House of Black

The Noble and Most AncientHouse of Black
Family heritage
Blood status	Pure-blood
Family motto	Toujours Pur (Always pure)
Notable family members	Artemisia Blackwood's mother Artemisia Black † (disowned) Apollonia Black † Licorus Black † Phoebe Black † Alexia Walkin Black Magenta Black (née Tripe) Eduardus Limette Black (disowned) † Hesper Black Misapinoa Black † Cygnus Black I † Arcturus Black I † Ella Black (née Max) Sirius Black I † Phineas Nigellus Black † Elladora Black † Iola Black (disowned) Ursula Black (née Flint) Sirius Black II † Phineas Black (disowned) † Arcturus Black II † Belvina Black † Cygnus Black II † Hesper Black (née Gamp) † Lysandra Black (née Yaxley) Violetta Black (née Bulstrode) Arcturus Black III † Lycoris Black † Regulus Black I † Melania Black (née Macmillan) Callidora Black † Cedrella Black (disowned) Charis Black † Pollux Black † Cassiopeia Black † Marius Black (disowned) † Dorea Black † Irma Black (née Crabbe) Lucretia Black † Orion Black † Walburga Black † Alphard Black † Cygnus Black III † Druella Black (née Rosier) Araminta Meliflua Black Bellatrix Black † Andromeda Black (disowned) Narcissa Black Sirius Black III (disowned) † Regulus Black II †
Status	Extinct in the male line
Relationships
Related families	Blishwick family Bulstrode family Burke family Crabbe family Crouch family Flint family Gamp family Hitchens family House of Gaunt Lestrange family Longbottom family Lupin family Macmillan family Malfoy family Max family Potter family Prewett family Riddle family Rosier family Tonks family Tripe family Weasley family Wood family Yaxley family Many other distant relatives
Affiliation
House(s)	Slytherin Gryffindor
Loyalty	Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Slytherin Slytherin Quidditch team Gryffindor Marauders Slug Club British Ministry of Magic Death Eaters Order of the Phoenix

"Toujours Pur."

— The family motto, translating to "Always Pure"

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black was one of the largest, oldest, and wealthiest pure-blooded wizarding families in Great Britain, and one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Many wizarding families in Britain were distantly related to the House of Black. Like the Malfoy and Lestrange families (both of whom are related to the Black family), the House of Black was synonymous with elevated status and wealth. The Blacks were traditionally sorted into Slytherin at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The Black family tree was displayed in the drawing room of the family home at 12 Grimmauld Place in London, England on an intricate tapestry, as an ornate mural. The tapestry started in the Middle Ages and showed the dominant line of the family up to the death of its last members.

By the late twentieth century, the House of Black had become extinct in the male line with the deaths of Sirius and Regulus Black, neither of whom had children. The female line continued through members of the Malfoy, Potter and Weasley families, as well as through the individuals Teddy Lupin and Delphini, the latter of which was Bellatrix's illegitimate daughter with Lord Voldemort.

History

Early history

"...my parents, with their pure-blood mania, convinced that to be a Black made you practically royal..."

— Sirius Black to Harry Potter on his family's values

The Black family traced its origin back to the Middle Ages. They claimed to have entirely magical ancestry, but as Sirius Black informed his godson Harry Potter, no true pure-blood families existed by the twentieth century, and the pure-blood families like the Blacks simply removed Muggles and Squibs from their family trees.

The Blacks placed a great importance on blood purity, considering themselves akin to royalty in the wizarding world and disdaining Muggles, Squibs, blood traitors, and Muggle-borns. The family motto, which could be found on the family crest, was Toujours Pur, meaning "Always Pure" in French. Many members took this phrase very seriously, and were willing to even marry and have children with their own cousins to keep the bloodline pure.

