#Orion is an elf wizard

[otterdoesart]

Hey hey hey mate! ‘S been a while but I’ve just kinda scrolled through your art tag from the last three years (TIME MOVING REAL!?) and it’s crazy to see how much you’ve done in that time XD! Real fond of your splatoon ocs (manta and Ray was it?) and that one love letter fanart you made (BLEW MY MIND!? THE LYRICS FIT THEM SO WELL!! I WAS IN AWE) X) really do love spending time on this app n’ yappin, makes me wish I spend more than like five minutes a week here ,, BUT gonna do my bestest to see what you’ve been up to/ going to get up to 💚 - Z (ALSO DO YOU HAVE A LIIKR A TAG FOR YOUR OC WORLD CUZ I SAW A FEW POSTS MENTION IT BUT I COULDNT FIND IT RAAARGHHH I would love to see it I am so sorry for yelling byebyebeybeye)

HII Z

Im literally at work rn crying at your kind words 🫶🫶🫶

It really is crazy it’s been so long 😭 I feel like I’ve improved in my art but stayed the same at the same time hehe

Thank you for loving my boys! I created them with my homie from high school and they consume my brain,,They’re just goofy little guys who fight and love each other :) Ray is dating Callie (gross🙄(affectionate)) and manta is dating Dove hehe

Thank you for saying so!!! About the letter fanart guehrhe I killed myself doing that last year on the midst of art fight 💀💀

A lot of my OC stuff is in my head and scattered across sites eughejehe I could ramble about them but it wouldn’t be coherent ! The story changes every 2 months jdhddndh

Oughhh i loveghsj themmm just some more silly guys

Anywho thank you for saying all that I really appreciate it and our friendship although we don’t talk as much anymore 🫶🫶🫶

[lulublack90]

Prompt 9 - Hurt/Comfort

@wolfstarmicrofic July 9, word count 999

CW - Previous torture mention but not described, blood

He coughed in the dark, his bones aching and the wounds he’d inflicted upon himself still oozing as they slowly healed. It had been three months since Bellatrix moved him into this dungeon. 

The door opened as a house elf came to give him his food for the day. The weak light from the torches outside the cell showed where his claws had dug deep into the stone when he’d transformed. 

“Here you are, mister Sirius, sir,” Rorbey bowed to him nervously and floated the meagre offering over to him. Sirius snatched the heel of bread from the air and gnawed at it hungrily as the chunk of cheese, a small pile of roast pork and a flask of pumpkin juice came to rest on the ground in front of him. “If you please, mister Sirius sir, they is talking about yous upstairs. Rorbey is hearing they is moving yous sir. Rorbey thought you might want to be knowing,” The elf wrung his hands together. Rorbey had been an unexpected ally. He was a Black family elf and since Regulus’s disappearance, Sirius was technically the sole heir again, so Rorbey had felt bound to serve him. 

“Thank you Rorbey,” Sirius mumbled around his mouthful of food.

He and Remus had been captured and brought to Lestrange castle. They were flung into a cell and left to stew. He’d tried calling out when Remus had started transforming. Somehow, they hadn’t realised what Remus was or Bellatrix had thought it hilarious and ignored his cries. Sirius had resigned himself to what was about to happen, he just hoped it would be quick and not hurt too much. He’d stared into the yellow eyes that he knew so well as the giant maw opened and bit down on his shoulder. 

They’d given them both magic suppressant potions and, while the wolf could not be stopped from appearing, Padfoot could. He’d woken up in this cell, surprised to be alive. His pleas to know where Remus was fell on deaf ears until Rorbey had found him. It turned out Remus had been given to Fenrir Greyback and was no longer in the castle. 

He still had those first bite marks, scared deep into his skin. Bellatrix would sometimes appear and torture him when she remembered he was still down there. But other than that, he was left alone. Then, on that first full moon since Remus had bitten him, he experienced pain worse than anything he’d ever felt before. He’d woken up to broken, bleeding fingernails and more cuts than he could count.

The door swung open again, banging off the wall. 

“Come along, Black the Dark Lord wishes for the pleasure of your company.” Rabastan Lestrange cackled at him as he dragged Sirius from his cell by his hair. 

He was thrown on a rug in front of a roaring fire. The warmth instantly soothing his sore bones. A wand was pressed into his throat, forcing his chin up into the face of Lord Voldemort himself. 

“My dear Lord Black, I hear you’ve had a terrible accident while in your cousin’s care. I can only apologise profusely.” The room broke into a cacophony of laughter. “Yes, yes my dear friends, what a terrible accident. But Lord Black, you will be thrilled to learn that we have a new purpose for you, if you will.” Voldemort’s lipless mouth widened in an approximation of a smile. 

The flames in the fire turned green, and Fenrir Greyback walked out, patting soot from his clothes.

“My Lord,” He bowed deeply as he addressed Voldemort. 

“Ah, Greyback, excellent timing. I was just explaining to Lord Black about his new role amongst us.” Voldemort waved the werewolf nearer. “You Lord Black will be joining Mr Greyback’s pack,” Voldemort sneered at the word, but recovered himself as he continued. “Fenrir, you will do what needs to be done to ensure he follows instructions. And Lord Black, if you prove yourself to be a valued member of our organisation, I may find it within myself to reinstate you in your family seat, now that poor Regulus is no longer with us.” 

Sirius had been trying to control himself the entire time Voldemort had been talking. He knew he was no match for Voldemort, especially in his condition. So he allowed Greyback to grasp his shoulder exactly where Remus had bitten him and drag him towards the fire. “Until we meet again,” Voldemort cackled gleefully as Sirius and Fenrir spun out of sight. 

They walked out of the fireplace into an abandoned house. Fenrir didn’t let go of him though and quickly apparated them away. They landed in a small grassy clearing with a huge forest pressing in on them.

Sirius pulled himself away from Greyback’s grasp. The werewolf let him go. He fell to the ground and breathed in deep lungfuls of fresh air. When he looked up, men and women were emerging from the trees coming to stand in a ring around him. 

“Children meet your new brother, Sirius Black.” Greyback opened his arms to them. “Clean him up and make sure he’s fed and make sure he understands the rules.” Greyback walked through the circle and disappeared into the gloom.

Sirius was stripped, scrubbed roughly with cold water until he was clean, had his wounds tended to and was finally sat down beside a crackling fire with a bowl of some sort of stew. He didn’t dare ask what was in it. 

He finished his food and was just about to ask what was going to happen to him when another wolf walked out of the trees.

 He dropped the bowl with a clatter and ran into the arms of the man he loved. 

“Remus,” He sighed as Remus enveloped him in his long arms and woodsy scent. Sirius buried his face in Remus’s knit jumper and cried. 

“I’m so sorry, Sirius,” Remus told him, his voice thick with emotion. “Everything will be okay, I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

Next part

[guiltypleasureswriting]

Day 28: Written Apr 15, 2024

Part 17

CW: canonical treatment of house elves (sorta)

Kreacher tried to fight Regulus on who should give their blood to the warding. Regulus didn’t let him. It was his decision and he already felt terrible bringing Kreacher back to a place he almost died. When they were facing the lake with the little island of crystal that Kreacher had described to him, Regulus turned to him. 

“When we get the locket, take it straight back to Grimmauld Place. No matter the state I am in. Destroy it, Kreacher. That’s an order. 

Kreacher stood so stiffly the Regulus thought his spine might snap. He clearly wanted to sat something; to defy him. But he gave a short nod and stayed quiet.

“Thank you, Kreacher.” Whispered Regulus.

They took a dingy across the still water, sending unnatural ripples into the darkness. When the boat knocked into the island, Regulus stepped out followed closely by Kreacher. Their steps crushed and crunched crystals under their feet.

beginning | previous | next

Rambles and thoughts while writing under the cut:

So sometimes I have a lot of random thoughts while I'm writing these scenes but I don't want to make the posts super long so I'm gonna put them here.

It really bothers me how house elves are written in canon and even most fanfiction. I've read very few fics where the enslavement of house elves is seen as bad by characters. So in this story, I'm going to be changing some things about house elves, especially that they like being enslaved cuz that's just fucked up. No, Kreacher is not free. Yes, he has prejudiced ideas about blood purity seeing as he has been conditioned to from birth. Regulus treats him relatively well since I do not want to write a protagonist being happy to have a slave. (But no matter how well he treats house elves, he's still a slave owner) However, I don't think at this point Regulus would fully have a grasp on the ethics of house elf slavery and he probably doesn't have the power to free Kreacher anyway. In the future, he will regret some of his actions toward Kreacher and his opinions about house elves. Eventually, he would totally join SPEW.

All of this isn't a big part of the story but I will never write a fic that either supports or ignores slavery no matter how fictional it is.

(Usually my rambles won't be as heavy)

@zn0v1a

[blueberry-pixels]

Artfight (4/6)

This is where I got a bit over my head... as in I took WAY longer then I had expected to work on this piece.. oopsie I saw ezios's characters Adler and Jonas absolutely fell in love, and I NEEDED to draw them together with my Syl'sha and Orion cause their aesthetics, colors and vibes match so well. Adler has turned into Orion's new Idol, my baby is so star struck.

Some close ups of the character under the cut

[ruinofchimera]

Regulus Black.

The boy who cracked Voldemort’s secret, turned against the Dark Lord, and gave his life to strike a decisive blow for the greater good. Sounds impressive, right?

But don’t let the fanon fever dream—or the Chalamet cheekbones—fool you.

