Sacred Twenty-Eight

The **Sacred Twenty-Eight** were, according to the author of the *Pure-Blood Directory* (widely believed to have been Cantankerus Nott), the twenty-eight British families that were still "truly pure-blood" by the 1930s.

The Sacred Twenty-Eight comprised the families of:

* Avery
* Black
* Bulstrode
* Burke
* Carrow
* Crouch
* Flint
* Gaunt
* Greengrass
* Lestrange
* Longbottom
* Macmillan
* Nott
* Ollivander
* Parkinson
* Prewett
* Rosier
* Rowle
* Shacklebolt
* Shafiq
* Slughorn
* Travers
* Weasley
* Yaxley

## Notes about the Sacred Twenty-Eight

Interestingly, the Ollivander family is considered one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, despite Mabel Ollivander being Muggle-born prior to the book's publication. It is possible, however, that the Directory's author was unaware of or overlooked this for other reasons.

The Potter family was excluded from the list because it was also a common Muggle surname, and that Henry Potter also took an outspoken pro-Muggle view during his time in the Wizengamot. This was despite Dorea Black marrying Charlus Potter, and not being disowned, which would almost certainly indicate that the family had no known Muggle ancestors or relatives. Also, James Potter was a pure-blood. One possible theory indicates that the author of the Directory considered the Potters and other "pure-blood" families (such as the Princes, the Crabbes, or the Goyles) to have some amount of Muggle ancestry.

Some families (most famously the Weasley family) spoke out against the list in spite of their inclusion, declaring that they certainly had muggle ancestry and were not ashamed of it. The families who were proud of being included or who wished they had been labelled them "blood traitors" in retaliation.

Although the Malfoys were noted as respectable members as one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight (a title they are proud of), they did not take the pure-blood supremacy to the point of inbreeding: they were willing to marry half-bloods, many of whom are shown in their family tree. As they had no Muggles or Muggle-borns in their family tree, they were still a pure-blood family, just not as fanatic as the Blacks, Gaunts, and Lestranges, whose members do not marry half-bloods, Muggles, or Muggle-borns.

### Current status of the Sacred Twenty-Eight

The Crouch family is extinct. Bartemius Crouch Jnr killed his own father and was later Kissed by a Dementor; according to Albus Dumbledore, he was the last member of the family.

The House of Gaunt continues in Alexander and Davina Gaunt, children of Amadeus Gaunt and Danielle Atherton. The House also continues through several indirect lines, namely Viola Travers and Dareia Yaxley, granddaughters of Penelope Gaunt, Meredith Turner, granddaughter of Rhiannon Gaunt, Maia Avery, granddaughter of Inara Gaunt, and India Lestrange, Leta Lestrange II, Piero Lestrange, Austin Lestrange, Leda Black, Regulus Black III, Alya Black, Vega Riddle, Falco Riddle, Damian Berkshire, Sirius Black IV, and Alhena Black, grandchildren of Reign Gaunt.

The House of Black continues in Leda Black, Regulus Black III, Alya Black, Sirius Black IV, and Alhena Black, grandchildren of Sirius Black and Reign Gaunt. Andromeda Tonks née Black married a Muggle-born wizard, Edward Tonks, so they did not match up the policy of the Directory anymore. The House also continues through several indirect lines, namely Scorpius Malfoy, grandson of Narcissa Black, Edward Lupin, grandson of Andromeda Black, and Delphini Riddle, illegitimate daughter of Bellatrix Black.

The Lestrange family continues in India, Leta, Piero, and Austin Lestrange, children of Ambrose Lestrange and . India, Leta, Piero, and Austin also indirectly continue the House of Gaunt, their paternal grandmother being Reign Black.

The Malfoy family continues in Scorpius Malfoy, only son of Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass, which means that both families have been secured of an heir, although, in Greengrass' case, indirect. Scorpius Malfoy also indirectly continues the House of Black, his paternal grandmother being Narcissa Malfoy.

The Weasleys continue their tradition of being singularly prolific: with the only exception of Charlie and Fred Weasley (the latter died during the Second Battle of Hogwarts), all the children of Arthur and Molly Weasley got married and had children of their own. They however broke the rules of the *Pure-blood Directory* when Ronald Weasley married Hermione Granger, a Muggle-born.

The Bulstrode family continues indirectly through Maia Avery, granddaughter of Henrik Bulstrode. Maia Avery also indirectly continues the House of Gaunt, her maternal grandmother being Inara Bulstrode.

The Avery family continues through Maia Avery, daughter of Alphonse Avery and Aurora Bulstrode. The family also continues indirectly through Sirius and Alhena Black, children of Dayana Avery. Sirius and Alhena Black also indirectly continue the Houses of Black and Gaunt, their paternal grandparents being Sirius and Reign Black.

Neville Longbottom married Hannah Abbott, another member of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, but as of 2014 they did not have children. However, Abbott once stated that she was half-blood, meaning that one of her ancestors married a Muggle and thus the family was excluded from the Directory.

The Yaxley family continues in Dareia Yaxley, only child and daughter of Tristan Yaxley and Lorena Montague. The family also continues indirectly through Viola Travers, daughter of Harmonia Yaxley. Viola Travers and Dareia Yaxley also indirectly continue the House of Gaunt, their paternal grandmother being Penelope Yaxley.