Recent history

Bellatrix Lestrange and other Black relatives are tried before the Council of Magical Law

Because of their views, a large number of the Black family members practised the Dark Arts and supported Lord Voldemort during the First and Second Wizarding Wars. A few Blacks even became Death Eaters, while many others never took the Dark Mark but believed in the "purification" of the wizarding world nevertheless. Walburga and Orion Black, two members of the family who were alive during the rise of the Death Eaters, were known for being cousins.

A few members of the family, however, disagreed with the traditional views of their family; Sirius Black, for example, joined the Order of the Phoenix, as did Andromeda Tonks, who married a Muggle-born, and Nymphadora Tonks, a distant member of the Black family. Both were murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black), Sirius's cousin and Tonks's aunt, in battle.

Supportive of Voldemort at first, the family loyalists who did not become Death Eaters got cold feet when they saw the levels he would go to achieve his goals. Their hatred towards Muggles is such that some members who are not outright Death Eaters would go to lengths to persecute them, such as Araminta Meliflua trying to pass a Ministry Bill to make Muggle-hunting legal. However, even those who originally supported Voldemort's actions to purge the Muggles got cold feet when they saw what he was willing to do for power.

Sirius Black being pushed into the Veil to his death by a curse of his cousin's, ending the male line of the House of Black

With Sirius's death, the male line of the Black family died out, but the female line continued through the descendants of his cousins Bellatrix Lestrange, Andromeda Tonks and Narcissa Malfoy, his second cousin, once removed, Arthur Weasley, as well as members of the Burke family, the Crouches, the Longbottoms and the Potter family who were related to the Blacks.

Family members

Main family

Alexia Walkin Black

Alphard Black

Andromeda Tonks (née Black)

Arcturus Black I

Arcturus Black II

Arcturus Black III

Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black)

Belvina Burke (née Black)

Callidora Longbottom (née Black)

Cassiopeia Black

Cedrella Weasley (née Black)

Charis Crouch (née Black)

Cygnus Black I

Cygnus Black II

Cygnus Black III

Dorea Potter (née Black)

Eduardus Limette Black

Elladora Black

Hesper Black

Iola Hitchens (née Black)

Licorus Black

Lucretia Prewett (née Black)

Lycoris Black

Marius Black

Misapinoa Blishwick (née Black)

Narcissa Malfoy (née Black)

Orion Black

Phineas Nigellus Black

Phineas Black

Pollux Black

Phoebe Black

Regulus Black I

Regulus Black II

Sirius Black I

Sirius Black II

Sirius Black III

Walburga Black

• Apollonia Black
• Araminta Meliflua Black
• Artemisia Blackwood
• Artemisia Blackwood's mother
• Black family ancestor

Relatives by marriage

Bob Hitchens — husband of Iola Hitchens (née Black) Caspar Crouch — husband of Charis Crouch (née Black) Charlus Potter — husband of Dorea Potter (née Black) Druella Rosier — wife of Cygnus Black III Ella Max — wife of Cygnus Black I Eunon Blackwood — husband of Artemisia Blackwood (née Black) Harfang Longbottom — husband of Callidora Longbottom (née Black) Herbert Burke — husband of Belvina Burke (née Black) Hesper Gamp — wife of Sirius Black II Ignatius Prewett — husband of Lucretia Prewett (née Black) Irma Crabbe — wife of Pollux Black

Jimbo Blishwick — husband of Misapinoa Blishwick (née Black) Lucius Malfoy — husband of Narcissa Malfoy (née Black) Lysandra Yaxley — wife of Arcturus Black II Magenta Tripe — wife of Licorus Black Melania Macmillan — wife of Arcturus Black III Rodolphus Lestrange — husband of Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black) Septimus Weasley — husband of Cedrella Weasley (née Black) Ted Tonks — husband of Andromeda Tonks (née Black) Ursula Flint — wife of Phineas Nigellus Black Violetta Bulstrode — wife of Cygnus Black II