1. The Fanboy Who Bought His Own Propaganda

How did Regulus get into this mess in the first place? He wasn’t dragged kicking and screaming into Voldemort’s inner circle. He wanted it. This was the boy who looked at Voldemort’s genocidal cult and thought, “Yes, this is my moment.” Voldemort wasn’t just a leader to Regulus—he was an idol, a pure-blood messiah, promising everything Regulus had been raised to worship.

His parents weren’t even Death Eaters themselves. Walburga and Orion preferred to clink their glasses from the sidelines, content to watch the chaos from their pure-blood balcony seats.

But Regulus? He wanted center stage. For him, the Death Eaters weren’t a prison—they were a playground. He signed up for the dark glamour, the exclusivity, and the chance to be on the frontlines of Voldemort’s “vision.” Regulus wasn’t coerced or manipulated—he was all in, fully convinced he was playing for the winning team.

Until, of course, Voldemort stopped being the star of Regulus’s dark power fantasy. And when reality set in, Regulus had a change of heart. But did he admit, “I was wrong”? Did he stand up and fight for the people he’d helped oppress? No. He folded.

2. The Master Plan That Wasn’t

Regulus was practically spoon-fed the truth about the Horcruxes. Voldemort’s most guarded secret was gift-wrapped and dumped at his feet, courtesy of a tortured house-elf.

And this wasn’t just any secret. This was the kind of revelation that could’ve turned the entire war around. But instead of responding with precision, foresight, or even basic competence, Regulus managed to botch it at every possible step.

Step 1: He stole the locket.

Stealing the locket sounds like a bold move, right? On paper, it’s the kind of Gryffindor-level defiance fandom loves to romanticize. But in reality, it was a tactical nightmare.

Regulus didn’t just take the locket from a location Voldemort’s obnoxious ego would’ve eventually exposed. No, he took it and hid it in Grimmauld Place.

Instead of leaving it in the cave, where someone might’ve uncovered it, Regulus thought, “You know what? Let me stash this in my creepy ancestral house, where only my guilt-ridden, traumatized house-elf knows it exists.” Revolutionary thinking, truly. Because when dismantling a Dark Lord’s immortality, the best plan is obviously to make the Horcrux even more inaccessible, right?

The only reason the locket ever surfaced was because Harry inherited Grimmauld Place. If not for that stroke of luck, the locket would’ve sat there, untouched and invincible, for decades. Maybe centuries.

Or worse—as we saw happen in canon—it could’ve been stolen, passed from hand to hand like a cursed trinket, and lost forever. Voldemort would’ve cackled his way to world domination while the wizarding community fought a battle they couldn’t ever win.

Step 2: He didn’t destroy it.

Destroying a Horcrux isn’t easy—I’ll give Regulus that. But did he even try? Or did he just hand the locket to Kreacher with the world’s vaguest instructions, essentially saying, “Figure it out, sweetie,” before marching off to die dramatically?

Kreacher, bless his loyal, trauma-ridden heart, spent decades torturing himself trying to destroy an indestructible object with no tools, no guidance, and no real chance of success. He tried everything he could think of, punishing himself endlessly for failing a task that was never within his power to complete.

Regulus doomed him. Instead of empowering Kreacher to carry out his wishes, Regulus turned his act of “redemption” into a lifelong burden for someone who had no choice but to carry it.

Step 3: He told no one.

Now here’s where Regulus truly shines in sabotage disguised as sacrifice. Whether it was arrogance, misplaced pride, or a refusal to meaningfully contribute to Voldemort’s downfall, he ensured that the secret he uncovered—the one that could have turned the war on its head—was buried right alongside him.

Perhaps the poor boy couldn’t stomach the idea of contacting Dumbledore or joining the resistance. Maybe the thought of lowering himself to grovel before the Order, confessing his sins, and actually helping was too much for his delicate pure-blood ego.

But what, then, compelled him to entomb such precious knowledge alongside his corpse? Would it have killed him—again—to ensure Kreacher delivered the locket and its significance to someone who could actually do something about it?

Instead, Regulus left behind nothing but a moody breakup note to Voldemort that helped absolutely no one.

“I hope you will be mortal once more.” Oh yes, that glorified Dear John letter. Maybe he thought his scathing parting words would haunt Voldemort forever. Perhaps Tom was meant to reread it late at night, questioning his life choices.

3. What Could Have Been

Regulus had options. So many options. The fact that he chose the least effective course of action is almost impressive in its sheer incompetence.

He could’ve swallowed his pride and gone to Dumbledore. Say what you will about the man, but Dumbledore was Voldemort’s greatest fear for a reason. Armed with Regulus’s intel, Dumbledore could’ve started breaking apart the Horcrux network years earlier, crippling Voldemort before Harry was even born.

He could’ve warned the Order. Regulus could’ve shared this revelation with his brother. He could’ve even scrawled a quick, anonymous note: “Voldemort made Horcruxes. Here’s one.” That alone could’ve shifted the entire war.

He could’ve destroyed the locket himself. With access to cursed objects, forbidden magic, and centuries of pure-blood knowledge, Regulus had the resources to figure it out.

If Regulus had simply done nothing—if he had left the Horcrux untouched in Voldemort’s lair, waiting for someone more competent to find it—it still would’ve been a better choice than what he did. At least then, it wouldn’t have been stashed in a location even less traceable than Voldemort’s own cursed lake.

4. The Fallout of Failure

Regulus didn’t just fail—he left behind a colossal mess for others to clean up.

Kreacher suffered for decades. The loyal house-elf blamed himself for a failure that was never his fault. Regulus didn’t just abandon the locket—he abandoned Kreacher to a lifetime of guilt and self-inflicted punishment.

The Order fought blind. Deprived of any knowledge about Voldemort’s Horcruxes, the Order spent years floundering in the dark, waging desperate battles against Death Eaters while the true key to victory—Voldemort’s immortality—remained untouched.

The Trio cleaned up his mess. Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent months hunting down a Horcrux that could’ve been destroyed decades earlier. Their entire mission to find and destroy Voldemort’s Horcruxes was prolonged and made infinitely harder.

5. Fandom’s Saint of Aesthetic Suffering

In the end, Regulus was just a boy who stumbled onto a world-shattering discovery, fumbled it completely, and left behind a legacy so utterly useless that it took sheer dumb luck to untangle long after his dramatic exit. Regulus’s actions didn’t just delay Voldemort’s defeat—they actively sabotaged the resistance.

But none of this matters. Fandom doesn’t love Regulus for his actions—it loves him for his aesthetic.

A brooding boy with tragic eyes, a flair for melodrama, and three vague lines of backstory ripe for fans to twist into epic sagas of angst and redemption—and to demand the rest of us bow down in worship of their self-styled martyr.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Any HC's or theories on Regulus Black?

Hi! This was a really fun ask actually and I ended up blabbering a lot about Regulus Arcturus Black because I have thoughts.

Okay, so I'm going to do something similar to what I did with Theodore Nott since there isn't a lot of info about Regulus, but there's a lot implied and I love extrapolating. I think Regulus is a fascinating character that can be read in multiple ways (part of the fun!)

It got a bit long, but here are my thoughts about him:

The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black

“Leave?” Sirius smiled bitterly and ran a hand through his long, unkempt hair. “Because I hated the whole lot of them: my parents, with their pure-blood mania, convinced that to be a Black made you practically royal . . . my idiot brother, soft enough to believe them . . . that’s him.” Sirius jabbed a finger at the very bottom of the tree, at the name REGULUS BLACK. A date of death (some fifteen years previously) followed the date of birth. “He was younger than me,” said Sirius, “and a much better son, as I was constantly reminded.” “But he died,” said Harry. “Yeah,” said Sirius. “Stupid idiot . . . he joined the Death Eaters.” [...] “No, no, but believe me, they thought Voldemort had the right idea, they were all for the purification of the Wizarding race, getting rid of Muggle-borns and having purebloods in charge. They weren’t alone either, there were quite a few people, before Voldemort showed his true colors, who thought he had the right idea about things. . . . They got cold feet when they saw what he was prepared to do to get power, though. But I bet my parents thought Regulus was a right little hero for joining up at first.”

(OotP, 112)

So, first, we have some background. Regulus Black was the younger brother of Sirius. Part of the main male line of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.

What we know of Sirius' childhood is that the Blacks were pure-blood fanatics. From Elladrora who hung house-elf heads on the wall to Araminata who billed the ministry to legalize muggle-hunting. Not to mention the Blacks' tendency to disown and disinherit anyone who doesn't fall in line with their standards of purity. They are, after all, "Always Pure".

So Regulus grew up wealthy in a family that considered themselves magical nobility (and probably are, in that I think they have a family Wizengamot membership). He never lacked anything, but his childhood came with expectations, more so after Sirius left.

I've seen many write Walburga and Orion as abusive, but I don't think they cursed their children. I don't think they were great parents, but I truly believe they never raised a wand (or hand) against one of their sons. What I think they did, was heft some impossible standards on their sons.

Sirius is the eldest, the heir, therefore as children, he would've carried most of these expectations. Sirius would be the one Walburga and Orion dotted after. Kreature says Sirius leaving broke Waburga's heart and I honestly believe it to be true. I think Sirius was Walburga's favorite. The eldest, the brightest, the cleverest, the most handsome. The brightest star in the night sky.

Regulus, as a child, would always come second. He would see his brother cause havoc and get all their parents' attention, so, in his bid to get attention too, he did the opposite of Sirius. If Sirius got attention for being a rebel, Regulus would follow each and every standard their parents put down to the latter. This is something you see in many families, each sibling wants to have their own "niche" so they tend to do the opposite of the sibling that came before them. And that's exactly what we see with Regulus. Sirius was the rebel, so Regulus became the dutiful, obedient perfect pure-blood son his mother wanted to win her affection and differentiate himself from Sirius.

