Alphard Black

Alphard Black was a pure-blood wizard and a member of the noble House of Black. He is remembered primarily for a significant act of kindness towards his nephew, Sirius Black. After Sirius ran away from his family's home, Alphard provided him with a substantial inheritance. This defiance of his family's pure-blood supremacist values resulted in him being disowned and his name being burned off the Black Family Tapestry. Alphard's actions demonstrate that not all members of the Black family subscribed to their notoriously dark reputation.

Little is known about the life of Alphard Black, as he is deceased long before the events of the main story. He was the brother of Walburga Black, Sirius Black's mother. The defining event of his known history occurred after his sixteen-year-old nephew, Sirius Black, ran away from 12 Grimmauld Place due to his profound disagreement with his family's values. Alphard, showing great compassion and familial loyalty, gave Sirius “a decent amount of gold”, which allowed the young wizard to live independently. As a direct consequence of aiding a so-called “blood traitor,” Alphard was disowned by the House of Black. His enraged sister, Walburga, blasted his name from the family's enchanted tapestry, leaving behind only a “small, round, charred hole” where his name had been. Sirius Black recounted this story to Harry Potter while showing him the tapestry, expressing clear fondness and gratitude for his uncle's actions.

Alphard's physical appearance is not described in the novels. Based on his actions, Alphard was a kind, generous, and independent-minded individual. Unlike the majority of his relatives, he valued love and loyalty to his nephew over the rigid, prejudiced ideology of his family. His willingness to defy the formidable House of Black to help Sirius suggests he possessed considerable courage and a strong moral compass.

Alphard's specific magical abilities are unknown. As a member of an ancient and powerful wizarding family, it is presumed he was a fully trained and competent wizard who attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

• Gold: Alphard possessed a significant personal fortune, a portion of which he bequeathed to Sirius Black. It was likely stored in a private vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

• Sirius Black (Nephew): Alphard had a close and supportive relationship with Sirius. He was evidently a favourite uncle, and his financial support was crucial for Sirius after he was disowned. Sirius remembered him with great affection and gratitude.
• Walburga Black (Sister): Alphard's relationship with his sister Walburga was irrevocably broken by his support for her son. Her act of disowning him and removing him from the Black Family Tapestry illustrates her extreme adherence to pure-blood doctrine and her unforgiving nature.
• House of Black: Born into one of the most prominent pure-blood families, Alphard was ultimately cast out for his defiance. His actions put him in a similar position to his niece, Andromeda Tonks, who was also disowned for marrying a Muggle-born wizard.

The House of Black has a long-standing tradition of naming children after stars and constellations.

• Alphard: The name Alphard refers to the brightest star in the constellation Hydra. The name is derived from the Arabic al-fard (الفرد), which means “the solitary one” or “the lonely one.” This is highly fitting for a character who stood alone in his defiance of his family's cruel traditions.

• According to the Black Family Tree poster created by J.K. Rowling for a charity auction, Alphard Black's parents were Pollux Black and Irma Crabbe, and his siblings were Walburga Black and Cygnus Black. The tree also lists his year of birth as 1925 and his year of death as 1976 (J.K. Rowling's Black Family Tree).
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Sirius shows Harry the tapestry and points to his own burned-off name, but he does not mention Alphard or tell the story of his uncle's kindness (film).