Hesper Black (née Gamp) (fl. 1901-1906) was a pure-blood witch who married Sirius Black II. The couple had three children together: Arcturus, Lycoris, and Regulus. She was a grandmother of Lucretia Black and Orion Black.[2]
Etymology[]
Hesper is an English variation of the name Esther[3], which is believed to be derived from the Persian word for "star," possibly an allusion to the naming pattern of the family she married into.
The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia who saved her people from extermination.[4]
It's also possible that her name derives from Hesperus, the "Evening Star" from Greek mythology (Vesper for the Romans). This was a name assigned to the planet Venus, visible during the evening, whose morning counterpart ("Morning Star") would become called "Lucifer" in Latin.[5]
Behind the scenes[]
- The person who discovered Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration might have been related to Hesper.
- She shares her name with Hesper Black.
- On one version of the Black family tree designed by MinaLima Design for the Harry Potter films, as seen here, the name "Gamp" was misspelled "Gemp".
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Name seen on Black family tree tapestry)