Distant relatives

Distant Relative	Relation to the House of Black
Lysandra Blackwood	Daughter and only child of Artemisia Blackwood (née Black). She was born a Squib.
Arthur Weasley	Son of Cedrella Weasley (née Black).
Molly Weasley (née Prewett)	Wife of Arthur Weasley and niece of Lucretia Prewett (née Black).
Gideon Prewett	Nephew of Lucretia Prewett (née Black).
Fabian Prewett
Bill Weasley	Paternal grandmother is Cedrella Weasley (née Black). Grand-nephew of Lucretia Prewett (née Black).
Charlie Weasley
Percy Weasley
Fred Weasley
George Weasley
Ron Weasley
Ginny Weasley
Victoire Weasley	Paternal great-grandmother is Cedrella Weasley (née Black). Great-grand-niece of Lucretia Prewett (née Black).
Dominique Weasley
Molly Weasley II
Lucy Weasley
Roxanne Weasley
Rose Weasley
Lily Potter II	Maternal great-grandmother is Cedrella Weasley (née Black). Great-grand-niece of Lucretia Prewett (née Black). On her mother's side, she is a first cousin thrice removed to Dorea Potter (née Black); she is also related to her in some way on her father's side.
Louis Weasley	Paternal great-grandmother is Cedrella Weasley (née Black). Great-grand-nephew of Lucretia Prewett (née Black).
Fred Weasley II
Hugo Weasley
James Potter II	Maternal great-grandmother is Cedrella Weasley (née Black). Great-grand-nephews of Lucretia Prewett (née Black). On their mother's side, they are first cousins thrice removed to Dorea Potter (née Black); they are also related to her in some way on their father's side.
Albus Potter
Nymphadora Tonks	Daughter of Andromeda Tonks (née Black).
Remus Lupin	Husband of Nymphadora Tonks, son-in-law of Andromeda Tonks (née Black).
Teddy Lupin	Maternal grandmother is Andromeda Tonks (née Black).
Draco Malfoy	Son of Narcissa Malfoy (née Black).
Scorpius Malfoy	Paternal grandmother is Narcissa Malfoy (née Black).
Charlus Potter's son	Son of Dorea Potter (née Black).
James Potter I	Distantly related through his son's marriage to Ginny Weasley. Also, related in some way to Dorea Potter (née Black).
Harry Potter	Related through wife Ginny Weasley. Also, he is related in some way to Dorea Potter (née Black).
Araminta Meliflua	Cousin of Walburga Black, probably niece of Pollux Black and Irma Crabbe.
Hermione Granger	Wife of Ron Weasley
Fleur Delacour	Wife of Bill Weasley
Audrey Weasley	Wife of Percy Weasley
Angelina Johnson	Wife of George Weasley
Frank Longbottom	Relation of Callidora Longbottom (née Black).
Alice Longbottom	Wife of Frank Longbottom.
Neville Longbottom	Relation of Callidora Longbottom (née Black).
Barty Crouch Snr	Mother is most likely Charis Crouch (née Black).
Barty Crouch Jnr	Paternal grandmother is most likely Charis Crouch (née Black).
Delphini	Mother is Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black).
Tom Marvolo Riddle	Father of Delphini with Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black).

Family tree

"En stirps nobilis et gens antiquissima Black."

— Latin inscription on the Black family tree tapestry

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black

Unidentified Muggle

1 daughter

Unidentified ancestor

Apollonia Black

Alexia Walkin Black

Hesper Black

Eunon Wood

Artemisia Black

Licorus Black (1808–1872)

Magenta Tripe

Phoebe Black (1810–1882)

Eduardus Limette Black (1820s–1899)

Jimbo Blishwick

Misapinoa Black (1826–1926)

Cygnus Black (1829–1851)

Ella Max

Arcturus Black (1835–1893)

Lysandra Blackwood

Sirius Black (1845-1853)

Phineas Nigellus Black (1847-1925)

Ursula Flint

Elladora Black (1850-1931)

Iola Black

Bob Hitchens

Sirius Black (1877-1952)

Hesper Gamp

Phineas Black

Cygnus Black (1889-1943)

Violetta Bulstrode

Belvina Black (1886-1962)

Herbert Burke

Arcturus Black (1884-1959)

Lysandra Yaxley

Arcturus Black (1901-1991)

Melania Macmillan

Lycoris Black (1904-1965)

Regulus Black (1906-1959)

Pollux Black (1912-1990)

Irma Crabbe

Cassiopeia Black (1915-1992)

Marius Black

Dorea Black (1920-1977)

Charlus Potter

2 sons 1 daughter

Callidora Black (1915-?)

