Harry Potter character
Artist's rendition of the painting of Phineas Nigellus Black as it hangs in the current Headmaster's office
Phineas Nigellus Black
Gender	Male
Hair colour	Black
House	Slytherin
Parentage	Pure-blood
Allegiance	Hogwarts
First appearance	Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Phineas Nigellus Black (1847-1926), more commonly known as Phineas Nigellus, is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series, the great-great-grandfather of Sirius Black, and said to be the least popular headmaster Hogwarts ever had (though it is possible Dolores Umbridge has since usurped this title). He had an older brother, Sirius Black (who died in childhood), and two younger sisters, Elladora Black (who started the family tradition of beheading aged house-elves) and Isla (Black) Hitchens (who was disowned for marrying Bob Hitchens, either a Muggle or a Muggleborn wizard). He was married to Ursula (Flint) Black, and had five children: Sirius Black, Phineas Black (disowned for supporting Muggle rights), Cygnus Black, Belvina (Black) Burke, and Arcturus Black. Harry Potter's godfather Sirius Black is descended from Phineas Nigellus through two of his sons, Sirius and Cygnus. Cover of the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone Harry Potter is the name of a very popular series of fantasy novels by British writer J. K. Rowling. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Nigellus-th-lmr. ... In the Harry Potter series, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is divided into four houses, each bearing the last name of its founder: Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff. ... Blood purity is a central notion in the fictional Harry Potter cycle. ... This article describes magic in the fictional Harry Potter universe. ... Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a fictional school of magic that is the main setting of the Harry Potter series of novels. ... This article is about the book. ... A fictional character is any person who appears in a work of fiction. ... Cover of the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone Harry Potter is the name of a very popular series of fantasy novels by British writer J. K. Rowling. ... Sirius Black is a fictional character in J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter series of novels. ... Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a fictional school of magic that is the main setting of the Harry Potter series of novels. ... Dolores Jane Umbridge is a fictional character from the Harry Potter series of novels by J.K. Rowling. ... Sirius Black is a fictional character in J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter series of novels. ...

Nigellus' portrait hangs in the headmaster's office along with the portraits of the other ex-headmasters and headmistresses. Like the other portraits in the headmaster's office, the painting of Nigellus helps the current headmaster. He does not seem to enjoy doing this. Albus Dumbledore addresses the portrait as if it were the living Nigellus himself. In the Harry Potter books and films, the subjects of magical portraits can move (or simulate motion, at least within the two-dimensional plane of the picture), interact with living observers, speak, and demonstrate apparent emotion and personality. ... In the UK and elsewhere, a head teacher is the most senior teacher in a school. ... An office is a room or other area in which people work, but may also denote a position within an organisation with specific duties attached to it (see officer, office-holder, official); the latter is in fact an earlier usage, office as place originally referring to the location of one... In the Harry Potter books and films, the subjects of magical portraits can move (or simulate motion, at least within the two-dimensional plane of the picture), interact with living observers, speak, and demonstrate apparent emotion and personality. ... In the Harry Potter books and films, the subjects of magical portraits can move (or simulate motion, at least within the two-dimensional plane of the picture), interact with living observers, speak, and demonstrate apparent emotion and personality. ... Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (born c. ... In the Harry Potter books and films, the subjects of magical portraits can move (or simulate motion, at least within the two-dimensional plane of the picture), interact with living observers, speak, and demonstrate apparent emotion and personality. ...

He does not get along well with his great-great-grandson, young people or most people for that matter; however, he did seem somewhat upset to find out Sirius, the last male Black, was dead, for either purely dynastic or emotional reasons. He, along with Ginny Weasley, is unusual in being a character who openly criticises Harry Potter's often rash behaviour in Order of the Phoenix. Ginevra Ginny Molly Weasley (born 11 August 1981) is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series. ...

A second portrait of Phineas hangs in the Black family home at 12 Grimmauld Place, and like other characters in portraits in the wizarding world, Phineas can travel between his portraits. In Order of the Phoenix, Harry uses the bedroom where Phineas' portrait is hanging, and Phineas takes him messages from Albus Dumbledore. His voice can sometimes still be heard coming from the frame when he is not in it, making sarcastic comments. Blood purity is a central notion in the fictional Harry Potter cycle. ... Number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London is the address of a fictitious house in the Harry Potter books. ... In the Harry Potter books, the subjects of the magical portraits on the walls of Hogwarts can interact with living observers, speak, move (or simulate motion, at least within the two-dimensional plane of the picture), and can even apparently move to other paintings to visit each other. ... This article is about the book. ... Harry James Potter (born 31 July 1980) is a fictional character and the protagonist of J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter series. ... Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (born c. ...