These comparisons between them Sirius mentioned, they probably went both ways. Walburga reminded Sirius of how dutiful and reliable Regulus is and "Why can't you be more like your brother," but Regulus heard the exact same sentence. "Why can't you be as witty/talented as you're brother".

And after Sirius left, I think these comparisons got worse. I think Walburga and Orion talked about Sirius constantly after he left.

I believe Sirius and Regulus were actually close as young children and started growing apart once Sirius started school. Sirius being sorted into Gryffindor was a new point of tension in the home. The constant comparisons they both heard to each other made resentment grow and after Sirius left, Regulus couldn't speak to his parents without hearing "Oh, Sirius would say this" and "Sirius would think that" I think that resentment and bitterness got worse. So, he did what he always did to differentiate himself from Sirius — be the perfect Slytherin pure-blood.

I think this helped his decision to join the Death Eaters. Not the only factor, mind you, I don't think it's Sirius' fault Regulus joined the Death Eaters, it was still Regulus' decision. But I think the situation at home after Sirius left factored into it.

Who was Regulus as a person?

Now I want to talk a little bit more about Regulus' personality before covering his untimely end everyone is familiar with.

It was a pompous little sign, neatly lettered by hand the sort of thing that Percy Weasley might have stuck on his bedroom door. Do Not Enter Without the Express Permission of Regulus Arcturus Black

(DH, 163)

They moved over the threshold together, gazing around. Regulus’s bedroom was slightly smaller than Sirius’s, though it had the same sense of former grandeur. Whereas Sirius had sought to advertise his diffidence from the rest of the family, Regulus had striven to emphasize the opposite. The Slytherin colors of emerald and silver were everywhere, draping the bead, the walls, and the windows. The Black family crest was painstakingly painted over the bed, along with its motto, TOUJOURS PUR. Beneath this was a collection of yellow newspaper cuttings, all stuck together to make a ragged collage. Hermione crossed the room to examine them. “They’re all about Voldemort,” she said. “Regulus seems to have been a fan for a few years before he joined the Death Eaters . . . ” A little puff of dust rose from the bedcovers as she sat down to read the clippings. Harry, meanwhile, had noticed another photograph: a Hogwarts Quidditch team was smiling and waving out of the frame. He moved closer and saw the snakes emblazoned on their chests: Slytherins. Regulus was instantly recognizable as the boy sitting in the middle of the front row: He had the same dark hair and slightly haughty look of his brother, though he was smaller, slighter, and rather less handsome than Sirius had been. “He played Seeker,” said Harry.

(DH, 164)

I believe you can learn a lot about a person from their living space. Regulus' (and Sirius') bedrooms remained unchanged by their parents from the moment they left them. As Regulus died when he was 18 or 19 the room is frozen as it was when it served him. So, what does Regulus' bedroom tell us about him?

Harry refers to the sign on the door as something pompous, and written in a nice handwriting. I believe the sign was put up when Regulus was younger, specifically against Sirius. It's one of these signs children put on their doors specifically against their annoying siblings who steal their stuff or rummage through it. And even after they grew out of it, after Sirius left, Regulus kept the sign up. I think he couldn't really muster to put it away even once Sirius wasn't around to poke into his room anymore.

As I mentioned above, Regulus tried to be the opposite of Sirius and decorated his room accordingly. The most Slytherin pure-blood child of Hosue Black there could be. The Hogwarts memorabilia is some of that perfect Slytherin son image, but it's also really sad. It's a reminder of just how young Regulus was when he died. Sure, he would've probably kept a lot of it as an adult, but it's unlikely he would've displayed Slytherin banners and pictures of the Quidditch team in the same way long after school was over. But Regulus graduated a year before his death, he didn't have time to grow up and grow away from his school experiences. So his room, like him, is stuck at 19.

The Black family crest and motto painted above the bed is another extra mile to show Regulus' dedication to being the perfect son, the perfect child his mother wanted. I headcanon this was painted after Sirus left. A sort of sign to say that Regulus wouldn't leave. That he cares about his family.

Harry also mentioned Regulus was a Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, according to his seating in the photo. It doesn't tell us much more about Regulus, I think it's just more of him trying to please his parents. That and I think he genuinely liked Quidditch, which is a fun little tidbit.

Now, we don't know much about Regulus at school, but I'd say he was a good student. He wasn't as naturally talented and gifted as Sirius, but Regulus knew to work his ass off. The neat handwriting on the door sign is probably his, I bet he had really organized notes in school that everyone wanted to copy. Regulus as the second best to Sirius, would be more of a hard worker than Sirius in general and strive for perfection in his school work out of his desire for attention and recognition from his parents.

Now, let's talk about the newspaper clippings elephant in the room...

Regulus the Death Eater

Sirius said his parents thought Voldemort had the right idea about muggles and muggleborns, and it's clear Regulus agreed with them. Regulus was a Voldemort fanboy before he became a Death Eater, yes, the circumstances he grew up with and his resentment towards Sirius were part of it, but it was a choice he made. He thought it was a good idea, he thought muggles and muggleborns should know their place. I think there are a lot of parallels between Regulus Black and Draco Malfoy, especially when Kreature talks about how Regulus was at first as a Death Eater:

“Master Sirius ran away, good riddance, for he was a bad boy and broke my Mistress’s heart with his lawless ways. But Master Regulus had proper order; he knew what was due to the name of Black and the dignity of his pure blood. For years he talked of the Dark Lord, who was going to bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles and the Muggle-borns . . . and when he was sixteen years old, Master Regulus joined the Dark Lord. So proud, so proud, so happy to serve . . . And one day, a year after he joined, Master Regulus came down to the kitchen to see Kreacher. Master Regulus always liked Kreacher. And Master Regulus said . . . he said . . . ” The old elf rocked faster than ever. “. . . he said that the Dark Lord required an elf.” […] “Oh yes,” moaned Kreacher. “And Master Regulus had volunteered Kreacher. It was an honor, said Master Regulus, an honor for him and for Kreacher, who must be sure to do whatever the Dark Lord ordered him to do . . . and then to c-come home.” Kreacher rocked still faster, his breath coming in sobs.

(DH, 168-169)

Like Draco, Regulus was proud to be a Death Eater, excited to do something against the "filthy mudbloods" plaguing their society. He considered helping Voldemort an honor. A good thing. Same as how Draco talks about it at first. But like we see with Draco in book 6, that it became too much for him, that he was having mental breakdowns in the toilet with Myrtle, I think Regulus experienced something similar.

He grew up spoiled, well-treated, well-mannered. He wasn't raised a soldier, a killer. I don't think Regulus had it in him, same as Draco. He couldn't bear to torture and kill.

Regulus, Kreature, and Empathy

The other interesting note in the above quotes is "Master Regulus always liked Kreacher". I find this adorable and jarring. We see how Sirius treats Kreature, he doesn't treat him as an equal being, he treats him like a slave, like a house-elf. Sirius does it because that's how he was raised to see house-elves, even the Weasleys think of house-elves in this way. It's a societal thing. But Regulus doesn't.

Regulus is kind to Kreature, and cares about him, likes him. It's kind of insane for a blood-purist Death Eater to show affection for a house-elf, especially the kind of affection in which Regulus chose to die instead of torturing his elf (his choice to die had other factors in it, and I'll get to it later). It's just, I don't know, the dynamic Regulus and Kreature had is really precious to me, okay?

Like, the fact it could happen goes to show how compassionate Regulus was even with his bigoted views and choice to become a Death Eater. Sirius calls Regulus "soft" and I think he is 100% right. Regulus was the "softer" and more empathetic of the two brothers. That softness doesn't mean he didn't think muggles and muggleborns are lesser and chose to become a Death Eater on his own accord. But that empathy is what probably made him uncomfortable among Death Eaters and get cold feet once he saw what was going on inside.

I imagine Kreature and Regulus were friendly for years. Kreature has served the Hosue of Black for a good while, which means he likely raised Regulus and Sirius. I think he helped with Regulus more than with Sirius, just because of how they reacted to him differently. Also, Waburga and Orion probably had less attention to give to Regulus when he was just born as Sirius was still really young then (a year or a year and a half old), so their attention would be more divided and Kreature would help more. I headcanon when Regulus was a young child Kreature would, like, sneak him extra desert and such and a young Sirius would complain he's not getting any.

How do we know what happened to him?

“Was he killed by an Auror?” Harry asked tentatively. “Oh no,” said Sirius. “No, he was murdered by Voldemort. Or on Voldemort’s orders, more likely, I doubt Regulus was ever important enough to be killed by Voldemort in person. From what I found out after he died, he got in so far, then panicked about what he was being asked to do and tried to back out. Well, you don’t just hand in your resignation to Voldemort. It’s a lifetime of service or death.”

(OotP, 112)

Now, what's interesting about this quote is how Sirius found this out. Why would he know that's what happened? Who could he have spoken to that would've known to tell him this?

Voldemort killing traitors is known, and many other characters mention it, but who would know Regulus turned traitor?

Other Death Eaters. Specifically, highly valued Death Eaters that are related to Regulus, like Bellatrix, who happened to be in Azkaban with Sirius.

I believe Sirius "found out" from Bella or other Death Eaters in a neighboring cell who told him that's what happened. I just don't really see any other way he'd come to this conclusion on his own. It's either that or wishful thinking on Sirius' part.

