Lady Portia Black

## Lady Portia Black (née Malfoy)

**Lady Portia Black** (née **Malfoy**) (13 June, 1668 - 11 April, 1713) was the third child of thirteen born to Saturnius Malfoy, the 10th Duke of Wiltshire, and his wife Ambrosia Sidney, Duchess of Wiltshire. She attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from September 1679 to June 1686 as a member of Slytherin House.

She married Regulus Black II, a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, in May of 1689. Her marriage produced three children, including Auriga, Columba, and Lucretia I.

Her oldest daughter, Auriga, became the wife of Corvinus Nott II, while her daughter Columba became the wife of Edwinus Greengrass, son of Theobald Greengrass, 8th Earl of Norwich. Her youngest daughter, Lucretia Black I, became the wife of Leopold Yaxley.

Lady Portia Black (née Malfoy) passed away on 11 April, 1713, in Ilminster, Somerset, at the age of 44. She was the maternal grandmother of Atilius Greengrass, 11th Earl of Norwich, as well as Thaddeus Yaxley. She is an ancestress of an estimated over 100 living individuals.

## Biography

### Early life

Lady Portia Malfoy was born on 13 June, 1668, to Ambrosia Sidney, Duchess of Wiltshire, in Malfoy Manor, Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Her father was Saturnius Malfoy, 10th Duke of Wiltshire. At the time of her birth, Portia had two older sisters, Aurelia and Hermia.

Over the course of her childhood, Portia's mother, Ambrosia, had ten more children. Many of them, including Ophelia, Aquila, Cosette, and Saturnina, died young. Portia and her sisters' births were considered great disappointments by Saturnius Malfoy, who longed for a male heir.

#### Hogwarts years

Portia was the second Malfoy daughter to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her older sister, Aurelia, was sent to court and never to school, which some historians speculate whether Aurelia could have been a Squib.

Nevertheless, Portia began her education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in September 1679, one year after her sister Hermia. She owned a wand made of ash and unicorn hair, and was sorted into Slytherin House on 1 September, 1679.

She completed her education there in 1686. She became betrothed to Regulus Black II that same year, and the two were married in 1687. Regulus Black II was the second son of Aquilinus Black and his wife, Viola of France, the brother of Cepheus Black II and Cyneburga Travers (née Black).

### Later life

She had three children with Regulus Black II. They were Auriga, born 2 July, 1689, Columba, born 13 July, 1692, and Lucretia, born 16 November, 1693. Their children were not considered members of the main branch of the family.

Her oldest daughter, Auriga, became the wife of Corvinus Nott II, while her daughter Columba became the wife of Edwinus Greengrass, son of Theobald Greengrass, 8th Earl of Norwich. Her youngest daughter, Lucretia Black I, became the wife of Leopold Yaxley.

#### Death

Lady Portia Black (née Malfoy) passed away on 11 April, 1713, in Ilminster, Somerset, at the age of 44.

## Etymology

From the Latin *Porcia*, a feminine form of *Porcius*, an old Roman family name probably derived from porcus (a pig, a hog). The name Portia was borne by the heroine in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. A rich, beautiful, intelligent heiress of Belmont, she is bound by the lottery set forth in her father's will, which gives potential suitors the chance to choose among three caskets. If he chooses the right casket, he wins Portia's hand in marriage. If he chooses the incorrect casket, he must leave and never seek another woman in marriage. She is shown to think little of various foreign noblemen of similar rank who are most likely to seek her hand in marriage and still less of two suitors who seem to attempt her father's assigned task. Instead she favours a young but impoverished Venetian noble, Bassanio, who is also a soldier and a scholar. Bassanio goes on to choose the right casket.