Licorus Black

Licorus Black (1808 - 1872) was the eldest of his siblings by a mere 10 months. To his sister's knowledge, he is the only one of them to marry and have offspring. However, Licorus is the only one to know that this is not true.

Early Life (1808 - 1819)
Licorus was born to the House of Black by Nigellus Black and Alexia Black (née Walkin) in either January or February of 1808. He was raised by his mother and father in 12 Grimmauld Place. In the same year, just ten months later, his sister, Alexia Walkin was born, and together they squabbled over who would be the Head of the House when they grew up.

In 1810 his sister, Phoebe, was born, causing mild chaos in the house with three children born in very close proximity to each other.

In 1815 his third sister, Hesper was born, which came as a surprise to the whole family, as his mother and father would often argue about how they would never have children again.

Hogwarts Years (1819 - 1826)
Licorus was sorted into Slytherin House in his first year, and kept loyal to it by berating mudbloods, half-bloods, half-breeds, and blood-traitors as he crossed them in the halls. He went to school with his two sisters, Alexia and Phoebe, though they were in different years.

During his time at Hogwarts, he had many important things happen in his family. To name them all, his brother, Eduardus, was born during his second year; his uncle and his grandmother both died on the same day his only brother was born; his girlfriend, Magenta Tripe announced she was pregnant during his seventh year; his father died on the last day of his seventh year, before he could get home with the good news of a granddaughter on the way.

Later Life (1826 - 1872)
When Licorus returned from Hogwarts in 1826, already severely saddened by the death of his father, was promptly made head of house in 12 Grimmauld Place when his mother died the month after. Inheriting a rather hefty sum of gold, he and his family (including his new daughter, Misapinoa Hesper Black) were able to survive the first year without anyone in the house working, but Licorus started work at the Ministry of Magic in the Improper Use of Magic Office half-way through the first year on his own. At his job, he provided more than enough for everyone else in the house to not have to work at all, which was precisely what they did, to Licorus' dismay.

Suddenly being thrust into a parenting position, Licorus and his wife, Magenta, refrained from having any more children for the next three years, because his siblings were essentially children (Hesper: 11; Eduardus: 6). His second child and first son, Cygnus Eduardus Black was born in 1829.

When his brother, Eduardus was sorted into Gryffindor in 1831, he didn't care as much as his sisters, who were sending howlers to him for weeks. In fact, he thought it was fun to have a little variety in the family; yet he never dared show his satisfaction to his sisters' faces.

Two years later, he was about to witness the marriage of his sister, Hesper, and Crudelius Gaunt. However, the reception was cut short on account of the groom falling dead, seconds before he was to walk down the aisle. Licorus strongly believes he was poisoned, as the gauntlet he had drank from before he started walking was sitting next to a poisoned bottle of champagne; however, his attempts to try to convince his sister to make an investigation were futile, because she denied anybody would ever want to hurt her groom.

Two years later, his son, Arcturus Limette Black, was born. On the same day, Eduardus was disowned from the House of Black for making a back-handed, sarcastic comment at the fact that they brainwash the younger generation of Blacks into believing that pure-blood witches and wizards are superior to muggle-borns, half-breeds, and half-bloods. Despite this, Licorus was deeply affected by this news, and subjecting himself to visiting the all-accepting Leaky Cauldron to wallow in his sorrows. Luckily, however, he was less than surprised to see his brother was already there, washing an old portrait on the wall. There, he reassured Eduardus that he thought no little of him for what he said, and that he was like a son to him.

Since then, Licorus visited his brother every week for the rest of his life without the knowledge of his sisters. With Eduardus now being disowned, Licorus decided to give him his inheritance from his mother and father early, since he was going to be on his own now (though he hadn't been 18 yet).

Ever since his own brother was disowned, Licorus felt a pit in his stomach every time he passed the Black Family Tapestry. He thought of all the people who had been disowned, how his mother let him disown his uncle that he was named after because he married a half-blood. Every time he thought of it, he made a face that his sisters merely saw as disappointment. To an extent, they were right, he was disappointed; he was disappointed with himself. He found himself resenting his pure-blood heritage each year, but never spoke his feelings, not even to his children or his wife, out of fear for being disowned. He was once cleaning his room, when he found a boggart in a writing desk, which had before taken the form of the actual appearance of a boggart (which he had been so afraid of knowing), but now took the form of his sisters yelling and berating him, threatening to disown him.

When his daughter and his son married into pure-blood families, he smiled on the outside, but on the inside it tore him apart. He knew where his true loyalties lay, but he could tell no one but his brother. For this reason, he confided in him. He went to Eduardus' wedding to a muggle-born witch, and the birth of his nephew, which was named after himself. This is the reason he fought to stay alive as long as he did, so he could see his little nephew grow up.

In 1872, Licorus died, happy as ever after retiring from the Ministry. His family often remark that the amount of weight lifted off of his shoulders that day was enough to let his spirit drift off freely.

Etymology
Licorus is a form of the name Lycorus.

In Greek mythology, Lycorus was a son of the god Apollo. After him a city was named Lycoreia.

Behind the Scenes
Licorus has a descendent named Lycoris Black, that may or may not be named after him