Name etymology

The Black patriarch's middle name, "Nigellus", means "little Black", in Latin. Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

J.K. Rowling's choice for his first name is also a meaningful one. In the Bible, Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, is a high priest who kills two persons who have sex because they belong to different ethnic and religious groups. His example has been used to justify attacks on interracial couples over the centuries. This corresponds to the Black family motto. The Gutenberg Bible owned by the United States Library of Congress The Bible (Hebrew: תנ״ך tanakh, Greek: η Βίβλος hē biblos, the book) (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Work of God, The Word, The Good Book or Scripture), is the name used by Jews and Christians for their differing (and overlapping) canons... Phinehas or Pinhas - פִּינְחָס, Standard Hebrew Pinəḥas, Tiberian Hebrew Pînəħās is a name shared by two characters in the Hebrew Bible. ... Aaron (אַהֲרֹן, a word meaning bearer of martyrs in Hebrew (perhaps also, or instead, related to the Egyptian Aha Rw, Warrior Lion), Standard Hebrew Aharon, Tiberian Hebrew ʾAhărōn), was one of two brothers who play a unique part in the history of the Hebrew people. ...

"Nigellus" is also the Latin form of the British name Nigel, itself originally of Latin origin.

It was initially believed by readers that Nigellus was his surname, and that it was probably anglicized to "Black" after his time. However, it was stated in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" that his full name is Phineas Nigellus Black. Anglicized refers to foreign words, often surnames, that are changed from a foreign language into English. ... This article is about the book. ...

Phineas Nigellus's family tree

A full version of the Black family tree can be found here. The Black family tree shows the members of one of the oldest magical families, and their links with many other magical families in the Harry Potter fantasy books. ...

Phineas Nigellus and his wife, Ursula Flint, are the oldest known ancestors of the "Ancient and Noble House of Black". This family is a very large one, having ties to many other prominent magic families in the Harry Potter series.

Characters that have appeared in the books who are known to be descended from Phineas Nigellus include: Sirius Black, Draco Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange and Nymphadora Tonks. Sirius Black is a fictional character in J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter series of novels. ... Draco Malfoy (born 5 June 1980[1]) is an antagonist in J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter books and Harry Potters principal rival at Hogwarts. ... Narcissa Malfoy is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series. ... Bellatrix Lestrange, née Black, is a fictional witch from the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling. ... Nymphadora Tonks (born c. ...

Additionally, the family tree suggests that Phineas may have descendants in the Potter, Weasley and Longbottom clans, as well as in the Crouch, Prewett and Burke families. Furthermore, many other familiar surnames occur in the tree among the Blacks' spouses, tying the family to other (likely pure-blooded) Wizarding families. For example, Sirius Black's female ancestors include an Ursula Flint, a Violetta Bulstrode, a Melania Macmillan, and an Irma Crabbe. The following are minor characters from the Harry Potter series in Slytherin House. ... The following are minor characters from the Harry Potter series in Slytherin House. ... The following are minor characters from the Harry Potter series in Hufflepuff House. ... Vincent Crabbe, a fictional character in the Harry Potter books, is a student at Hogwarts and a member of Slytherin House. ...

Hence, though Phineas's line might be extinct in name, he actually still has descendants whose family names just aren't "Black". It is possible that many, most or even all purebloods and many a halfblood is related to Phineas in one way or another.

Everard is a prominent member of wizarding society. ... Dilys Derwent is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series. ... Headmaster redirects here. ... Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a fictional school of magic that is the main setting of the Harry Potter series of novels. ... Everard is a prominent member of wizarding society. ... Spoiler warning: Armando Dippet was the Headmaster of Hogwarts during the time that a young Lord Voldemort, Tom Riddle, who was a student, opened the Chamber of Secrets. ...

See also

• Portraits in Hogwarts

In the Harry Potter books, the subjects of the magical portraits on the walls of Hogwarts can interact with living observers, speak, move (or simulate motion, at least within the two-dimensional plane of the picture), and can even apparently move to other paintings to visit each other. ...

External links

• [1] - Black Family Tree
• [2] - Black Family TreeCtaegory:Fictional wizards