If you are a fan of the Harry Potter series, you might have wondered how the characters are related to each other. The wizarding world is full of complex and intertwined family ties, especially among the pure-blood families. One of the most surprising connections is between Draco Malfoy and Sirius Black, two characters who seem to have nothing in common. But are they really related? And if so, how?
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The Black Family: A Noble and Most Ancient House
To understand the relationship between Draco and Sirius, we need to start with the Black family. The Blacks are one of the oldest and most respected wizarding families in Britain, tracing their lineage back to the Middle Ages. They are also one of the most fanatical supporters of blood purity, believing that only pure-blood wizards and witches are worthy of magic. They have a strict tradition of disowning and burning the names of any family members who marry Muggles, Muggle-borns, or blood traitors. This is why their family tree looks like a tapestry full of holes and burn marks.
The Black family tree is also full of famous and infamous names. Some of the notable Blacks include Phineas Nigellus Black, a former headmaster of Hogwarts; Arcturus Black, a highly influential politician; Walburga Black, the mother of Sirius and Regulus; Bellatrix Lestrange, a notorious Death Eater; and Andromeda Tonks, the mother of Nymphadora Tonks.
The Malfoy Family: A Proud and Powerful Line
The Malfoys are another prominent pure-blood family, known for their wealth, influence, and arrogance. They claim to have descended from a French wizard named Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, who was also known as Nearly Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor House. However, this claim is dubious, as Nick himself denied any relation to the Malfoys.
The Malfoys have always been loyal to the Dark Lord Voldemort, and many of them became Death Eaters during his reign of terror. They also have a history of prejudice and discrimination against Muggles, Muggle-borns, and half-bloods. Some of the well-known Malfoys include Abraxas Malfoy, the grandfather of Draco; Lucius Malfoy, a high-ranking Death Eater and a former school governor; Narcissa Malfoy, the wife of Lucius and the mother of Draco; and Draco Malfoy, a former student of Hogwarts and a rival of Harry Potter.
The Connection: Narcissa Black and Sirius Black
So how are Draco and Sirius related? The answer lies in Narcissa Black, who is both Draco’s mother and Sirius’s cousin. Narcissa is the youngest daughter of Cygnus Black III and Druella Rosier, who are both pure-bloods. She has two older sisters: Bellatrix Lestrange, who married Rodolphus Lestrange; and Andromeda Tonks, who married Ted Tonks, a Muggle-born.
Narcissa married Lucius Malfoy when she was young, and they had one son: Draco. This means that Draco is the grandson of Cygnus and Druella, and the nephew of Bellatrix and Andromeda. It also means that he is the first cousin once removed of Sirius Black.
Sirius is the son of Orion Black and Walburga Black, who are also pure-bloods. He has one younger brother: Regulus Black, who was a Death Eater and died trying to destroy one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes. Sirius was disowned by his family when he was sixteen, because he ran away from home and refused to join the Death Eaters. He was also burned off the family tree by his mother.
Sirius is the first cousin of Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Andromeda, as their fathers are brothers. This means that he is also the first cousin once removed of Draco Malfoy.
The Implications: A Family Divided
The fact that Draco and Sirius are related shows how complicated and divided the wizarding world is. On one hand, they share a common ancestry and a noble heritage. On the other hand, they have very different values and allegiances. Draco is raised to believe in blood purity and to follow Voldemort’s cause. Sirius is an outcast who rejects his family’s ideology and fights for Dumbledore’s side.
Draco and Sirius never interact much in the books or movies, but when they do, they are usually hostile or indifferent to each other. They do not acknowledge or care about their blood relation, as it does not affect their choices or actions. They are more defined by their personalities and their roles in the story than by their family ties.
However, there are some moments when their connection becomes more apparent or relevant. For example:
- In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry sees a vision of Sirius being tortured by Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries. He rushes to save him, only to find out that it was a trap. Draco is one of the Death Eaters who ambushes Harry and his friends, and he tries to take the prophecy from Harry. Sirius arrives with other members of the Order of the Phoenix, and he duels with his cousin Bellatrix. He taunts her by calling her a “sweetheart”, which angers her. She hits him with a curse that sends him falling through the veil, killing him. Draco witnesses Sirius’s death, but he does not show any emotion or reaction.
- In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry inherits Grimmauld Place, the ancestral home of the Black family, after Sirius’s death. He also inherits Kreacher, the house-elf who served the Blacks for generations. Kreacher hates Sirius for treating him badly, and he also hates Harry for being his new master. He disobeys Harry’s orders and tries to sabotage his plans. He also reveals that he helped Draco to sneak Death Eaters into Hogwarts, by using the secret passage in the Room of Requirement. Harry later learns that Kreacher was loyal to Regulus, Sirius’s brother, who gave him a fake locket that was actually a Horcrux. Harry decides to be kinder to Kreacher, and he asks him to help him find the real locket. Kreacher agrees, and he becomes more friendly and helpful to Harry and his friends.
- In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry, Ron, and Hermione use Polyjuice Potion to disguise themselves as different people and infiltrate the Ministry of Magic. They are looking for Dolores Umbridge, who has the locket Horcrux that belonged to Regulus. Harry pretends to be Albert Runcorn, a high-ranking official who works for Umbridge. He sees Draco’s father Lucius in the elevator, and he notices that he looks pale and scared. He also sees Draco’s mother Narcissa in the courtroom, where she is watching the trial of a Muggle-born witch named Mary Cattermole. She looks cold and bored, but she also seems worried about her husband and son. Harry realizes that the Malfoys are not happy or proud of being Death Eaters anymore, as they are under constant pressure and fear from Voldemort.
These examples show that Draco and Sirius are more than just distant relatives. They are also part of a larger conflict that affects their lives and their families. They are both influenced by their upbringing and their environment, but they also have their own choices and consequences. They are both complex and dynamic characters who have their own strengths and weaknesses.
The Conclusion: A Family Reunited?
The relationship between Draco and Sirius is one of the many fascinating aspects of the Harry Potter series. It reveals how rich and diverse the wizarding world is, and how every character has a backstory and a connection to others. It also raises some interesting questions and possibilities:
- What if Draco and Sirius had known each other better? Would they have liked or hated each other more? Would they have learned anything from each other?
- What if Draco had followed Sirius’s example and rebelled against his family? Would he have joined the Order of the Phoenix or remained neutral? Would he have been happier or more miserable?
- What if Sirius had survived the battle at the Department of Mysteries? Would he have forgiven or reconciled with his family? Would he have helped or hindered Draco’s redemption?
We may never know the answers to these questions, but we can always imagine them. We can also hope that Draco and Sirius, along with their families, have found peace and happiness in the afterlife. Maybe they have even met each other again, and maybe they have become friends.
According to Screenrant, Draco Malfoy is related to Sirius Black through Narcissa Black Malfoy, who is both Draco’s mother and Sirius’s cousin. This makes Draco and Sirius first cousins once removed. This connection shows how complex and divided the wizarding world is, as Draco and Sirius have very different values and allegiances. They rarely interact in the books or movies, but when they do, they are usually hostile or indifferent to each other. However, there are some moments when their relation becomes more apparent or relevant, such as when Sirius dies in front of Draco, when Harry inherits Kreacher from Sirius, or when Harry sees Narcissa in the Ministry of Magic.
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