Phineas Nigellus Black

**Professor Phineas Nigellus Black** (24 January 1847 – 23 November 1925) was a pure-blood wizard, and a member of House of Black. He was the son of Cygnus Black and Ella Black, and the brother of Sirius, Elladora and Iola. He married Ursula Flint and together they had five children: Sirius II, Phineas, Arcturus II, Belvina and Cygnus II.

He was depicted on the Black family tree tapestry.

Following his death in 1925, his portraits were hung in the Headmaster's office to offer advice to the current Headmaster, as well as at 12 Grimmauld Place, the ancestral home of the House of Black which was used as the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. He was able to travel between both portraits, allowing him to play a contributing role during the Second Wizarding War.

## Biography

### Early Life

Phineas Nigellus was born on 24 January 1847, in the London borough of Islington, England, to Cygnus and Ella Black. He had an older brother; Sirius, and two younger sisters: Elladora, and Iola Black.

The siblings were raised in a household that strongly believed in the importance of blood purity, and as such Phineas carried a grudge against Muggle-borns, whom he called "Mudbloods" and considered "simple".

At the age of eleven, in 1858, Phineas Nigellus began his schooling at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he was sorted into Slytherin House. He was once reprimanded by Dinah Hecat for having eaten a Sugar Quill in the middle of a lecture.

During the summer holidays when Phineas wasn't busy working with his grandfather and his heir training, he would join his sister in working at their uncle Arcturus shop in Knockturn Alley. After graduating in 1865, Phineas Nigellus decided to spend some time traveling Europe before returning three years later and applying for a teaching position at Hogwarts.

In 1870 at age 23, Phineas married Ursula Flint, and at the age of 30, the two had a son, Sirius, named after his deceased brother. Four more children followed: Phineas, who did not inherit his father's views on pure-blood supremacy and was disowned by the family for supporting Muggle rights; Arcturus, named after his uncle Belvina and Cygnus, named after his deceased father.

### Headmaster at Hogwarts

"*There's Phineas Nigellus...my great-great-grandfather. see?...least popular Headmaster Hogwarts ever had.*"
— Sirius Black on Phineas's legacy as Hogwarts Headmaster

As an adult, Black became a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a job which he loathed due to the impertinence of his students. He was later appointed as the Headmaster of Hogwarts by the British Ministry of Magic, in 1880. He accepted the position only for the prestige associated with it, and showed very little interest in acting as a role model or in the children's education. While he was Headmaster, all five of his child attended Hogwarts.

After the sorting ceremony in 1890-1891 school year, Phineas announced that the year's Quidditch season was cancelled due to a pure-blood student having been injured in the previous spring's final. This elicited noticeable dissatisfaction among the students, but he reminded them that they were there to focus on their academic futures before hurrying them off to prepare for the next day's classes.

Phineas was known to weave his pure-blood supremacist values into the administration of the school. In his role, he attempted to persuade Minister Faris Spavin to change the Hogwarts admissions process, very likely to favour pure-bloods and restrict Muggle-borns, though his request was declined. On another occasion, he failed to discipline two students who were bullying a half-blood victim, claiming that "*the wise rabbit doesn't seek to outrun the tortoise – because it's not necessary.*" His bigotry was fairly well-known, as students throughout the school could be heard claiming that he hated anybody who wasn't a pure-blood Slytherin.

In general, much of his work, whether it was administrative or related to student safety, was overtaken by Professor Weasley, while he preferred to be Headmaster only for the rewards it brought to his social position. His great-great-grandson, Sirius Black III, would later describe him as the least popular Head the school had ever known.

### Post Hogwarts and Death

After serving as Headmaster for 30 years, Phineas Black retired at 63 and officially moved into the Black Hall, which was located in the countryside of England, where he stayed until his death on 23 November 1925 at age 78.

At the time of his death, Phineas Nigellus had five children, a total of fourteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Many more would be born after he had died.

## Etymology

Phineas is a name of Hebrew origin. A variation of the *Phinehas*, meaning "Nubian," Phineas refers to the original natives that once ruled Egypt.

Nigellus is a name related to the Irish and Gaelic name Nigel. The meaning of Nigellus is "champion".

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 House of Black.