Harfang Longbottom

Cedrella Black

Septimus Weasley

Charis Black (1919-1973)

Caspar Crouch

Lucretia Black (1925-1992)

Ignatius Prewett

Orion Black (1929-1979)

Walburga Black (1925-1985)

Alphard Black

Cygnus Black (1938-1992)

Druella Rosier

Araminta Meliflua Black

1 son

1 son 1 daughter

Arthur Weasley (b. 1950)

Molly Prewett (b. 1949)

2 sons

1 son 2 daughters

Sirius Black (1959-1996)

Regulus Black (1961-1979)

Tom Marvolo Riddle

Bellatrix Black (1951-1998)

Rodolphus Lestrange

Andromeda Black

Edward Tonks (d. 1998)

Narcissa Black (b.1955)

Lucius Malfoy (b. 1954)

7 children

Delphini (b. c. 1998)

Nymphadora Tonks (1973-1998)

Remus Lupin (1960-1998)

Draco Malfoy (b. 1980)

Astoria Greengrass (1982-2019)

Edward Lupin (b. 1998)

Scorpius Malfoy (b. c. 2006)

Blasted off of the tapestry

"Blood traitor, abomination, shame of my flesh! ... Filth! Scum! By-products of dirt and vileness! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers!"

— The portrait of Walburga Black screaming at her "traitor" son

The original tree described from Grimmauld Place was subject to some magical interference. According to Sirius Black, his mother Walburga blasted names of "blood traitors" off the tapestry without hesitation. The Black family motto of Toujours Pur ("always pure") was followed assiduously by family members; any who disagreed with the notion of blood purity or married Muggles or people of different blood statuses were disowned and blasted off the family tree, as were any Squibs. Thus, family members that remain on the tapestry can be assumed to have married fellow ("respectable") pure-bloods. Some even married their own cousins; Orion and Walburga Black, for instance, were second cousins. Generations of this practice resulted in Inbreeding, which in turn has caused problems such as low fertility and emotional instability throughout the family line.

The known disowned members are Eduardus Limette Black (for an unknown reason); Iola Black, for marrying Muggle Bob Hitchens; Phineas Black, for supporting Muggle rights; Marius Black, for being a Squib; Cedrella Black, for marrying blood traitor Septimus Weasley; Alphard Black, for giving gold to his runaway nephew Sirius; Sirius Black III, for running away from home; and Andromeda Black, for marrying Muggle-born Ted Tonks.

Disowned Black	Reason
Artemisia Black	Father was a Muggle
Eduardus Limette Black	Unknown
Iola Black	Marriage to Muggle Bob Hitchens
Phineas Black	Muggle rights supporter
Marius Black	Squib
Cedrella Black	Marriage to Blood traitor Septimus Weasley
Andromeda Black	Marriage to Muggle-born Ted Tonks
Sirius Black	Blood traitor
Alphard Black	Supported his disowned nephew

Thus, the Blacks are related to the Max, Blishwick, Flint, Hitchens, Gamp, Bulstrode, Burke, Yaxley, Macmillan, Crabbe, Potter, Peverell, Gaunt, Longbottom, Fortescue, Weasley, Delacour, Johnson, Granger, Crouch, Prewett, Rosier, Lestrange, Meliflua, Tonks, Malfoy, and Lupin families (albeit most of them distantly) but are technically related, at least distantly, to all wizarding families as all families were once pure-blood and all pure-blood families are related.

