Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Phineas Nigellus Black====== =====Introduction===== Phineas Nigellus Black was a [[pure-blood]] [[wizard]], a member of the esteemed [[House of Black]], and a former [[Slytherin]] who served as the [[Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]. Widely regarded as the least popular Headmaster [[Hogwarts]] ever had, his legacy is primarily preserved through his magical [[portrait]], which hangs in the [[Headmaster's office]]. During the [[Second Wizarding War]], his portrait became an unwilling but crucial means of communication and a source of vital information for [[Albus Dumbledore]], [[Harry Potter]], and the [[Order of the Phoenix]]. =====Biography===== Born into the ancient and wealthy Black family, Phineas Nigellus upheld his family's staunch belief in [[pure-blood]] supremacy. He attended [[Hogwarts]] as a member of [[Slytherin]] house and later returned to become its Headmaster. His tenure was characterized by a cynical and often contemptuous attitude towards his students, a sentiment that made him deeply unpopular, even among his own descendants like [[Sirius Black]]. His primary role in the narrative occurs long after his death, through his sentient magical [[portrait]]. One portrait hangs in the [[Headmaster's office]] at [[Hogwarts]], while a duplicate resides at the Black family home, [[Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place]]. Phineas Nigellus could travel between these two frames, making him a unique messenger. During the [[Second Wizarding War]], his portrait played a significant, if reluctant, part in the conflict: * He was forced by [[Albus Dumbledore]] to carry messages from [[Hogwarts]] to [[Sirius Black]] at [[Grimmauld Place]], the headquarters for the [[Order of the Phoenix]], often complaining bitterly about the task. * He was the one who alerted the inhabitants of [[Grimmauld Place]] that [[Arthur Weasley]] had been seriously injured by [[Nagini]] at the [[Ministry of Magic]]. * After [[Sirius Black]]'s death, [[Harry Potter]] inherited [[Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place]], and [[Hermione Granger]] had the foresight to bring Phineas Nigellus's portrait with them on their hunt for [[Lord Voldemort]]'s [[Horcrux]]es, keeping it inside her magical beaded bag. * He provided critical, though grudgingly given, information. He confirmed to [[Harry]] that [[Dumbledore]] had used the [[Sword of Gryffindor]] to destroy a [[Horcrux]] ([[Marvolo Gaunt's Ring]]), giving the trio hope that the sword could destroy the others. * While hiding in the Forest of Dean, [[Hermione]] spoke the name of the location aloud. Phineas Nigellus overheard this from within the bag and reported it to [[Severus Snape]], the current Headmaster. This act, though seemingly a betrayal, was instrumental, as it allowed [[Snape]] to locate the trio and deliver the real [[Sword of Gryffindor]] to [[Harry]]. * Following the defeat of [[Lord Voldemort]], his [[portrait]] was seen in the [[Headmaster's office]] weeping, not for the victory of good, but because the death of [[Sirius]] and the disownment of others meant the end of the ancient [[House of Black]]. =====Physical Appearance and Personality===== Phineas Nigellus's [[portrait]] depicts a man with a shrewd, irritable face, astute dark eyes, and a neat, pointed black beard and moustache. He carries himself with an air of arrogant superiority. His personality is defined by his cynicism, sarcasm, and deep-seated prejudice. As a [[pure-blood]] supremacist, he held [[Muggle-born]]s in utter contempt, frequently referring to [[Hermione Granger]] as "the [[Mudblood]]" and refusing to take orders from her. He often dismissed the concerns of young people as trivial and referred to students as "dunderheads." Despite his unpleasant nature, he possessed a reluctant sense of duty to the current [[Headmaster of Hogwarts]], obeying the commands of both [[Albus Dumbledore]] and [[Severus Snape]]. He also displayed a deep-seated loyalty to [[Slytherin]] house and a mournful pride for his family's now-extinct line. =====Magical Abilities and Skills===== As a former [[Headmaster of Hogwarts]], Phineas Nigellus was undoubtedly a highly accomplished and powerful [[wizard]], proficient in many areas of [[magic]]. However, no specific spells or unique magical talents from his lifetime are recorded in the novels. His most notable ability in the series stems from his magical [[portrait]], which was enchanted to be sentient. This enchantment allowed him to hear and see his surroundings, speak with the living, and travel instantaneously to any other portrait of himself, making him an effective, albeit unwilling, spy and messenger. =====Possessions===== * **Magical Portraits:** Phineas Nigellus's primary presence in the story is through his two magical portraits. One is part of the collection of former Headmasters and Headmistresses in the [[Headmaster's office]] at [[Hogwarts]]. The other was a family heirloom hung at [[Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place]], which later came into [[Harry Potter]]'s possession. =====Relationships===== * **The Black Family:** Phineas Nigellus is the great-great-grandfather of [[Sirius Black]] and [[Regulus Arcturus Black]], and the great-great-great-uncle of [[Bellatrix Lestrange]], [[Andromeda Tonks]], and [[Narcissa Malfoy]]. He embodied the [[pure-blood]] ideals of the [[House of Black]]. His descendant [[Sirius]] despised him and his prejudiced views. * **Albus Dumbledore:** He served [[Dumbledore]]'s orders with great reluctance, viewing [[Dumbledore]]'s inclusive and pro-[[Muggle-born]] values with disdain. Despite his complaints, he ultimately deferred to [[Dumbledore]]'s authority as Headmaster. * **Harry Potter:** He initially treated [[Harry]] with contempt, seeing him as an arrogant and undeserving youth. Over the course of the [[Horcrux]] hunt, he became a grudging and invaluable ally, offering critical pieces of information that advanced Harry's quest. * **Hermione Granger:** He held a particular animosity for [[Hermione]] due to her [[Muggle-born]] status, often making derogatory remarks and refusing to acknowledge her directly. * **Severus Snape:** Phineas Nigellus showed considerably more respect for [[Snape]] than he did for [[Dumbledore]], likely due to their shared [[Slytherin]] heritage and [[Snape]]'s more traditionalist (apparent) demeanor. He obeyed [[Snape]]'s commands without the theatrical protest he gave [[Dumbledore]]. =====Etymology===== * **Phineas:** This name is of Hebrew origin and can mean "serpent's mouth" or "oracle," which aptly describes his role as a messenger who speaks from a portrait and his affiliation with [[Slytherin]] house, whose symbol is a [[serpent]]. * **Nigellus:** This is a Latinized form of the name Nigel, derived from the Latin word //niger//, meaning "black." It is a direct reference to his family name. * **Black:** His surname reflects the "dark" or morally ambiguous nature of his family, their association with the [[Dark Arts]], and their ancestral home at [[Grimmauld Place]]. =====Behind the Scenes===== * According to the Black Family Tree created by J.K. Rowling, Phineas Nigellus Black's lifespan was 1847–1925 (J.K. Rowling's Black Family Tree). * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix//, his [[portrait]] is voiced by John Atterbury. * Phineas Nigellus Black appears in person as the unpopular and lazy Headmaster of [[Hogwarts]] in the video game //Hogwarts Legacy//, which is set in the late 1800s (Hogwarts Legacy).