I think the inner circle Death Eaters were told Regulus was killed for treachery but nothing beyond that. I didn't really write about how I think the Dark Mark works, but I think it allows Voldemort to magically know when a Death Eater dies (and a bit more). I don't think he knew how Regulus died, just that he did. But Sirius mentioned he knew Regulus betrayed Voldemort, it means someone had to know. It means Voldemort likely knew Regulus was a traitor and told some of his Death Eaters. The same ones Sirius was in Azkaban with.

Regulus' betrayal and Death

“So what happened when you got back?” Harry asked. “What did Regulus say when you told him what happened?” “Master Regulus was very worried, very worried,” croaked Kreacher. “Master Regulus told Kreacher to stay hidden and not to leave the house. And then . . . it was a little while later . . . Master Regulus came to find Kreacher in his cupboard one night, and Master Regulus was strange, not as he usually was, disturbed in his mind, Kreacher could tell . . . and he asked Kreacher to take him to the cave, the cave where Kreacher had gone with the Dark Lord. . . . “ […] “And he made you drink the poison?” said Harry, disgusted. But Kreacher shook his head and wept. Hermione’s hands leaped to her mouth: She seemed to have understood something. “M—Master Regulus took from his pocket a locket like the one the Dark Lord had,” said Kreacher, tears pouring down either side of his snoutlike nose. “And he told Kreacher to take it and, when the basin was empty, to switch the lockets . . . ” Kreacher’s sobs came in great rasps now; Harry had to concentrate hard to understand him. “And he order—Kreacher to leave—without him. And he told Kreacher—to go home—and never to tell my Mistress—what he had done—but to destroy— the first locket. And he drank—all the potion—and Kreacher swapped the lockets—and watched . . . as Master Regulus . . . was dragged beneath the water. . . and . . . “

(DH, 171)

To the Dark Lord I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more. R.A.B.

(HBP, 609)

So, there are a few things to talk about here:

1. Why did Regulus choose to betray Voldemort when he did? What changed?

As I mentioned above, I think Regulus was always empathetic, just not towards muggleborns (at least until he saw torture first-hand perhaps?), but he was towards Kreature. That worry over Kreature, that's the first big seed of doubt about Voldemort. Regulus cares a lot about Kreature and he's clearly clever. He's smart enough to realise Voldemort must think Kreature is dead so it'll be better if he didn't see Kreature, hence why he told the elf not to leave the house.

I think seeing Keature in a state after he was in the cave is what really caused the shift in how Regulus thinks about Voldemort. I think there were doubts before, I don't think Regulus was ever on board with being the one to torture and murder, he doesn't strike me like the sort, but as long as he didn't really need to partake and it was only "filthy mudbloods" he could kinda excuse it to himself. And whenever a pure-blood was killed or tortured (the first war killed more pure-bloods than muggleborns) he could excuse that too, "they were against us, after all". But then Kreature was hurt too, it was the final nail for Regulus. That's what he couldn't excuse to himself as "justified" anymore.

So Regulus continues being a Death Eater, but he is suspicious, he doesn't trust Voldemort's goals are what he always promised them, and he is uncertain about the means being justified anymore. He is unsure if he is willing to go as far as Voldemort is. So he watches, and study, and waits for his chance.

And that chance came when he found out about the Horcruxes.

After Regulus finds out about the Horcruxes Kreature describes him as "disturbed in the mind" and "strange", it's clear the something rattled him. A lot.

I think finding out Voldemort made a Horcrux pushed Regulus' betrayal to happen. Like, I think Horcruxes are very taboo magic, even among wizards who practice the dark arts. As I mentioned in the past, you need to essentially kill yourself to make a Horcrux. I think messing with your life and soul is considered perverse and twisted even for dark wizards, and Horcruxes even more so. I mean, I think it's uncomfortable to learn you swore your allegiance to someone who's willing to kill himself to gain immortality. It means that someone would stop at nothing to achieve their wishes.

And Regulus is already disenchanted with how far Voldemort is willing to go for goals he isn't even certain of anymore, and then he discovers the Horcrux. A magical item that says that as far as Voldemort went with the war, he could go further, because he is a man who'd stop at nothing, not even self-mutilation is too high a tool for him. That is frightening. Following the orders of someone like that, someone who doesn't care for you and is never going to say "maybe this is too far" is terrifying. The idea of someone like that ruling a government is even worse... no wonder Regulus turned traitor the moment he learned about the Horcrux...

So I think finding out about the Horcrux is why Regulus decided to turn on Voldemort and destroy the Horcrux.

As you can tell, his opinions on muggles or muggleborns aren't the main factor I believe changed Regulus' mind. The means, and how far Voldemort was willing to go is what mostly caused the change of heart. I think Regulus had too much heart for it, even if he thought muggles and muggleborns lesser, he took no sadistic joy in others' pain the way some Death Eaters do. And seeing pure-bloods like him could be hurt in the same way (the Order were mostly pure-bloods), I think was especially abhorrent to him.

2. Why did Regulus choose death?

Regulus chose to drink the potion because he wanted to spare Kreature. This is the same kindness and empathy that I've already discussed, but he could've ordered Kreature to take him back home, nothing stopped him from doing that... and Kreature would've, happily so. So why didn't he?

In the letter Regulus outright said he'd be dead by the time Voldemort reads it, he went into the cave with the full intention to die, he never planned to leave. Kinda like how Harry walked into the forest in Deathley Hallows... but why? Why did he choose death?

I think Regulus chose to die because he knew he wouldn't be able to hid his treachery from Voldemort. I mentioned already I believe Voldemort told his inner circle Death Eaters that Regulus turned traitor and died for it. Voldemort knowing Regulus is a traitor makes Regulus' decision to die make more sense.

The phrase "I want you to know it was I", makes me think Voldemort suspected someone had learned of his Horcruxes but didn't know who. Maybe Voldemort suspected there was a traitor who knew about the Horcruxes, and after Regulus died Voldemort investigated after the fact and figured it was Regulus that turned traitor. Maybe he even checked on the cave and saw Regulus was dead there, so he didn't bother to check on the Horcrux. I don't think he would've expected Kreature to have been there too, otherwise, he'd see no reason for Regulus to be dead. Because for Voldemort, it wouldn't make sense to allow yourself to die like that, he wouldn't really understand why anyone would choose to die if they had the choice.

So Regulus even kept the secret of the Horcrux being taken at all by his death.

Additionally, Regulus chose to die and take out the Horcrux while doing it to avoid being tortured and killed by Voldemort and the Death Eaters. By dying, he also protected his family from being hunted down to try and locate him. He died to protect himself and everyone he cared about from the treatment of Death Eater traitors. Which we know is not pleasant...

3. How did Regulus find out about the Horcruxes?

This is something I'm less sure of and is foraying into heavier speculation. The only hint we really get is: "I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret" from his letter, but what exactly does this mean?

Well, Kreature told Regulus everything he saw. He told him a locket was placed in a cave filled with magical protections. Kreature's information about the locket is probably how Regulus made/bought the replica. But how from "well protected magical item" Regulus reached the conclusion that it's a Horcrux? How did he discover the secret?

I don't know how he was discovered, as for the Horcrux, I have a guess.

Regulus said he discovered the secret, I think what he did was piecing the puzzle together not unlike Dumbledore. He knew from Kreature that Voldemort had an item he guards very securely, he might've heard from Bellatrix that Voldemort is immortal since I'm pretty confident she was told what the cup in her vault is. And I think Regulus, as a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, and a clever enough dark wizard, could trace a book about Horcruxes and figure out that's likely what the locket is.

Some random headcanons

1. I think Regulus could be just as much of a little shit as Sirius. I mean, there's a certain edge to how he words his note. I like to think, that when they were young, before Hogwarts, they'd pull pranks together in balls or other stuffy functions and get in trouble together.

2. I have little to no basis for this headcanon, but I'd like to think the painting of the Black family crest and motto above Regulus' bed was painted by Rregulus. I mean, he can do nice calligraphy on the sign on his door, I see no reason he couldn't also paint.

3. And finally, to a kinda sad headcanon, Harry actually saw Regulus in the cave:

the wandlight had slid over a fresh patch of water and showed him, this time, a dead man lying faceup inches beneath the surface, his open eyes misted as though with cobwebs, his hair and his robes swirling around him like smoke.

(HBP, 565)

I assume most of the corpses are muggles, and most of them are actually described as worse for wear than the one robe-wearing wizard corpse Harry describes above. For these reasons, I believe this corpse is Regulus. It's a sad thought, but it crossed my mind when I read this passage in my recent HBP reread.

[midnightstargazer]

Why did Regulus join the Death Eaters?

Note: Regulus is my problematic fave, and I love him. I'm starting with the assumption that he did genuinely support the Death Eaters at first, and was not forced to join. However, I'm also assuming he was a bit more complex than the average Death Eater and had some positive qualities, based on the ways Sirius and Kreacher describe him and the circumstances of his death.

under the cut because it's pretty long

Reasons I don't think fit:

Aside from what I've already mentioned, there are a few other potential motives, seen in other Death Eaters, that I don't think fit Regulus at all:

He was willing to turn against Voldemort, so I don't think he had the sort of deep personal loyalty to him that Bellatrix and Barty Jr. had.

He doesn't come across as especially bloodthirsty or prone to cruelty; Sirius and Kreacher's descriptions both suggest quite the opposite. I'm sure he did unpleasant things as a Death Eater and probably rationalized them as being necessary, but I doubt he joined mainly for an excuse to torture and kill people.

Even beyond not being forced to join, I find it hard to believe that he would have joined out of fear, or out of a pragmatic "he's going to win and I want to be on the winning side" sort of sentiment. I mean, come on, he literally chose to die a horrible death rather than keep working for Voldemort once he had turned against him. He was many things, but not a coward.

