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Marius Black was the third child of Cygnus Black II and Violetta Bulstrode, and the middle brother of Pollux Black, Cassiopeia Black, and Dorea Black. Marius was disowned and removed from the Black family tree tapestry for being born a Squib, a wizard-born person with no magical abilities. The Blacks were likely ashamed of his status, as Squibs are considered second-class citizens in the wizarding world and disregarded.

Marius's date of birth is unknown, but given when his siblings were born, Marius was likely born between 1915 and 1920.

Etymology[]

Marius is a Roman name derived from Mars, the Roman god of war. It was the name of several Roman generals, a philosopher, and an emperor. One of those Roman generals was renowned for his revolutionary military reforms and for being elected consul an unprecedented seven times. The name is also sometimes used as a masculine version of the name Maria,[1] which is derived from the Hebrew name Miriam, the meaning of which is usually theorised to be "sea of bitterness",[2] or, alternatively, derived from the ancient egyptic mry; beloved, or mr; love. Marius is also the name of one of the main characters in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables.

Marius is also the name of a moon crater, which fits in with the Black family tradition of naming children after stars.

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 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.

Behind the scenes[]

  • He may have had descendants (which may have been Muggles or Muggle-borns) but because he was disowned by his family, they did not appear on the family tree.

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

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