Ironically, despite the Black family's strong belief in blood purity, Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black) commited a disownable offence by having a child with Lord Voldemort, a half-blood (even though the person in question was a pure-blood supremacist). Additionally, Draco Malfoy may have committed a disownable offence by marrying Astoria Malfoy, who was openly supportive of Muggles.

Physical appearances

The Blacks were commonly described as having "great good looks" and a certain aristocratic elegance and haughtiness that reflected upon their personalities, for they considered themselves "practically royal".

The traditional look for the majority of the Black family is dark hair and dark eyes, though there were some exceptions: Sirius Black III was grey-eyed, Andromeda Tonks née Black had light brown hair, and Narcissa Malfoy née Black was blonde-haired and blue-eyed. Despite these differences, each and every one of these three cousins were still noted to be a beauty in their own right, being of tall and elegant stature, with attractive features. Besides this, even after their incarceration in Azkaban and subsequent escape, Bellatrix Lestrange and Sirius were both described to have retained vestiges of these "great good looks", despite losing much of it in the depression of the prison.

Wealth

The Black family, as with many other pure-blood wizarding families like the Malfoys, the Lestranges and the Potter family, is considered to be very wealthy. This may be one of the reasons why the members of this family acted somewhat arrogantly.

In 1993, Sirius Black III used money from Vault 711 to pay for Harry Potter's Firebolt. This vault may have been property of the Blacks, since Sirius may have inherited this vault after his mother's death. However, he may have acquired it after being disowned, using the money given to him by his Uncle Alphard.

After Sirius died in 1996, his godson Harry Potter inherited all of Sirius Black's properties, including his house, his house-elf and his vault, which still contained "a reasonable amount of gold". Given its depth, it is likely a high-security vault.

Traditions

The Black family were well noted for having traditions and practices that only they (and a few other close relatives like Lucius Malfoy) participated in. This included a very strict rule about not even talking to members of the family that had been disinherited.

By at least the time of Dorea Black, the Black family had a lullaby which they didn't share with outsiders. Narcissa Black was quite fond of this lullaby, and sang it to her son Draco Malfoy every night.

Etymology

Black can be considered a colour, and is the result of the absence of, or complete absorption of, light. In Western culture, the colour black has typically been associated with evil, darkness, and witchcraft, but also with prestige and sophistication — appropriate for the rich and House of Black. Black has also been associated with life and prosperity by other cultures. In ancient China, black was the symbol of the element of water, which also corresponds to Slytherin, the Hogwarts house of almost all members of the Black family. In English heraldry, black represents darkness and ignorance; a possible allusion to the prejudice common to members of the House of Black.

However, the English word black is derived from either the Old English blœc, meaning "black", or blac, meaning "pale". Pallor is associated with sickness and the colour white, which is usually held to symbolise purity in Western and Indian culture, and death in East Asian cultures. This mirrors the typical colouring of members of the House of Black — dark hair and pale skin.

Etymology of given names

Tapestry of the Black family tree. At the trunk is Phineas Nigellus Black, and at the left side are depicted even more ancient ancestors of the family

Most Black family members are named after stars, moons or constellations. For example, the star Sirius is in the constellation Canis Major (the Dog). What's more, Sirius Black, an Animagus, could change into a massive black dog named Padfoot. Another example is Bellatrix, the third brightest star in the constellation Orion, which is also the name of Sirius's father and Bellatrix's uncle. Cygnus, Andromeda, and Cassiopeia are also constellations, and Regulus, Alphard and Arcturus are named after stars as well. Phoebe Black is named after a moon of Saturn Phoebe.

Some members of the extended family have also chosen to follow this naming pattern. For example, Narcissa Malfoy née Black named her son Draco, which is the name of a constellation. In turn, he named his son Scorpius, which is one of the constellations of the zodiac, known as Scorpio in Western astrology. Narcissa herself, however, was not named in keeping with this convention. She was instead named for a plant, the flower Narcissus. Lycoris Black is also named for a plant.