With that being said, there are three main factors that I think led him to join the Death Eaters:

Accepting his parents' ideology without question

This is literally the first thing we're told about Regulus. When Sirius mentions him to Harry, here's what he says:

"Because I hated the whole lot of them: my parents, with their pure-blood mania, convinced that to be a Black made you practically royal... my idiot brother, soft enough to believe them..." (OotP, ch. 6)

This is repeated again in Kreacher's description of him:

"Master Sirius ran away, good riddance, for he was a bad boy and broke my Mistress's heart with his lawless ways. But Master Regulus had proper pride; he knew what was due to the name of Black and the dignity of his pure blood." (DH, ch. 10)

In both cases, the two brothers are contrasted, and Regulus's conformity is mentioned in the context of Sirius's rebellion. Orion and Walburga were not Death Eaters, but their views aligned with the Death Eaters' goals, even if they didn't personally get involved in the war. So, by embracing his parents' ideology, Regulus ends up (mostly*) agreeing with the Death Eaters, and by rejecting it, Sirius ends up opposing them.

*I say mostly because, I don't know where Regulus got the idea that Voldemort was going to "bring the wizards out of hiding to rule the Muggles and the Muggle-borns" (DH, ch. 10), but that's not standard Death Eater ideology. The Statute of Secrecy is not something they actually talk about much. Regulus's long-term goals would've probably made him better suited to be a follower of Grindelwald.

An "ends justifies the means" mindset

I said before that I didn't think he was a cruel or bloodthirsty person. This comes mainly from Sirius, who describes him as an "idiot" who "got in so far, then panicked about what he was being asked to do and tried to back out" (OotP, ch. 6). Of course, he doesn't know the whole story, but he does know what sort of person his brother was. They grew up together. Sirius thinks he would've been hesitant about the Death Eaters' more extreme actions, and I see no reason not to take his word for it.

There's also the potion. It's hard to imagine the average Death Eater drinking it themselves, given the option to have a house-elf do it instead. Or an Imperiused Muggle, for that matter. Regulus either didn't consider those options or decided against them.

On the other hand, he knew the Death Eaters were violent terrorists when he joined them. His collage of newspaper clippings showed what sort of things they were doing. It couldn't have come as a surprise; it must have been something he was willing to accept.

So I don't think he enjoyed the Death Eaters' methods, but what I do think, is that he was able to excuse and justify them to himself. Including the stuff he participated in. He believed in their ideology, he thought they were going to change the world for the better, and he was okay with using violence to get there.

Personal ambition/desire to prove himself

When Dumbledore talks about Tom Riddle's school friends who became the first Death Eaters, he describes some of them as "the ambitious seeking some shared glory" (HBP, ch. 17) - this is the same sort of mindset that I think made the Death Eaters so appealing to Regulus.

He was in Slytherin, and I don't think that was a mistake. As courageous and self-sacrificing as his death was, it also shows great cunning and ambition. When he realized he was no longer willing to serve Voldemort, he planned out carefully when and how he was going to defy him to cause the most damage possible. If a few things had gone differently - if Kreacher had been able to destroy the locket and it had been the only Horcrux - then his actions could have made a huge impact on the war. And clearly, he wanted to be remembered, or he wouldn't have left a note.

As a younger sibling, Regulus was likely overshadowed by Sirius during their pre-Hogwarts childhood, and when he became the favorite, it was because Sirius had become too defiant and rebellious. He would likely have felt that he had something to prove, as the spare-turned-heir and the brother of a blood traitor.

He's also compared to Percy, who - despite being a Gryffindor - is one of the most ambitious characters in the series. Specifically, the note that he put on his door is described as something Percy might have done. I think this suggests that Regulus's relationship to Sirius was a bit like Percy's to the Weasleys: not completely devoid of affection, but something he would set aside in favor of his own self-interest and ambition. (of course, Percy eventually reconciles with his siblings, which has interesting implications for AUs where Regulus survives his betrayal of Voldemort, but that's another topic)

I imagine Regulus being desperate to prove himself, to live up to his family's expectations and even achieve more than they thought possible. And I think the Death Eaters in his life (Bellatrix, Lucius, possibly his school friends) could easily have used that desire to persuade him into joining.

tl;dr

He did it voluntarily, and not out of fear or pragmatism.

It also seems unlikely that he felt a strong personal loyalty to Voldemort.

He was taught a similar ideology at home and accepted it without question, while Sirius rejected it - leading them to end up on opposite sides of the war

I don't think he was necessarily thrilled with the Death Eaters' methods, but he was aware of them before joining and was willing to accept them, most likely with an "ends justifies the means" mindset

There are hints in canon that he was ambitious, and he likely felt he had something to prove after Sirius ran away and became a blood traitor.

Just my interpretation, but hopefully it makes sense.

[teacup-gathering-itself]

Regulus Black and Kreacher are such an iconic duo. Just 100% pure self-serving menace.

Kreacher enables Regulus in his tirades I will not take criticism on this.

Just imagining that sure, he’s the head elf for Orion Black,

but he also serves the family, and … well

Master Regulus gives the best tasks.

“Kreacher make Sirius’ food without salt.”

“Kreacher fetch me that set of earrings with the hallucinogenic curse on them, I need to send a gift to that bitch from the Samhain gathering.”

“Kreacher bring me proper wizarding stationary, this monstrosity the school provides is making me ill; I can almost feel my net worth decreasing.”

“Kreacher discipline Sirius for me, he’s being a right twat and is reflecting poorly on me. Maybe vanish his hair until he sits up straight and speaks like the pureblood heir he is.”

[iwriteasfotini]

OLIWITS Excerpt from THOTL Chapter I

Excerpt from Our Love is Written in the Stars: The Heart of the Lion, Chapter I - The Brothers Black

(Last week’s excerpt which sort of stands alone in case you missed it)

TW - child abuse

Regulus was seven. 

“Sit up straight Regulus.” He felt the quick zap of a stinging hex flick across the back of his hand. Regulus straightened his back, which had already felt pretty darn straight to him, and kept eating his shepards pie. He was convinced Walburga had become ambidextrous so she could eat with her fork in one hand, wand in the other, sending stinging jinxes at her sons for sloppy manners. 

“That absolute vermin of a Minister, Leach’s days are numbered,” said Walburga. “He’s a blood sucker if ever I saw one. Sirius! Stop kicking your feet.”

Sirius winced as a stinging jinx hit him, the tapping of his feet against the rung of his chair stopped. 

“Trying to get wizard buy-in to lowly muggle sports. Pathetic. I don’t know why the Prophet has wasted so many words on his deplorable enterprises. No one from a muggle family should be eligible to hold political office in the wizarding world, least of all the position of Minister. How that man ever got elected is beyond me. Regulus! Chew with your mouth closed.”

This stinging jinx hit him across the cheek and he had to fight the urge to rub the spot. But Sirius always said, show no weakness. So he finished chewing and swallowed slowly. 

“As long as the Minister is a wizard shouldn’t he be allowed to be Minister if he got enough votes,” said Sirius. 

Walburga gasped, “Sirius, where are you coming up with this outlandish dribble? The Minister is of muggle stock, well below the pureblood lines and certainly lacking in magical abilities. He should never have been allowed to run for office. And keep your mouth closed at the table.”

“How am I supposed to eat then?” Sirius asked cheekily. 

Walburga slapped her hand onto the table. “I’ll have five minutes of silence after the meal from you young man.”

Orion spoke up, drawing his wife’s attention, “the Minister for Magic hasn’t been raised in the traditional ways. He is ignorant of our histories. It makes him nearsighted.”

“That’s a kind way to put it,” snapped Walburga. 

Regulus’ plate was clean but he wanted a bit more. He sat in silence. Hoping one of his parent’s would notice his empty plate and offer him another helping. A minute passed, then two. Talk of the incompetent Ministry continued, and Regulus still had no more shepherds pie. Then Kreacher materialized at his side, casserole dish in hand, and ladled a scoop onto Regulus’ plate. 

“Thank you Kreacher,” Regulus said softly. But it wasn’t soft enough. 

“Regulus! Children are to be seen not heard at the table.”

“Walburga, the child is merely demonstrating his table manners.”

“To the bloody house-elf. It makes no difference. Regulus, you too, five minutes of silence after dinner.”

Regulus hung his head and the shepherds pie lost some of its luster. 

“I’ll do it for him,” Sirius said. 

“No Sirius, he has to learn,” Orion patted Sirius’ shoulder. Sirius gave Regulus an apologetic expression. 

After dinner, Sirius and Regulus stayed seated at the table. Their mother approached them and pointed her wand at each face in turn. “Suo Asculum.” Regulus felt the skin of his lips stretch and meld together. He raised his hand and touched his mouth, but it was no longer there, only smooth skin spread between his nose and his chin. It wasn’t the worst punishment in the world, but it got uncomfortable. And sometimes the sensation would sneak into his dreams. He’d awake shrieking, fingers on his lips, ensuring his mouth was indeed still present. 

As if night time wasn’t difficult enough, nightmares made it so much worse. Thankfully he had Sirius. For whatever reason, Regulus had been afraid of the dark since he could remember. There had probably been some questionable incident when he was small which his growing brain had since forgotten, but left a lingering terror of the night. 

While Walburga insisted her sons keep separate rooms, they were both experts in sneaking in and out of each other’s beds. Sometimes it would happen early in the night, sometimes not until much later, after a rousing nightmare. Rarely did they both sleep alone. Night time was scary for Regulus, and Sirius was his light, his warmth, his protector. They would curl up together and Regulus knew nothing would hurt him while Sirius slept beside him. 

