Uncle Alphard Snape??

[kiricat2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 76163

Okay, I'm sure I'm way off base, but, what the hell...

Sirius tells us that his Uncle Alphard left him a "good bit of gold," 
which enabled him to get his own place once he was seventeen.  I had 
always assumed that Uncle Alphard was Alphard Black, brother to 
Sirius' father, simply because Alphard is the name of a star.  But, 
all we know is that Uncle Alphard was blasted off the Black family 
tapestry, perhaps because of his leaving a bequest to Blood Traitor!
Sirius.

I wondered if perhaps Uncle Alphard was related to the Blacks because 
he married Sirius' father's sister.  Alphard Snape marries Miss Black 
(the infamous Aunt Elladora, perhaps?).  Alphard is not particularly 
concerned with all this blood purity business, and recognizes a 
kindred spirit in his nephew, Sirius.  He leaves his money to Sirius 
in his will, thus further helping Sirius get away from his awful 
family, but also depriving the other part of the Snape family, 
including his other nephew, Severus. 

Thus, there is an additional reason for Severus to hate Sirius, and, 
with Alphard Snape blased off the pureblood Black tapestry, the only 
link to the Snapes disappears, which would help to explain why the 
name Snape was not noticed by Harry.  

Marianne