![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tabular_rasaI have made a brilliant, world-changing discovery, the absence of the answer to which has driven me to insanity for quite some time now. The question was:
HOW OLD ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE BLACK FAMILY?
I figured it out. I did MATH-- in the middle of the SUMMER!!! GAA!!! THIS IS HOW DESPERATELY OBSESSED WITH HARRY POTTER I AM!!!
Okay, here we go:
The book series takes place from 1991-1998. This is determined by Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday party in the 2nd Book-- he has been dead 500 years, since October 31st, 1492. Hence, the second book takes place late 1992-early 1993. Harry Potter turns 12 in that year; he would have had to have been born in July 1980.
This makes it 1995-1996 in the 5th Book. In an interview, J.K. Rowling stated that Severus Snape was 35 or 36 (chances are, his birthday occurs sometime within that period, so it's both). Hence, Sirius Black, in the same year as Severus Snape, would be 35-36.
Sirius Black would therefore born in late 1959 or early 1960. This is also corroborated by the statement Harry Potter makes in Book 5, about being disturbed by "an incident that happened over 20 years ago" when he see Snape's Worst Memory. Those involved were in 5th year, and, hence, 15 or 16 years old. When 20 is added to this, they become 35 or 36. It fits.
SIRIUS BLACK IS BORN IN late 1959 or early 1960.
Regulus Black, younger than Sirius, would have to be born nine months later; late 1960 would be the earliest. As Draco Malfoy is (SPOILER ALERT FOR BOOK 6) considered an excrutiatingly young Death Eater, it is safe to assume Regulus had to be his age or older when he joined. For the very youngest threshold, he could have died as little as a week after joining. It can be assumed he had to be at least seventeen when he died, to have joined the Death Eaters and done enough to get in and back out before his death in 1980 (the year of Harry's birth). 17 years previous to 1980 is 1963.
REGULUS BLACK IS BORN ANYWHERE FROM late 1960 to sometime in 1963.
Their cousins, the Black sisters, require more parallel number-crunching. I did Andromeda Black Tonks first, for certain semi-obvious reasons.
According to natural laws, Andromeda probably would have to have been at least 14 upon giving birth to her daughter, Nymphadora Tonks (let's hope she wasn't molested by Ted at the age of 11 or something-- particularly since they end up married). As Tonks is not mentioned in the Book 1, I think it is safe to assume she is out of Hogwarts before Harry arrives. This would make her at least 18 (if she, like Harry, were born in the summer) in late 1991. Hence, she is 23 or older in the 5th book. She would have been born in early 1972 or earlier. If Andromeda was 14 (the very, very limit of childbirth) when she had her, she could have conceivably been born in early 1958 (though that might require Tonk's conception before Andromeda's 14th birthday).
As Sirius ran away at the age of 16-- between his 5th and 6th years in school-- in 1976, and did not know Andromeda had been kicked out when he spoke to Harry about the tapestry, there is a bit of a paradox in having her having to have left by 1972. I doubt the family would have let her hang around with a halfblood child for a few years (even if she was only 14) so that she could be kicked out after Sirius. The only alternative I can offer is that she was old enough to be out of the house by the time Sirius ran away, hence having already graduated in 1975 (making her 18 by late 1975). This would force Andromeda to have been born no later than early 1957.
Bellatrix Black Lestrange is older than Andromeda (she is both on the far left of her sisters on the family tree, which, well, if you're not familiar with that, means she is eldest-- and, she inherits the house after Sirius and Regulus are both gone). If she were Lucius Malfoy's age (which would seem to fit, but there is no guarantee), 41 in late 1995 (Lucius is mentioned as that age in Book 5), she would have been born in late 1954. The youngest she can possibly be is nine months older than Andromeda-- hence, born in early 1956. As Snape is cited as having hung around with her and Rodolphus, she has to have been born within 7 years of him-- born anywhere from early 1952 to early 1966 (but this would be if one of them were a first year while the other were a seventh year-- which is unlikely).
Andromeda would have to be born in early 1953, if Bellatrix were born in early 1952, so Andromeda's range is therefore reduced.
BELLATRIX BLACK LESTRANGE IS BORN SOMETIME FROM early 1952 to early 1956.
ANDROMEDA BLACK TONKS IS BORN SOMETIME FROM early 1953 to early 1957.
Narcissa Black Malfoy would have to be nine months younger than Andromeda, naturally-- early 1954 being the earliest she could be born-- depending, of course, solely upon her sister's birthday. She, too, would have to be at least 14 at the birth of her son Draco-- 14 by early 1980 (Draco would be born post-March, but still early enough in the year, before August), she could be born in early 1966 at the latest.
It is likely, however, she is closer to the older end of the spectrum, as a 14-year-old girl giving birth married to a 25 or 26-year-old man is, even by the possibly old-fashioned wizarding standards, a bit dirty. I doubt the Blacks and the Malfoys are THAT backward-minded . . .
Still, NARCISSA BLACK MALFOY IS BORN ANYWHERE FROM early 1958 to early 1966.
Hmm . . . well, so much for doing math in the middle of summer. THIS is how devoted to Harry Potter I am . . . *sigh* That gave me a headache, but, well, now I can be a smart-aleck pedant to any fanfiction writers I want, lol, with number-crunched proof!
