Laurena Kama

Laurena Kama was a pure-blood witch from the esteemed Kama family. Her story is one of tragedy, central to the intertwined histories of the Kama family and the Lestrange family. Forcibly taken from her own husband by Corvus Lestrange Sr. through the use of the Imperius Curse, she became his wife and the mother of Leta Lestrange. Her abduction and subsequent death in childbirth set in motion her son Yusuf Kama's lifelong quest for revenge. It is important to note that Laurena Kama is a character created for the Fantastic Beasts film series and does not appear in the original seven *Harry Potter* novels. All information regarding her is sourced from the film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and its official screenplay.

Laurena was born into the ancient and wealthy Senegalese pure-blood Kama family, the daughter of Mustafa Kama. She was married and had a son, Yusuf Kama. (film) In the late 19th century, Corvus Lestrange Sr., a wizard from another old and powerful pure-blood family, developed an obsession with Laurena. Despite her being married, he used the Imperius Curse, a powerful and illegal Dark Magic spell, to force her to leave her family and marry him instead. This act of cruelty broke an Unbreakable Vow that had been sworn between Corvus's father and Laurena's father, Mustafa Kama. (film) Laurena lived with Corvus in Paris and, while still presumably under his control, conceived a child. In 1897, she gave birth to a daughter, Leta Lestrange. Laurena died during or shortly after the childbirth. Corvus Lestrange Sr., who had genuinely loved her in his obsessive way, never forgave Leta for her mother's death and showed his daughter no affection. Laurena's first son, Yusuf, was left with an all-consuming desire for vengeance against the Lestranges for the destruction of his family. (film)

In a magical photograph shown by her son Yusuf Kama, Laurena is depicted as a beautiful woman with dark skin and dark hair. (film) Very little is known about Laurena's true personality, as she spent the last part of her life under the effects of the Imperius Curse. Before her abduction, she was a wife and mother, and the profound love her son Yusuf held for her suggests she was a caring and loving individual. Her tragic circumstances, however, prevented her true nature from being known to the story's narrators.

As a member of a prominent pure-blood family, Laurena was a qualified witch. However, no specific details about her magical proficiency, wand, or particular skills are known.

There is no record of any significant magical items or possessions owned by Laurena Kama.

• Yusuf Kama (Son): Laurena was the mother of Yusuf from her first marriage. He loved her deeply, and her abduction and death fueled his entire life's purpose: to seek revenge on the Lestrange family as sworn by an Unbreakable Vow to his own dying father.
• Corvus Lestrange Sr. (Husband): Corvus was the wizard who became obsessed with Laurena, stole her from her family using Dark Magic, and fathered her second child. His actions directly caused her death and the suffering of both of her children.
• Leta Lestrange (Daughter): Laurena died giving birth to Leta. Consequently, Leta never knew her mother and was blamed by her father for her death, leading to an unloved and difficult childhood.
• Mustafa Kama (Father): The patriarch of the Kama family, he was devastated by Corvus Lestrange's betrayal and his daughter's fate. On his deathbed, he extracted an Unbreakable Vow from his son, Yusuf, to kill the person Corvus Lestrange Sr. loved most.

• Laurena: This name is a variant of Laura, which originates from the Latin laurus, meaning “bay laurel tree.” In the Greco-Roman world, wreaths of laurel were used to crown victors and poets, symbolizing honor and victory. This stands in tragic irony to Laurena's fate as a victim who was dishonored and destroyed.
• Kama: In Sanskrit (काम), Kāma is the word for “desire, wish, longing,” and is the name of the Hindu god of love, pleasure, and desire. This directly reflects the central theme of her story, as she was the object of Corvus Lestrange Sr.'s obsessive and destructive desire.

• Laurena Kama is a character who exists exclusively within the Fantastic Beasts film franchise. She is first mentioned and her backstory is revealed in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. (film)
• In the film, she is portrayed in a magical photograph by actress Isaura Barbé-Brown. (film)
• Her story serves as a critical piece of exposition, explaining the motivations of Yusuf Kama and the complex, tragic history of Leta Lestrange. It highlights the cruelty and entitlement of old pure-blood families like the Lestranges. (film)