Alexia Walkin Black

**Alexia Walkin Black** (12 October, 1819 - 19 July, 1844) was the illegitimate daughter of Corvus Delphinus Black, and the only child that he ever acknowledged. Her mother was Louisa Walkin, a half-blood witch, who was one of Blackmere House's scullery maids at the time.

## Biography

### Early life

Alexia Walkin was born on 12 October, 1819, inside Blackmere House in Castle Gate, which is located in west Cornwall. Her mother, Louisa, was nineteen, and served the house alongside ten-year-old Alice Walkin as a scullery maid. In great houses, scullery maids were the lowest-ranked and often the youngest of the female domestic servants and acted as assistant to a kitchen maid.

#### Alexia Walkin Black

Alexia's mother, Louisa, was a favourite of Corvus Black, who had Blackmere House constructed as his permanent residence in 1817, two years before Alexia's birth. Corvus Black claimed Alexia for his own when he "saw [Alexia's] dark hair and grey-blue eyes" as an infant in late 1819. Thus, she became known as Alexia Walkin Black.

Alexia was the only child that Corvus ever acknowledged, and over the years there have been many rumours of individuals claiming to be descended from the House of Black. But Corvus Black only acknowledged one child, and that was Alexia, and she was a child born to a scullery maid to boot.

Alexia's mother, Louisa Walkin, continued to work for Blackmere House and became the house's kitchen maid in 1821. Alexia was instructed by tutors inside the house, a relatively rare arrangement, in which Corvus Black promised that he would pay for Alexia's schooling at Hogwarts.

#### Hogwarts years

Alexia Walkin Black received her Hogwarts letter in the summer of 1831. Her father paid for her attendance and she was sorted into Slytherin House on 1 September, 1831. Her sorting reportedly "pleased" her father, as written in a journal penned in November of that year.

### Later life and death

Louisa Walkin passed away in 1843, and for several years she had enjoyed the company of Corvus Black- he was saddened by her passing, which was seen in his journals.

Alexia Walkin Black passed away at the age of 24 due to Cholera, on 19 July, 1844. She died without issue.

## Etymology

*Alexia* is the feminine form of *Alexis*. The Greek name Αλεξις (Alexis), which meant "helper" or "defender", is derived from Greek αλεξω (*alexo*) "to defend, to help".

The surname Walkin was first found in Huntingdon, where they had been granted lands by William the Conqueror, and were originally from the Norman French name Walchelyn.

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.