"Toujours pur" Blacks

[Nurvingiel]

Originally Posted by Gordis

The Blacks are amazing, all of them. They seem so different, but yet they are so much alike: Walburga, Sirius, Regulus, Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa.

They are "Toujours pur" ("always pure").

On the surface this family motto seems to be simply about the blood purity, maintaining it at all costs. But is this so indeed?
The Black family tree tapestry is studded with holes: so many of them have forsaken their family to go marry muggle-borns, half-bloods or blood-traitors, or to go defend Muggle rights. In the end not a single Black of pure blood remains…

I think it's this here that underlines the meaning of "Toujours pur". I think Rowling is making a point: the idea of racial purity is a steaming load of old rubbish. The idea of the Black family staying pure, as in Pure-blood, is exactly what that is. The Malfoys are another example of a family the supports these ideas.

The fact that there only a few Blacks left underlines the pointlessness and stupidity of this idea. Racism is a big theme in the Harry Potter books. Hermione, Dean Thomas and others are always having to deal with racist gits.

I certainly wouldn't call any of the Blacks cowards (especially Regulus, who I agree is superb) but I don't think that's the meaning of this slogan in the books.

Walburga is Sirius and Regulus's mum, the screaming portrait? Where'd you find out her name?

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

The idea of the Black family staying pure, as in Pure-blood, is exactly what that is. The Malfoys are another example of a family the supports these ideas.

Yes the Malfoys think exactly the same as Blacks re: the blood purity. If the motto "Toujours pur" were only about that, if it were literal, then it should apply to many pureblood families and Malfoys as well. Yet look how different Malfoys are from Blacks: utterly selfish, treacherous and cowardly. Lots of Death Eaters, including Lucius, have renounced Voldemort at his downfall, pleaded they were Imperius-ed. Only Bellatrix Black and the Lestranges remained faithful.

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Walburga is Sirius and Regulus's mum, the screaming portrait? Where'd you find out her name?

I am sure she was mentioned by name once or twice. You can read her biography Here

[Nurvingiel]

The Malfoys and the Blacks are very, very different (though, Narcissa Black did marry a Malfoy). But even though they're different, they both support the same idea: maintaining wizard blood purity. Rowling has shown the different people can support the same ideas many times in her books.