On the worst days, Sirius would hold Regulus to his chest, stroke his hair, and tell him stories. But those days were mercifully intermittent. Much more frequently they were just there, under the covers together. Feet tangled together, or backs touching, or fingers entwined. For this is what brothers did. At least as far as Regulus knew. 

Walburga marched back into the room. She pointed her wand at Sirius’ lack of a mouth first before releasing Regulus, “Défaire Asculum.” 

Regulus felt his mouth reform and he took in a huge breath. 

“Mind your mouths boys,” warned Walburga with narrowed eyes.

Regulus licked his dry lips, “yes ma’am.” He didn’t hear Sirius give a reply.

…

Next week, look for an excerpt (plus title, POV, and posting date) from Book 5. Daily posting will begin on AO3 on April 13 :)

Check on the weekly posting/writing status update here!

[prongsfootfest]

mansplain, manipulate, malewife

Author: soopsiedaisies 

Word Count: 8,902

Rating: Teen and Up

Warnings/Tags: Sirius Black/James Potter. James Potter, Sirius Black, Walburga Black, Orion Black, Andromeda Black-Tonks, Regulus Black, Nymphadora Tonks, Kreacher (Harry Potter). Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, anymore, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, Good Black Family (Harry Potter), Black Family Drama (Harry Potter), Attempt at Humor, No Angst, Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Engagement, Alcohol, (having a cheeky gin with your future father-in-law)

Characters: James Potter, Sirius Black, Walburga Black, Orion Black, Andromeda Black Tonks, Regulus Black, Nymphadora Tonks, Kreacher (Harry Potter)

Summary: James is quite certain that the taxidermied house elf heads hanging menacingly from the wall are making faces at him.

He’s not putting that down to mere imagination. Not here. Not if he takes the patterned red hallway rug into the equation, as it’s just hissed at him that he ought to properly wipe his feet before entering a magical residence such as this one.

After a successful proposal, James wishes to be ever-so romantic and ask Sirius’ parents for their blessing and Sirius’ hand. However, Sirius claims he doesn’t want to be sold like cattle by his traditional father—so James, a resourceful wizard when he wants to be, decides to ask Sirius’ mother instead. 

Dramatics like only the Blacks can cause ensue. 

Link to work

[cornet-hornet]

Professor Eldannalir

no new full drawings this weekend but wanted to shared the doodle of a new character to Pebble's cast: Professor Eldannalir, an wise elf who raised and taught Pebble everything she knows and the current wizard teacher of Orion

I do expect to still change and try somethings about his design but he is a character I long wanted to try draw as he is part of Pebble and Orion's journey

[kquil]

Hi pookie! Here is me feeling so many emotions reading the sixth chapter of DOB. (∩˃ω˂∩)

James’ bold protectiveness over Sirius was heartwarming, he never had anybody stand up for him against his father much like this.

Before that, Sirius made sure to keep Regulus out of trouble, vowing to protect his little brother and avoid trouble for his sake alone.

James’ display was refreshing and touched his heart. And it was what gave Sirius the strength to willingly go with Filch.  

ARE YOU KIDDING ME IM GOING TO CRY.

An eleven year old having to protect his younger brother and not act on his true feelings, purely for the sake of his brother’s safety. He learnt self sacrifice at such a young age. Then, finally meeting someone that stands up for him from the beginning of his first year unabashedly without any doubt—little lion feels safe at Hogwarts (╥﹏╥)

Orion had been even more disgraced but in his own home this time; his wife had ordered their filthy, useless house elf to move all her belongings into a spare bedroom. 

They no longer shared a bed. 

Orion’s dumbfounded, LOL. The absolute disgrace that they no longer share a bed! I think a part of him might like Walburga, because she was/is the “perfect mother” for his offspring. Maybe even grew to love her to some extent or at least grew attached to how things were before her attitude changed; before reader came through. Personally I’d like to see him get fooled by the reader “doting” on him and leaving him in the dust. That’s the least he can pay for the harm he has caused to literal children. 

Reader do your thing ( ◡̀_◡́)ᕤ

But he should have listened to his wife.

I giggled so hard. He’s such a man child and not even adorable. Just a horrible man. At least Sirius grows up to be an adorable man child. (he’s more annoying than his father) (At least he’s cute)

“I hope that your boy has had the time to eat his breakfast as well,” Orion looks at the headmaster, stopping his impatient foot tapping when he notices the mysterious gleam in the elderly wizard’s eyes, “we wouldn’t want him going to class with an empty stomach,” 

Dumbledore is a menace and I will always stand by it!!!!

This is your new life’s mission now. 

I don’t think the boys would want to be like their father either. The horror on Regulus’ face in some years when he realizes that Sirius is a man-child just like their father and his mum is doting on him. On Sirius, the man-child! Oh the horror! 

Regulus is a man-child too. (he denies it vehemently)

“Darling, who are we to get in the way of your father’s demands? He was ever so insistent,” an amused giggle passes between the two of you and Regulus is finally able to relax a bit. He makes a mental note to write about your uncharacteristic mischief to Sirius in an upcoming letter.

I love imagining myself as the reader because I am incredibly cheeky. Can’t wait to see Sirius’ reaction on his mum’s cheekiness. I think we can clearly see where all that mischief comes from hehe. James Potter is going to serenade reader for passing on her mischief to Sirius one day. I’m pretty sure one of the little maruraders, especially Remus will end up harboring a crush on reader. Peter would get flustered and James would love how she dotes on all of them as her own.

“This goes beyond mere education, professor,” you look into her eyes and are met with agreement, “Surely, you can agree that the matter is useless kicking up such a fuss over and that my husband is entirely wrong. In this matter, I am right in saying he is being an idiot by publicly throwing a tantrum,” you tut in displeasure, “The humiliation of it all is almost unbearable,” at your side, you hear Regulus choke on his laughter and crack a smile, giving his small hand a light squeeze. Finally, McGonagall allows a smirk to stretch across her lips but before she can make any comment of agreement, you’ve already reached the gargoyle entrance to the Headmaster’s office.  

Regulus is adorable. McGonagall is so cheeky. I love how bold and open the reader is in expressing her disdain.

McGonagall never expected you to be so warm and pleasant —it’s easy to misjudge the character of a person simply from third-party accounts and retellings. She’ll have to rethink her own prejudices and biases moving forward.  

Something we all must do. Always introspect and self reflect!!!

“I told you so,” you voice blankly and with an unamused face to match.

Reader is a menace to Orion and I serenade her.

Me when reader puts Orion in his place:

( ∩´͈ ᐜ `͈∩) ( ๑ ˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و ♡ ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

“Touch my son again, and you’ll be falling from the tower without your wand, Orion,” you threaten through clenched teeth of your own as the man stares at you in wide-eyed shock, his expression reflected onto the Headmaster. 

Thank you, my beloved Kquil for writing this masterpiece of a paragraph. I shall always remember the hand that dared to slap Orion Black. 

Regulus immediately begins to calm down and smiles to himself at the warm feeling of protection surrounding him. 

baby (｡Ó﹏Ò｡)

-turning away from your staggering husband and the amused headmaster, you look at Sirius with pride. Leaning over Regulus to press a kiss onto his older brother’s forehead he’s able to hear your tender whisper of pride, “I’m so proud of you, darling,”

I love how she got the chance to praise him in person within just a few days. Kind of a blessing in disguise.

“A dream come true, it’s just that.” you laugh again, “I still can’t believe it — you’re my son,” Sirius smiles as you cup his cherubic face with your gentle, loving hands. He’s stuck between jumping for joy and doing a happy dance but settles for shyly avoiding your gaze and smiling down at your wrists, where he witnesses your thumbs lovingly caressing his cheekbones in his periphery. 

You’re making me tear up over my fictional children finally receiving the love and affection they always deserved.

“Of course, you’ll get a pin too, baby,” you seal the promise by pressing a kiss to the back of Regulus’ head, who spins around to face you so quickly, you fear he might have gotten whiplash but the smile on his face was enough assurance. 

“Really, Mother?”

“Really really,”

I’m crying.

Behind him, Regulus appears at your side, walking at a more leisurely pace. You and his little brother take a moment to lock eyes with him from the great hall entrance. Both of you smile and give him a small wave, leaving unhurriedly when he returns the gesture. But not before you blow him a kiss with a devious smile on your lips. 

hehehehe, I would definitely embarrass the hell out of my child. These little moments make me smile so hard, my jaw hurts!

“She’s pretty,” James comments, almost gushing as Remus nods along demurely, blushing down into his morning tea.

Very demure, very mindful. (Sorry had to say that! hahaha tiktok brainrot)

Damocles incessantly shakes his head, his lips pressed into a thin line as his knuckles turn white from how hard he’s gripping his shop’s door handle, “my dearest Ruth is my top priority right now and she’s terribly sick at the moment, please — I’m sure this can wait!” with that, he slams the door shut, causing you and Regulus to flinch at the harsh sound.

Could it be that Ruth is a werewolf… Σ(°ロ°)

“Madam Black,” Filgus smiles at you, content with your polite, formal greeting. He smiles at Regulus too, who mirrors the goblin greeting at your side, “How may I help you?” he smirks beneath his long and pointed nose. Past the reflections of his monocle, you catch a faint gleam in his eyes, though you can’t comprehend exactly what emotion stands behind it. Was it excitement? Curiosity? Something else entirely, perhaps… “Will you be requesting another commission for our services?” you smile, finally understanding the look in his black, black eyes. 

