Bryony Macmillan

**Bryony Macmillan** (30 December, 1905 - 14 November, 1998) was an English pure-blood witch, the daughter of Ambrose and Blodwen Macmillan (née Carrow), and the sister of Cyrus and Marvin Macmillan, and Melania Black (née Macmillan). She was the maternal aunt of Orion and Lucretia Black.

She attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1917 to 1924 as a member of Slytherin House. For many years she lived alone as a spinster in Somerset, until her death in 1998, at the age of 93.

## Biography

### Early life (1905-1917)

Bryony Macmillan was born on 30 December, 1905, as the youngest child and second daughter of Ambrose and Blodwen Macmillan. She was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, on the Macmillan estate. Her father, Ambrose, was the Lord of House Macmillan, and served on the Wizenagmot and later became a British Envoy to the International Confederation of Wizards.

She was the granddaughter of Cornelian Carrow and Primrose Carrow (née Lovegood). Her paternal grandfather was Hiram Macmillan, and her paternal grandmother was Dolly Macmillan (née Spindle), an American society witch.

### Hogwarts years (1917-1924)

She received her Hogwarts letter in the summer of 1917. That same summer, she visited Diagon Alley and purchased a wand made of cherry and unicorn hair from Ollivander's Wand Shop. On 1 September, 1917, she boarded the train for Hogwarts and was sorted into Slytherin House that same night.

At school she became a member of the German Society. The German Society was a recreational club at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for students interested in studying German language and culture. Students would meet weekly and the club also functioned as a tutoring system for younger students. Students automatically become members of this club when they achieve an Exceeds Expectations or higher on their German language O.W.L.

She left the school in 1924 upon the completion of her seventh year.

### Later life (1924-1998)

Compared to her sister, Melania, Bryony was equally beautiful, yet frivolous. She had high ambitions in her youth and had at one time hoped to marry, but she decided that she found men repulsive. She lived as a spinster at her parents' estate for quite some time.

Her sister, Melania, had married Arcturus Black III, heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. She became the aunt of Lucretia Black in 1925, and Orion Black in 1929, who were both Melania's children.

Her brother, Marvin, married Cicely Flint, who had been a year above Bryony at Hogwarts. Bryony despised Cicely and often made this known at family gatherings which later led to Bryony no longer becoming invited. Her relatives no longer contacted her.

#### Death (1998)

For many years after being cold-shouldered by her family, Bryony lived alone in a cottage in Godric's Hollow, Somerset, unmarried. She died on 14 November, 1998, at the age of 93. Her burial was arranged by the family of her estranged nephew, George Macmillan.

## Etymology

The name*Bryony* is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning "to sprout". Bryony is an unusually strong plant name. The bryony is a wild climbing vine with characteristic green flowers.