The Sanderson Family is a Pureblood family that is not only on the decline, but effectively extinct.

Alain Sanderson, the last head of the family died almost thirty-five years ago in hushed up circumstances. His younger brother, Thomas, was not even that lucky, having died at the age of eighteen, shortly after graduating from Salem Institute with high honours. The two have portraits, hanging side by side on a wall in the upper hall of Sanderson House. Alain also has portraits in both the American Magical Cabinet, and the American Wizarding Council, two rival groups who hold political power over the modern American Magical World, a fact that his brother has been known to bemoan, for he gets no variety himself.

Of the living members of the family, only Alain's widow, Emilia, still bears the name Sanderson. His youngest child, Cecilia, married Diggory Spindler and has two sons, Geoffrey and Xavier. As the oldest son, Geoffrey is expected to be heir of both the Sanderson and the Spindler estates which will then, finally, be combined, ending the Sanderson line once and for all.

The only other Sanderson child of Alain and Emilia is largely forgotten.

However, events [see also] at the Sonora Academy during the last Alumni feast have brought up questions for those who do remember...