Dorea Potter

**Dorea Potter (née Black)** was the wife of Charlus Potter, the mother of James Potter and the paternal grandmother of Harry Black and Jim Potter. She was instrumental in matching James and Lily together and was a strong mother-figure to her great-nephew Sirius Black, whom she gave sanctuary to when he was disowned. She was killed by Death Eaters in 1979, along with her husband.

## Biography

### Family Lineage

Dorea Potter was born into House Black, an Ancient and Noble House. One of the 17 Roman magical families that relocated to Wizarding Britain after the fall of Rome, House Black has been a part of the Wizengamot since its inception. The Black Family has been noted to produce lots of witches and wizards capable in Shape Shifting Magic. The Black Family also has a reputation for being notoriously bigoted against Muggle-borns. Dorea's own viewpoint was that blood matters but talent and ambition even more so.

### Early Life

Dorea Potter was born between 27 March 1914 and 28 March 1915 to Cygnus Black II and his wife Violetta Black (née Bulstrode). She was the younger sister of Pollux Black and the older sister of Cassiopeia Black, as well as the sister of Marius Black, whose birth year is unknown.

### Hogwarts Life

Dorea started attending Hogwarts in either 1925 or 1926, and was Sorted into Slytherin House. She famously feuded with her future husband and Gryffindor peer Charlus Potter throughout their school years. Dorea thought it was just inter-house rivalry taken too far, unaware that Charlus' animosity stemmed from his fury that Fate had chosen a Slytherin as his "perfect match."

### Career & Marriage

Dorea was completing a residency at St Mungo's, where she excelled at experimental potions, when she and Charlus were forced to spend long hours together and he finally broke down and told her that he had been secretly in love with her from the moment he laid eyes on her, but he was also furious that he had no choice in the matter.

It was not long after that Euphemia Potter met with Dorea and revealed that long ago a Lord Potter used highly illegal magic to curse his descendants so that they would be drawn to the ideal marriage prospect and fall desperately in love, as had happened with her and her husband, Fleamont. Euphemia and Dorea agreed on very favourable terms. Euphemia modelled Dorea's marriage contract off the one put forward by her own mother-in-law, Sarah-Jane Potter, which included clauses that meant Charlus could never raise a hand to her, cheat on her or leave her. Dorea, on the other hand, could leave Charlus at any time, claiming a lot of his wealth in doing so, and could even take a lover at any time.

Dorea married Charlus four months later, becoming Lady Potter and moving into the Potter Manor, and the two spent many years trying to start a family. After three miscarriages and considering divorcing Charlus so he could start a family with a younger wife and continue the Potter line, Dorea finally conceived and gave birth to Iacomus Charlus "James" Potter at the age of 46.

### Motherhood

While Charlus pampered and spoiled James, Dorea was a much more distant presence in his life. Despite this, she was still a loving and doting mother towards her only son, often buying his expensive gifts and throwing enormous and deluxe birthday parties. Largely due to the Potter Prophecy, Dorea was afraid that if she had played an active role in James' childhood and he had developed any of her "Slytherin" traits then the result would have been disastrous.

Nevertheless, Dorea also proved to be a strong mother-figure to her great-nephew Sirius Black. She watched from afar as he was abused by the rest of his family and one of her many small acts of kindness was teaching him the Charm to detect poisons. Dorea and Charlus would later open up their home to Sirius after he ran away from home.

### Meeting at Summerisles

In the Summer of 1976, Dorea met with Lily Evans, a Muggle-born who James was desperately in love with, at Summerisles. She revealed all what Euphemia had told her. In addition, Dorea told Lily that she was aware of her lineage as a descendant of House Wilkes and that if Lily married anyone else then her family history would be revealed and she would become a social pariah. Dorea also gave her blessing for Lily to "whip James into shape" should she choose to pursue a relationship with him, asking that Lily just get to know him.

When dropping James and Sirius off at Platform 9¾, Dorea watched with "victorious pride" as Lily demanded James clean up his act with the promise that she would go on a date with him.

### Death & Legacy

In 1979, Dorea and Charlus were murdered by Death Eaters, struck down by the Killing Curse. Their deaths, and that of Lily's parents, led to James and Lily growing closer together. Dorea never got to meet her grandsons, but her legacy seems to live on in her Slytherin grandson Harry Black, whose temperament she shares.

## Physical Appearance

Dorea was described as a "grande dame of the Wizarding World." Her dark hair and stately appearance were typical of members of the House of Black.

## Personality & Traits

Dorea was a typical Slytherin. She was fiercely intelligent, cunning, ambitious and shrewd. Not one to be easily bullied or manipulated,

It is hinted at by James that Dorea possessed the inherited 'Black Madness', with Charlus often warning his son to stay very quiet and be prepared to run if Dorea got a certain gleam in her eyes. Despite this, unlike most of her family, Dorea held no hatred for Muggle-borns and blood traitors, even welcoming her Muggle-born daughter-in-law Lily Evans into their family and opening her home to her great-nephew Sirius Black after he was disowned from her family.

Dorea was a strict but loving mother, doing things to better her own life and that of her family. This included creating a timetable for everything in the Potter Manor and arranging for Lily Evans to date James on the condition he stops pulling pranks and bullying other students.

## Magical Abilities & Skills

Dorea was a powerful witch who excelled in Healing, was very proficient in Potions and had a talent for Charms.

## Behind the Scenes

* According to TSM, the role of Dorea Potter is played by Dame Diana Rigg, as pictured above, at around 50.
* According to TSM, all of Dorea's miscarriages would have resulted in daughters.

## Canon Divergence

In JKR's "Harry Potter" series, Euphemia Potter is the mother of James and grandmother of Harry. Dorea's exact relationship to Harry is not known, however it is assumed she is likely James' cousin by marriage, thus her own son being second cousin to Harry. Dorea was also born in 1920 and it is unknown how she died. In TSM's "Prince of Slytherin" series, Dorea was born in 1914 or 1915 and is James Potter's mother, with Euphemia Potter being James' grandmother and Harry's great-grandmother.

## References

Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 133 - Potters and Blacks,

Dorea mentions being 46 when James was born, which was on 27 March 1960.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 133 - Potters and Blacks,

Dorea Black reveals that her and Charlus Potter's arguments were caused by Charlus knowing about the Potter Curse.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 133 - Potters and Blacks,

Dorea Black explains her marriage contract to Lily Evans.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 133 - Potters and Blacks,

Dorea Black explains her marriage to Lily Evans.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 133 - Potters and Blacks,

Dorea Black meets with Lily Evans to ensure she dates her son, James Potter.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 133 - Potters and Blacks,

Lily Evans agrees to date James Potter under certain conditions, much to Dorea's delight.
Book 1 - HP&PoS - Ch. 34 - The End of the Beginning (Pt 2),

"My parents died that year too, Lily.".
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 133 - Potters and Blacks,

James recognised the look in Sirius' eye as that of Dorea, and to that his father told him to avoid any Black with this look.
Book 3 - HP&DEM - Ch. 133 - Potters and Blacks,

Author's Notes 3, Casting for Dorea Potter and Erasmus Wilkes.