), Phineas Black (Sirius’ great-uncle), Arcturus Black II (Sirius’ great-uncle), Belvina Black (Sirius’ great-aunt), and Cygnus Black II (Sirius’ great-uncle). Sirius Black I married Hesper Gamp and had one son: Arcturus Black III (Sirius’ grandfather). Phineas Black married Ursula Flint and had four children: Sirius Black II (Sirius’ uncle), Phineas Black Jr., Arcturus Black IV, and Belvina Black II. Arcturus Black II married Lysandra Yaxley and had three children: Callidora Longbottom (née Black), Cedrella Weasley (née Black), and Charis Crouch (née Black). Belvina Black married Herbert Burke and had three children: Caractacus Burke, Harfang Longbottom, and Constance Burke. Cygnus Black II married Violetta Bulstrode and had three children: Pollux Black (Sirius’ grandfather), Cassiopeia Black (Sirius’ aunt), and Marius Black (Sirius’ uncle).
Conclusion
As we can see from this article, Sirius Black is related to many other characters in the Harry Potter series, either