The first time you had come to him for commission request, he had been surprised and you suppose he had been able to conceal his delight well but now his disappointment was more obvious. It made you want to giggle but you didn’t want to accidentally offend him or any of the other goblins nearby so you kept your amusement to yourself. 

At least I can giggle to myself ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) 

“Y-you’re going to disown me and Sirius…“ he sobs before throwing himself at your lap and crying into your skirt, “Please don’t disown us, we’ll be good, I promise!” you couldn’t take hearing his tearful cries any longer and you scoop him up again so you could hug him tightly as he wraps his arms over your shoulders to sob into your neck, his legs wrapping around your waist. 

Poor baby, I hope him and Sirius can heal from the trauma caused by Orion and Walburga. I love how he still attached himself to the reader, shows how subconsciously he knows she is his safe space.

Ruth looks at her husband’s thoughtful countenance. She feels such guilt for burdening him with her condition but she doesn’t regret marrying him and promising to share the rest of her life with the kind man. Damocles makes the effort to always support her and assure her that he loves her regardless of her condition and affiliated insecurities. He loves her for her smile, her beautiful eyes, her delicious cooking, her kind heart, her precious love of books, her talent for embroidery, her loving words and the fact that he feels whole with her. The moment he said his vows and uttered the words ‘I do’, he had pledged to take care of her wholeheartedly and he intends to keep that promise, in the same fashion she does.    

“Sweetheart…” Ruth pleads with her eyes, staring up at her husband as tears well up in their eyes. They don’t know your full intentions but they’re willing to do whatever it takes. 

‘I want to take care of her,’

‘I want to be good to him’

“…alright, it’s a deal,”

These two are so special to me now. I’m so glad Reader is going to fund them and help both Ruth and Remus along the way (and many others!). Hopefully this time around with reader, the potion is created sooner than expected.

“Mistress! Mistress!” Kreacher appears out of thin air, tugging anxiously at his ears with eyes as wide as saucers. The panic in his watery gaze sets your own heart racing with apprehension. You already know what may be happening.

“Where is Regulus?”

“The vault, Mistress! The vault!”

My heart broke. THIS IS NOT OKAY. And poor Kreacher :( 

 You had nothing to be sorry for. It wasn’t your fault. Regulus was frightened and shaken up by his father’s aggressive and malicious expression of contempt, you had done nothing. Regulus would willingly go through that all over again if it meant his father didn’t get to touch Sirius. For the longest time, Sirius had been his only protector and now he has you too. He can bear anything if it means keeping his older brother safe the same way he kept Regulus safe before you came to protect both of them. For the longest time, it felt as if they were the only two people who truly understood each other — it still largely feels that way — and that they were the only ones who knew how to protect each other properly. But that wasn’t the case anymore because they have you now. Beautiful, amazing, motherly you. 

You capture an abusive home so well. It seems weird to compliment it, but you truly capture how much an abusive home impacts one’s life. How the children have to become adults for each other.

‘Enjoy the explosive diarrhoea you disgusting prick’

NO WAY HAHAHAHAAHAHAHA

‘Your sickening plans for that pin were too much of a distraction!’Walburga excuses as you keep quiet. If you interrupt her ramblings, you won’t be able to pick up on the reasoning behind her actions. It’s best to let her get ahead of herself, the fool, ‘Typical for a soft-hearted, feeble muggle like you! Celebrating such a dishonourable sorting ceremony result! It’s simply humiliating! Rather than that revolting pin, I sent that no good son of mine a howler the day after his sorting. Useless child! He’s no Black, he’s a no-good, mud-blood-loving, blood-traitor who likes to engage with half-breeds and is an utter disgrace to his family! Associating himself with that ‘light’ Potter family, engaging with filthy mudbloods and blood traitors — dirty! The lot of them! Regulus is my only good child, if only he hadn’t gotten himself killed trying to leave the organisation, he would have been my perfect son!’

‘H— How do you know that?…and how do you know about his ‘half-breed’ friend you vile piece of shit?’ as always, her disgusting attitude makes your blood boil on Remus’ and Ruth’s behalf. How dare she act so high and mighty when she’s the most unpleasant person to ever exist? She doesn’t answer your question, instead, she becomes eerily quiet once more. Scoffing at her cowardly departure from the conversation, you make an urgent annotation in your notebook. Hopefully, this will lead to some answers. 

‘Investigate the first room you woke up in’

Oh, OH. This is getting interesting. You’re keeping us all on our toes by leaving us on cliffhangers, Kquil. I see you.

I went through a rollercoaster of emotions, you have outdone yourself once again! I am so glad I stumbled upon your series and decided to read it, this is truly one of the best things that I discoverers in 2024. I hope you’ve been doing well 🩷 I shall respond to your reply to my precious message now.

-🌸

OH....MY.... GOOODNESSSSSS! DARLING! my jaw dropped to the floor when i saw your monstrous (in a good way) ask in my inbox, i wanted to reply right away but i had some personal things happening but i am here now! let me go through that rollar coaster with you (๑˃́ꇴ˂̀๑)

oh my goodness, yes! that's my personal headcanon for sirius and regulus' relationship pre-hogwarts and pre-regulus being sorted into Slytherin. it was kind of inspired by my older brother and his subtle protectiveness over me when we were younger, even though we'd still get into petty fights lol (siblings stuff y'know?) -- but yeah... pretty tragic for our darling babies, they deserve better but sirius finally has his second home now! with the lions! wooooo!

mmmm~ i like what you're saying about orion and his relationship with the previous, original walburga, very interesting and it makes perfect sense, in the twisted way that his and OG walburga thinking go. haha! but that's so true, he'd get such whiplash from the switch-up though, i think our reader will make it sting a little more (˵ ¬ᴗ¬˵) also orion is the ultimate man child, i bet he still wears diapers-- actually, he should probably start wearing diapers after this chapter (๑˃́ꇴ˂̀๑) 

i don't like dumbledore very much for what he did to harry but i loved writing him deviously in this chapter hehe~ ( ≧ᗜ≦)

and no, the boys definitely don't want to be like orion, his actions have already really hurt them and when they have reader to compare him to, it's obvious who the bad person is -- our babies are much smarter than him too, they know better!

haha! of course, you're a cheeky menace (๑˃́ꇴ˂̀๑) but i bet you look adorable scheming so hardly anybody stays mad at you for long haha! and oof! no spoiler but i can guarantee that reader will have a profound effect on the marauders as well as maybe some of sirius and regulus' other classmates too (⸝⸝> ᴗ•⸝⸝) -- and you're definitely on the right track, my darling <3

ugh i love writing regulus being an absolute cutie-pie and I've been so excited to write about mcgonagall, you won't believe how happy i was when i could finally write for her! more of them and plenty of other characters are still yet to come too! and yes! i'm going to try my best to have something to learn from each character.

'always introspect and self reflect' yes ma'am! i couldn't have said it better myself!

oh yeah, it's so satisfying to write about reader bringing justice for our babies onto orion, it's all very well deserved so i'm more than happy to deliver on that ৻(  •̀ ᗜ •́  ৻)

it was really important to me that reader got to have that moment with sirius in person and regulus too (੭ ˊ^ˋ)੭ ♡ so im really happy you agree. and, of course, i have to make sure reader gets every opportunity to embarrass siri (๑˃́ꇴ˂̀๑)

awww~ you're not the only one crying, my darling; i'm there with you, writing this series gets me so emotional (っ˃̣̣̥ -˂̣̣̥ς) that finaly scene with regulus especially! thank you so much for saying so, i will definitely take that as a compliment haha! i do my best to write those types of scenes and interactions with as much care as possible, sometimes they're the ones that are the hardest to write so thank you my love <3

also i'm so so so happy you're enjoying Damocles and Ruth, they're my favourite, most fleshed out semi-OC and OC, i'm going to take as much good care of them as i will our favourite marauder babies

cliffhangers are my favourite thing, don't you know? haha! yes yes, things are only just beginning, more is yet to come! hehe~ ( • ̀ω•́ )✧ thank you for taking the time and effort to write me your thoughts, that's also so much high praise, i can't stop smiling. this series has really become something so special and it's all thanks to the loveliest darlings in the world and by that, i mean you, mwah! ( ˶˘ ³˘(ˊᗜˋ*)!♡

[lulublack90]

Prompt 8 - Patronus

@wolfstarmicrofic September 8, word count 730

Previous part First Wolfstar part

“Sirius!” His father repeated. His book was left discarded on the floor as he leapt from his seat and wrapped his arms around his shocked son. Sirius bristled for a second before he relaxed a bit. Orion’s wand was on the side table and Sirius’s was in his hand. 

“Erm, hi,” Sirius squirmed uncomfortably. This was not going the way he’d thought it would. 

“Come, sit, sit!” Orion let him go and waved him towards the only other chair in the room. “Rorbey!” He bellowed, and the little elf appeared at once. 

“Yes, Master Orion,” He squeaked, bowing low. “Bring tea and cake, Sirius is home!” The broad smile on Orion’s face unnerved Sirius. He’d expected a fight of some sort or at least terse words, but Orion seemed over the moon to see him. Sirius had to school his face into neutrality when his thoughts almost made him snort. Rorbey popped back into the room, laden with a heavy tray. He quickly levitated it onto a table and then disappeared again. Orion made a show of pouring the tea just how Sirius liked it and handed the delicate china teacup and saucer over to Sirius. Sirius took it and awkwardly held it while Orion fixed his own. 

“I got your note,” Orion said more calmly, sipping from his cup. “Is Regulus? Is he really alive?” Orion swallowed his eyes raw with emotion. 

