Mira Black

## Mirabelle Black

**Mira Black**, also known as **Mirabelle Black** (14 July, 1834 - 27 December, 1853) was an early member of the House of Black: the daughter of Licorus Black and Sophronia Black (née Rowle), she was the granddaughter of Cetus Black IV and Alodia Black (née Prewett). Her paternal great-grandfather was Betelgeuse Black, and her paternal great-grandmother was Adeliza Black (née Rosier).

She was raised on one of the Black family estates in Ilminster, Somerset, England, but passed away at Black Manor in Tisbury, Wiltshire, of dragon pox at nineteen. She was the second member of the Black family to die this Christmas in 1853: following her great-uncle Cygnus Black I, and predeceasing her second cousin, Sirius Black I, who was the Heir to the House.

## Biography

### Early life

Mirabelle Black was born on 14 July, 1834, in Ilminster, Somerset, England. She was born into the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, an old wizarding family who looked down on any except other "respectable" pure-blood wizards and believed in pure-blood supremacy. She was the second daughter of Licorus Black, a junior member of the house, being far removed in the line of succession, and his wife Sophronia Black (née Rowle). She had an older sister, Merope, who died young.

She came to be known as "Mira". Her paternal grandparents were Cetus Black IV and Alodia Black (née Prewett), and her maternal grandparents were Thornicus Rowle and Eustacia Rowle (née Greengrass). She had a maternal aunt, Petrina, who was the wife of Martius Parkinson. She had two first cousins, Theseus Parkinson I and Cressida Parkinson, who were around her age.

Mirabelle was very close to her sister Merope when they were children; the two were educated together and had the same tutors. The girls enjoyed a varied education which was closely monitored by their parents. They studied reading, writing, Latin, foreign languages, history, geography, land surveying, military architecture, mathematics, music, dancing and gymnastics, as well as religion from the age of three.

#### Hogwarts years

Mirabelle Black received an invitation to study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the summer of 1845. Sometime before attending, it is likely that she purchased or inherited a wand from Ollivander's or the vaults of the House of Black. The latter is less likely, as her father was the son of a *third* son of a former Head.

On 1 September, 1845, Mirabelle was sorted into Slytherin House, as was expected of all members carrying the name of the of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black- regardless of seniority within the house. The same could be said for her mother's family, the House of Rowle.

### Death

Every Christmas, the extended Black family would congregate at Black Manor in Tisbury, Wiltshire. However, during the Christmas of 1853, dragon pox raged throughout the household, and only few were spared. The outbreak claimed the lives of three members of the Black family- for fear of others catching the disease, they were all buried next to each other on the grounds of Blackmere House, a Black family property in Cornwall, in what was becoming the new family cemetery.

Mirabelle, known as Mira, died aged nineteen, on 27 December, 1853, of dragon pox. She was the second member to die, following her elderly great-uncle, Cygnus Black I. Her second cousin, Sirius Black I, aged just eight, would follow her, three days later, on 30 December.

## Etymology

Mira is Latin for "wonderful" or "astonishing". It is also the name of a red giant star, following Black family tradition, located in the constellation Cetus, which was the name of her paternal grandfather.