Euphemia Potter

Euphemia Potter
Biographical information
Born	Before 27 March 1960
Died	Between June 1978 and 31 July 1980
Blood status	Pure-blood or half-blood
Marital status	Married or widowed
Nationality	English
Physical information
Species	Human
Gender	Female
Relationship information
Family members	Fleamont Potter (husband) † James Potter I (son) † Harry Potter (grandson) Henry Potter (father-in-law) † Mother-in-law † Potter family (in-laws/descendants)
Romances	Fleamont Potter (husband) †
Affiliation
Loyalty	Potter family

Euphemia Potter (died c. 1979) was a pure-blood witch. She was married to Fleamont Potter, with whom she had one son, James, thus making her the paternal grandmother of the famous Harry Potter, and the great-grandmother of James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna Potter.

Biography

Little is known about Euphemia's early life. She and her husband Fleamont lived a comfortable life due to his wealth. They had trouble having children and eventually gave up the hope of ever having a son or daughter of their own. However, in 1959, to the couple's shock and delight, Euphemia discovered she was pregnant, and gave birth to a son, James, on 27 March 1960. Due to her late-in-life pregnancy, James was an only child, and was doted on quite a lot.

When James's best friend, Sirius Black, ran away from home at age sixteen, he found refuge in the Potter household. Euphemia and her husband came to regard Sirius as something of a second son. After Sirius moved into his own flat, he kept in touch with the Potters, and was always welcome to have lunch with them on Sundays.

Advancing in age, both Euphemia and her husband Fleamont succumbed to Dragon Pox shortly after the marriage of their son James to Lily Evans, in 1978–1979, dying within days of each other. Euphemia never got a chance to meet her grandson, who would only be born after his grandparents' deaths, on 31 July 1980, but she was among the relatives who Harry saw when he looked into the Mirror of Erised in late 1991.

Etymology

Euphemia is a name of Greek origin. 'Eu' means 'good', and 'phemi' means 'to speak'; its full meaning is usually translated to mean 'well-spoken, auspicious speech or good repute'.

Behind the scenes

• The name 'Euphemia' is not unusual to see in British and Scottish ancestral trees, and has been the name of several European queens. A common nickname for those with the name is 'Effie'.
• It was once presumed that Charlus Potter and Dorea Black, who appeared on the Black family tree, might have been James's parents (since it was known that Charlus and Dorea also had one son). However, J. K. Rowling revealed via Pottermore that that was not the case. It is still more than likely, however, that Charlus Potter is somehow related to Fleamont.
• Euphemia Potter shares the same first name with Euphemia Rowle. Whilst they share the same name, they can be considered polar opposites to each other. Euphemia Potter took in a recently-disowned Sirius Black and was a mother figure to him, whereas Euphemia Rowle was abusive and only took Delphini in for gold.
• Harry's view of his paternal grandparents was the polar opposite of Voldemort's. Whereas Tom Riddle had hatred for both sides of his family, particularly his patrilineal descent, Harry, who lost his father at a young age, was also saddened by never getting the chance to meet his father's parents. The Mirror of Erised showing Harry having a family reunion reflected his love for the idea of grandparents, and of a caring family in general. As Harry knew nothing about them, whether this feeling of love and respect for Fleamont and Euphemia Potter would have born out had he known them is likely, but debatable.
• Euphemia's actions in taking in a young Sirius Black and becoming a mother-figure in his life would later be echoed with her grandson Harry being taken in by Molly Weasley and treated like a son in the absence of his own family. Ironically, Molly is the maternal grandmother of Euphemia's great-grandchildren James, Albus and Lily.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance) (Appears in flashback(s)) (Appears in Mirror of Erised)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore (First identified as Euphemia Potter)
• Wizarding World