However if a member of the family is disowned and blasted off the Black family tree then the name is never used again in the following generations.

Family Name	Astronomical Origin	Status of Name
Alphard Black	Alphard is the brightest star in the constellation Hydra.	Disused since Alphard was disowned for supporting his wayward nephew.
Andromeda Tonks née Black	Andromeda is a constellation in the Northern Hemisphere and the name of a galaxy.	Disused since Andromeda married a Muggle-born.
Arcturus Black I, II, III	Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation Boötes the Herdsman.
Bellatrix Lestrange née Black	Bellatrix is a star in the constellation Orion.
Cassiopeia Black	Cassiopeia is a constellation in the Northern Hemisphere.
Cygnus Black I, II, III	Cygnus is a constellation in the Northern Hemisphere, also known as the Northern Cross.
Delphini	Delphinus is a constellation in the northern sky, close to the celestial equator. Alpha Delphini is a main sequence star of the constellation.
Draco Malfoy	Draco is a constellation in the Northern Hemisphere.
Orion Black	Orion is a well-known constellation in the Northern Hemisphere.
Phoebe Black	Phoebe is perhaps associated with another name of the sun god Apollo, Phoebus. It is also the name of a moon of Saturn.
Pollux Black	Pollux is a star in the constellation Gemini.
Regulus Black I, II	Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo.
Scorpius Malfoy	Scorpius is a constellation in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sirius Black I, II, III	Sirius is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major.	Disused since Sirius III was a blood-traitor.