. . . I'll have to go correct myself if I'm wrong, too . . . lol.
HOW OLD ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE BLACK FAMILY?
I figured it out. I did MATH-- in the middle of the SUMMER!!! GAA!!! THIS IS HOW DESPERATELY OBSESSED WITH HARRY POTTER I AM!!!
Okay, here we go:
The book series takes place from 1991-1998. This is determined by Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday party in the 2nd Book-- he has been dead 500 years, since October 31st, 1492. Hence, the second book takes place late 1992-early 1993. Harry Potter turns 12 in that year; he would have had to have been born in July 1980.
This makes it 1995-1996 in the 5th Book. In an interview, J.K. Rowling stated that Severus Snape was 35 or 36 (chances are, his birthday occurs sometime within that period, so it's both). Hence, Sirius Black, in the same year as Severus Snape, would be 35-36.
Sirius Black would therefore born in late 1959 or early 1960. This is also corroborated by the statement Harry Potter makes in Book 5, about being disturbed by "an incident that happened over 20 years ago" when he see Snape's Worst Memory. Those involved were in 5th year, and, hence, 15 or 16 years old. When 20 is added to this, they become 35 or 36. It fits.
SIRIUS BLACK IS BORN IN late 1959 or early 1960.
Regulus Black, younger than Sirius, would have to be born nine months later; late 1960 would be the earliest. As Draco Malfoy is (SPOILER ALERT FOR BOOK 6) considered an excrutiatingly young Death Eater, it is safe to assume Regulus had to be his age or older when he joined. For the very youngest threshold, he could have died as little as a week after joining. It can be assumed he had to be at least seventeen when he died, to have joined the Death Eaters and done enough to get in and back out before his death in 1980 (the year of Harry's birth). 17 years previous to 1980 is 1963.
REGULUS BLACK IS BORN ANYWHERE FROM late 1960 to sometime in 1963.
Their cousins, the Black sisters, require more parallel number-crunching. I did Andromeda Black Tonks first, for certain semi-obvious reasons.
According to natural laws, Andromeda probably would have to have been at least 14 upon giving birth to her daughter, Nymphadora Tonks (let's hope she wasn't molested by Ted at the age of 11 or something-- particularly since they end up married). As Tonks is not mentioned in the Book 1, I think it is safe to assume she is out of Hogwarts before Harry arrives. This would make her at least 18 (if she, like Harry, were born in the summer) in late 1991. Hence, she is 23 or older in the 5th book. She would have been born in early 1972 or earlier. If Andromeda was 14 (the very, very limit of childbirth) when she had her, she could have conceivably been born in early 1958 (though that might require Tonk's conception before Andromeda's 14th birthday).
As Sirius ran away at the age of 16-- between his 5th and 6th years in school-- in 1976, and did not know Andromeda had been kicked out when he spoke to Harry about the tapestry, there is a bit of a paradox in having her having to have left by 1972. I doubt the family would have let her hang around with a halfblood child for a few years (even if she was only 14) so that she could be kicked out after Sirius. The only alternative I can offer is that she was old enough to be out of the house by the time Sirius ran away, hence having already graduated in 1975 (making her 18 by late 1975). This would force Andromeda to have been born no later than early 1957.
Bellatrix Black Lestrange is older than Andromeda (she is both on the far left of her sisters on the family tree, which, well, if you're not familiar with that, means she is eldest-- and, she inherits the house after Sirius and Regulus are both gone). If she were Lucius Malfoy's age (which would seem to fit, but there is no guarantee), 41 in late 1995 (Lucius is mentioned as that age in Book 5), she would have been born in late 1954. The youngest she can possibly be is nine months older than Andromeda-- hence, born in early 1956. As Snape is cited as having hung around with her and Rodolphus, she has to have been born within 7 years of him-- born anywhere from early 1952 to early 1966 (but this would be if one of them were a first year while the other were a seventh year-- which is unlikely).
Andromeda would have to be born in early 1953, if Bellatrix were born in early 1952, so Andromeda's range is therefore reduced.
BELLATRIX BLACK LESTRANGE IS BORN SOMETIME FROM early 1952 to early 1956.
ANDROMEDA BLACK TONKS IS BORN SOMETIME FROM early 1953 to early 1957.
Narcissa Black Malfoy would have to be nine months younger than Andromeda, naturally-- early 1954 being the earliest she could be born-- depending, of course, solely upon her sister's birthday. She, too, would have to be at least 14 at the birth of her son Draco-- 14 by early 1980 (Draco would be born post-March, but still early enough in the year, before August), she could be born in early 1966 at the latest.
It is likely, however, she is closer to the older end of the spectrum, as a 14-year-old girl giving birth married to a 25 or 26-year-old man is, even by the possibly old-fashioned wizarding standards, a bit dirty. I doubt the Blacks and the Malfoys are THAT backward-minded . . .
Still, NARCISSA BLACK MALFOY IS BORN ANYWHERE FROM early 1958 to early 1966.
Hmm . . . well, so much for doing math in the middle of summer. THIS is how devoted to Harry Potter I am . . . *sigh* That gave me a headache, but, well, now I can be a smart-aleck pedant to any fanfiction writers I want, lol, with number-crunched proof!
. . . I'll have to go correct myself if I'm wrong, too . . . lol.
