Cordelia Brookstone Black

## Cordelia Black (née Brookstone)

**Cordelia Black** (née **Brookstone**) (29 December 1786 - 13 December 1836) was a pure-blood witch, and a member of House of Black. She was the daughter of Roman Brookstone and Marguerite Gordon. She married Nysa Black and together they had three biological children: Hesper, Licorus and Phoebe.

She also mothered her husband's illegitimate children: Alexia Walkin and Eduardus Limette.

She was depicted on the Black family tree tapestry, her first portrait has been hanging in 12 Grimmauld Place since her death in 1836, and the second hanging at The Black Hall since 1847.

## Biography

Cordelia Brookstone was the youngest child and only daughter of Roman and Marguerite Brookstone (née Gordon), born in 1786 in the aristocratic Brookstone Family. She had two older brothers, Curtis and Artie. Cordelia was taught the philosophy of blood purity from a young age and grew up prejudiced in favour of pure-bloods.

Cordelia was educated at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from c. 1797-1803. Sorted into Slytherin House.

In the summer of 1803, Cordelia married her classmate Nysa Black and fell pregnant soon afterwards with their first child. With fall coming and the new school year starting, Cordelia had been forced to stay behind at 12 Grimmauld Place while her husband Nysa attended his final year at Hogwarts.

Receiving no help from her inlaws, Cordelia gave birth alone on the 26 March of 1804 to her first daughter: Hesper Black. In the years to follow, Cordelia would become the mother of two more children: Licorus and Phoebe Black, and forced to care for her husband's illegitimate children: Alexia Walkin Black and Eduardus Limette Black.

When Alexia Walkin' had first been brought home, in 1806 Cordelia was unbelievably furious with her husband for having an affair and felt quite foolish as she believed, Nysa truly loved her. As time went on Cordelia grew distant from her husband, only giving him the bare minimum and the heir he always wanted.

Shortly after the birth of her final daughter, Cordelia moved all of her belongings into the spare room furthest away from the master bedroom. For the next ten years, Cordelia would only put up with her husband and his illegitimate child around important visitors or when the family went out in public together.

Cordelia treated her stepdaughter very poorly, refusing to do more than the bare minimum. She would rarely allow Alexia out of her room when her family came to visit, she forbade the elves from helping Alexia and used the Cruciatus Curse whenever she misbehaved.

Hesper, Licorus and Phoebe were treated like royalty. Cordelia would spoil them with hundreds of gifts even when it wasn't their birthdays or Christmas, she excused their rude behaviour and very rarely raised her voice or punished her children.

In 1820, her eldest daughter Hesper, died unexpectedly during her fifth year at Hogwarts, leaving Cordelia in a state of shock and disbelief. 14 days later, Nysa had brought home his second illegitimate child: Eduardus Limette Black, which had enraged Cordelia beyond belief.

Like his older half-sister Alexia, Eduardus too was treated very poorly and was given no more than the bare minimum. On the 3rd of September 1830, Cordelia packed Eduardus a small bag of clothing before sending him to Scotland to live with his sister Alexia.

Six years later on December 13th, Cordelia died at age 49, surrounded by her two remaining children and three grandchildren.

## Etymology

Cordelia is a name of Latin origin and is commonly accepted as a variation of the Latin word “cor” which means “heart.” This beautiful name has a romantic and antique ring to it. Another possible origin of Cordelia exists, further adding to the attractiveness of this sweet name. It might also come from the Welsh name Creiddylad, meaning “jewel of the sea.”

The Greek name Eura means "Justice."

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.