Alice Hitchens

## Alice Seymour (née Hitchens)

**Alice Hitchens** (1 November, 1879 - 11 August, 1960) was a half-blood witch, the daughter of muggle-born Robert "Bob" Hitchens and Iola Black, who was disowned for marrying her father. She had a younger brother, Robert Hitchens, Jr. She attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from September 1891 to June 1898.

She married Credence Seymour, a fellow Ravenclaw, the year after she left Hogwarts. She had three children with him- George, Anne, and Elspeth, also known as "Elsie," who married famous 20th century Quidditch player Ogden Rutter. Among her descendants are Richard and his brother, David Beasley.

## Biography

### Early life (1879-1891)

Alice was born on 1 November, 1879, in the city of Bath, Somerset, England, to muggle-born Bob Hitchens and his wife, Iola. Alice's mother, Iola, was a disowned member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, one of the oldest English wizarding families in Britain. Isla Black was disowned for marrying Bob.

Alice's brother, Robert Hitchens Jr., was born on 26 April, 1882. Alice, aged two, disliked him at first.

#### Hogwarts years (1891-1898)

Alice Hitchens received her Hogwarts letter in the summer of 1891. Before attending, she purchased a wand made of holly and dragon heartstring from Ollivander's Wand Shop in Diagon Alley, London. Her younger brother, Robert, wanted to come with her to school and attempted to sneak on the train taking her to school, the Hogwarts Express, which departed from King's Cross Station, London, on 1 September, 1891. Robert was found and his parents were ordered to come and collect him, and the train made an unexpected stop in the Midlands, nearest Birmingham.

Alice was embarrassed by the incident and the train finally reached its destination that night- Hogsmeade Station in the north of Scotland. She was Sorted into Ravenclaw House at Hogwarts and was reportedly unaware of her mother's family before some Slytherins taunted her- her first cousin, Cygnus Orion Black II, was a Slytherin student in her year.

Alice was bullied for the scandal surrounding her parents' marriage- at that time, pure-bloods marrying muggle-borns and being disowned for it was incredibly rare.

### Later life (1898-1960)

Alice married Credence Seymour, a fellow Ravenclaw, the year after she left Hogwarts. She had three children with him- George, Anne, and Elspeth, also known as "Elsie," who married famous 20th century Quidditch player Ogden Rutter.

She was widowed on 3 January, 1930, when her husband, Credence Seymour, died in London. Alice outlived two of her children as well. Her daughter, Anne, died in 1942, and her son, George, died in 1959. On 11 August, 1960, Alice joined her husband, son, and daughter in death.

She was survived by a daughter, Elspeth Rutter, and a son-in-law, Ogden, as well as five granddaughters. Among her descendants that still live today are her great-grandsons, Richard Beasley and his brother, David.

## Etymology

*Alice* derives from the ancient greek word '*alethéia*' which means 'truth'. That's why *Alice* means "truthful one."

The name *Hitchens* may derive from the Middle English personal name "Hicke", a pet form of Richard, common in the 12th Century (particularly in Cheshire), itself derived from the Germanic elements "*ric*", power, and "*hard*", hardy, brave, strong, with the diminutive suffix "-*en*".