Behind the scenes

J. K. Rowling's hand drawn copy of the Black family tree

• Most of the Blacks are named after constellations.
• A hand drawn copy of the most recent section of the family tree was donated to a charity auction for Book Aid by J. K. Rowling, in February 2006. The drawing was purchased on behalf of Daniel Radcliffe for £30,000.
• According to Sirius Black, if all of the pure-blood families stick with only pure-blood marriages, almost all of them will be relatives because there are only a few pure-blood families. Therefore Sirius relates to the Crabbe family, the Potter family, the Weasley family, the Malfoy family, the Crouch family, the Longbottom family, the Lestrange family, the Lupin family, the Gaunt family, the Macmillan family, the Prewett family, the Riddle family, the Peverell family, the Bulstrode family and the Slytherin family.
• Walburga and Orion Black were second cousins, though they married, a common occurrence historically for aristocratic, wealthy families.
• Another version of the family tree tapestry appeared in the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film). When film makers told Rowling that they needed to "visualise Sirius Black's family tree", she faxed them the complete Black family tree, going back eight generations. On that tree the name Phineas is misspelt Phineus.
• According to a statement by Horace Slughorn, all the members of this family except Sirius were all sorted into Slytherin. But some members of this family were in Hogwarts before Slughorn was Head of Slytherin, however it could be that Slughorn was in class with some of them. This statement is backed up with the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black wearing Slytherin coloured robes in the headmasters office and his claim that "We Slytherins are brave, yes, but not stupid".
• Many members of the House of Black have died at considerably younger ages than is normal for wizards and witches, and even Muggles for that matter. Of those whose dates of birth and death are shown on the family tree, none lived to be older than one hundred, and most died between the ages of fifty and eighty, with an average life expectancy of only 59.5 years (based on the family tree), though this is possibly the result of major inbreeding (see above) as well as emotional instability and war (as seen).
• Many members of the family are said to have great good looks, with a touch of aristocratic arrogance to it.
• After Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the only pure-blood members who weren't dead or imprisoned are Andromeda Tonks and Narcissa Malfoy.
• The female lines continue through Bellatrix (through her descendant with Lord Voldemort, ironically), Narcissa (with Lucius Malfoy), Andromeda (with Ted Tonks), Callidora (with Harfang Longbottom), Cedrella (with Septimus Weasley), Dorea (with Charlus Potter) and possibly Iola (with Bob Hitchens).
• Out of 36 members, most are descendants of Phineas Nigellus and Ursula Flint (25), Seven were of known generations preceding him and three were his siblings. The remaining one was Phineas himself.
• There is at least one disowned Black in each generation (except the generation consisting of Cygnus Black I, Arcturus Black I and Misapinoa Black.)
• All of the males that have been blasted off the family tree were not disowned due to marriage (except for possibly Eduardus Limette Black, who was blasted off for an unknown reason). Phineas was disowned for supporting Muggle rights, Marius was disowned for being a Squib, Alphard for leaving gold to his disowned nephew, and Sirius for running away from his home and not believing in the importance of blood-purity. The three females to have been disowned after marriage are Andromeda, Cedrella and Iola Black (all for marriage to a Muggle-born, a blood traitor, and a Muggle, respectively) .
• It is possible that some of the disowned male members of the family have male-line descendants that are not recognised by the greater Black family due to their ancestors' actions. Their descendants, if any, had however to have gone extinct (fully or just in the male line) by late 1995, when Sirius stated that he was the last of the Blacks. However, as they are not recorded on the family tree, it is unknown if they are deceased or not. So there is a possibility that the Black Family in the male line is still extant.
• Though many members of the Black family were supporters of either Voldemort directly or his principles of blood purity, the family did not become related to him until the birth of Delphini, daughter of Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange (née Black) as well as the marriage of Ginny Weasley, a member of the Weasley family and the House of Black, and Harry Potter, who is related to Voldemort through the Peverell brothers, distant ancestors of both of them.
• It was once speculated that Dorea Black and her husband Charlus Potter were in fact James Potter's parents, since they had an only child; however, the actual names of James's parents, Fleamont and Euphemia Potter, were later revealed via Pottermore, proving this to be untrue. In addition, if a parent of James Potter was a Black, they would have almost certainly been blasted from the tapestry for supporting Sirius. However, it is more than likely that Dorea was an aunt or cousin by marriage of James. Also, the female line of the House of Black continues through Harry's children, James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter and Lily Luna Potter, whose maternal great-grandmother is Cedrella Weasley née Black, also making Harry related to the House of Black via marriage.
• On the copy of the family tree hand-drawn by J.K. Rowling, Cygnus Black III was born in 1938, while his first child, Bellatrix, was born in 1951, and his last, Narcissa, was born in 1955, meaning that he was between 13 and 17 years old when all his children were born. Considering that Cygnus III was born late compared to his sister Walburga (born 1925), it is probably a mistake, though their brother Alphard was born between Walburga and Cygnus, and his date of birth is unknown, suggesting that Cygnus's date of birth could indeed be correct. Interestingly enough according to the Black Family Tree, his father Pollux Black had his first child and Cygnus Black III's older sister Walburga Black at the age of 13. Again this could be a mathematical mistake.
  • If the birth years are indeed correct, then the Black Family would have all at some point been in school at the same time (albeit in different years).
• In the fully illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by Jim Kay and Neil Packer, the family crest seen at the header of chapter six matches the illustration in J.K. Rowling's original sketch, albeit cleaned up and more symmetrical. The sketch is credited "NP," attributing it to Packer. A variation of the crest appears on the book's dedication page.
• According to European rules of Heraldry, the Blackwood family would be considered a cadet branch of the House of Black.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First mentioned)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play) (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World
• LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
• LEGO Harry Potter
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• LEGO Dimensions
• LEGO Harry Potter
• Harry Potter Prequel
• Harry Potter for Kinect
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault
• Harry Potter: The Creature Vault
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Motorbike Escape
• Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey
• Harry Potter Film Wizardry
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• The Archive of Magic: The Film Wizardry of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened (In the Book with No Name)
• Hogwarts Legacy
• The Art of Harry Potter Mini Book of Graphic Design