“Yes, he’s safe, he’s with me, hidden,” Sirius didn’t want to give anything away. Orion's teacup rattled on the saucer as his hands shook. He put it down and then wiped his eyes with a napkin. 

“I thought both of you were lost,” He admitted quietly. “There were rumours that you had disappeared along with your friend, I forget his name and so soon after Regulus’s death. Your Mother didn’t believe you were dead for a second but, but I wasn’t so sure. There was nothing, not even a whisper of you, and then I heard your scoff in Grimmauld and I knew for sure you were alive.” His eyes were waterier than usual and Sirius had to think carefully before he spoke. 

“I heard what you said about me and what she said. You didn’t seem to think I was dead then,” He narrowed his eyes. The stories didn’t add up. Orion sighed. 

“I had been to Gringotts earlier that day and the Goblins checked the inheritance line while I was there and your name was still showing as the heir. If you’d been dead, it wouldn’t have shown up.”

“I thought Reggie was the heir,” Sirius screwed up his face. The story was getting stranger and stranger. Orion shifted in his chair. 

“Ah, well, yes, I never did get around to doing what your mother asked me to do in regard to the line of succession.” He shrugged. Sirius’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. 

“Wait, what?! I’m still the heir?!” All these years, oh, Walburga was going to go spare. 

A sliver-blue wolf hurtled into the room, skidding to a stop in front of Sirius. It was Remus’s patronus. 

“Padfoot, she’s coming! You need to get out now!” Remus’s voice sounded from the wolf’s open mouth. 

“Quickly, have any of the death eaters got a new spring in their step since the incident at Lestrange Castle?” Sirius questioned his father urgently. Orion’s brow furrowed. “Please,” Sirius begged. “It’s vital. Please,” Orion nodded. His brow furrowed further as he thought. 

“The Crouch kid. The one that was friends with Regulus. Lucius’s nose is out of joint over it as he’s only young and apparently hasn’t earned the right to be as close to the Dark Lord as he is,” Orion was on his feet again and hugged Sirius close. “Call Rorbey if you need to contact me. He’s a good elf and won’t tell your mother,” Orion told him. “Be safe, I love you, tell Regulus the same,” Orion squeezed Sirius one more time. “Rorbey!” He called, and the elf came running. “Take Sirius wherever he wants immediately.”

“Orion!” Walburga called from down the hall. Sirius flinched at his mother's voice. 

“Go,” Orion urged him. Sirius was suddenly overcome with emotion and pulled his father back in for a hug. 

“I love you too,” He held out a hand and Rorbey whisked them away just as the handle on the Trophy Room door turned. 

Next part

[guiltypleasureswriting]

Day 41: Written Apr 29, 2024

Part 24

CW: Canon typical treatment of house elves, extremely vague depictions of emotional child neglect

-

He stood silently in the doorway for a few moments before his mother glanced up and noticed him. She stood so sharply, the delicate dishes on the table shook. 

“Regulus!” Snapped Walburga sharply. “Where have you been? We were expecting you at the Yule functions.”

“Our Lord gave me a mission, Mother. I apologise for the inconvenience.” Said Regulus as genuinely as he could. Walburga was not satisfied. 

“And what exactly did the Dark Lord command you do that took a week with no mention to your parents?”

“I am afraid I do not have permission to reveal any information on the task I was given.” Walburga was red with anger. She despised that Regulus was permitted into the Dark Lord’s inner circle when neither she, nor her husband had ever been allowed to take the mark. Deep down, it was gratifying to Regulus to know that his parents did not have something they wanted so badly. Or, at least, Walburga wanted badly. He was not sure why she was so interested in a wizard with no connection to the Sacred 28. His guess was she wanted the influence and it angered her that even with her pure and noble bloodline, she was denied a place in an organisation so important in Wizarding society these days.

“Of course, Son.” Said Orion. “Sit down. Kreacher!” He called and Kreacher appeared. “Get Regulus a plate.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Useless elf. Can not even be bothered to know who is in the house.” Kreacher stopped on his way to the kitchens. “Go!” Walburga shouted.

“Yes, Mistress. Kreacher is sorry, Mistress.”

The next morning, Regulus apparatus to a large stretch of moorland to the west. He burned a small patch of the long grass to clear a space and tossed the locket on the ground. 

Every spell. Every destructive, damaging, cleansing spell he could think of and the locket was completely fine. 

beginning | previous | next

thoughts/rambles under the cut

I have no idea if there was a specific time of the year regulus is supposed to have died, but I guess its the winter holidays now.

i'm starting to get annoyed about not being able to figure out replies on this damn platform!! just know if you comment or say anything on a reblog i am trying to respond😭 and Thank you! I appreciate you!!

if you ask to be added to the tag list i will literally love you forever <3

for example: these people are the best in the entire world ⬇️⬇️

@zn0v1a @accuratewhereabouts @dovewings369 @transwolfstar

[roalinda]

☆Day 16: A fic that made you laugh☆

mansplain, manipulate, malewife by @soopsiedaisies

Pairing: James Potter/Sirius Black

Summary:

James is quite certain that the taxidermied house elf heads hanging menacingly from the wall are making faces at him. He’s not putting that down to mere imagination. Not here. Not if he takes the patterned red hallway rug into the equation, as it’s just hissed at him that he ought to properly wipe his feet before entering a magical residence such as this one.

After a successful proposal, James wishes to be ever-so romantic and ask Sirius’ parents for their blessing and Sirius’ hand. However, Sirius claims he doesn’t want to be sold like cattle by his traditional father—so James, a resourceful wizard when he wants to be, decides to ask Sirius’ mother instead. Dramatics like only the Blacks can cause ensue.

Rating: T

Category: M/M

Words: 8, 902

Guys, guys, guys. This is a must read. It is a work with James being a gentleman ( albiet a shrewd diplomatic one ) asking Orion and Walburga for Sirius' hand and let me tell you, even if you don't ship prongsfoot, reading this and the style of humor in it is worth giving it a shot. Also, it contains lots of wonderful HC and beautiful imaginary of 12 Grimmauld Place and the House of Black's unique brand of magic which has surrounded it.

Sirius’ nostrils flare. “We’re going to be dressed in the most traditional robes to ever exist.” 

“I don’t see the issue, love,” James says haltingly. “I mean, my mum’s going to insert herself in everything as well—”

“She might dress me in my father’s wedding robes, James!” Sirius throws out his hand as if this is an atrocity. As if he doesn’t look delicious in traditional robes. As if he isn’t the exact same size as his father was at that age. “Father’s old wedding robes! With the—” he gestures at his waist, “—male corset! Sickeningly velvet navy blue cravat that chokes you! Silver decals! A fancy cane!” 

“Sirius,” says James. “Padfoot. Darling. Yin to my Yang, half of my heart, light of my life. You love fancy canes.” 

@hprecfest

[daughterofyourdarklord]

trick or treat 👻

Delphini lingers at the edge of the kitchen in 12 Grimmauld Place.

She's listening. 

The ringing had been bothering her for weeks now, every time she's back to their home in London she hears it. Almost like something is calling to her, beckoning. 

The ringing grew louder and louder until it was impossible for her to ignore, screaming like a banshee.

It isn't exactly strange. There have been several objects throughout the Black households that Delphini had felt a pull towards. Grandfather often explained that it was likely due to the connection between mother and daughter; that their estates were full of Bella's magic, the sheer force of it imprinted on various objects.

The young witch circles the kitchen, fingers nails tapping along the marble counters as she follows the ringing towards the pantry.

“Kreacher!” The elf appears beside her in a snap, a small broom in hand. 

“Yes, Mistress Delphini?” Kreacher starts with a smile, beady eyes look up at her adoringly. Delphi can hardly drag her gaze away from the small door across the pantry, her magic far too enchanted with whatever rests inside. 

“What have you got in there?” Her voice is high-pitched, curious.

Kreacher hesitates, either unsure what Delphini is asking or just reluctant to answer. 

“Mistress Delphi?”

“Open it.” She demands, arms crossing. “Now.” 

With a snap of the elf’s fingers the door creaks open. Delphini takes one large step forward, peeking into the dark cupboard curiously. There's a large array of rags neatly folded along the floor and a smaller piles of artifacts placed carefully beside it. Delphini falls to her knees, hands quickly reaching to search through the items. 

“Can Kreacher help Miss Delphini find something?” The elf seems nervous, as though she were about to reprimand him for his petty theft. Delphini doesn't answer, ripping through different objects in search of the ringing, of the pull. She tosses aside a pair of her great-Uncle’s cufflinks, a cup of silver branded with the Black family crest, a worn Slytherin tie, then comes the photographs. 

Her Uncle Orion and Grandfather look so alike in their younger days. If there were just a few less years between them they could almost pass for twins. There is a third Black in this picture that Delphini does not recognize, he covers both of their faces jokingly with each flash of the camera.  

Walburga and Lucretia stare up at her, each with an equally menacing glare before slowly glancing at each other and winking. 

She almost doesn’t recognize the Black sister’s at first, having thought the swaying image of her mother looking up at her was actually herself. Delphini pauses, leaning back on her heels to take in the photo with more interest.

Auntie Cissa looks so small, she’s sitting in the lap of the one girl that is unfamiliar to Delphini. She knows who she is, of course, has heard the story in all of the limited words Grandfather can manage. Andromeda is seated in a wooden chair, Narcissa propped and leaning to the side. Bellatrix stands behind them both, her arms draped around each of their shoulders protectively. Every few moments the two smaller sisters jerk and laugh as Bellatrix pinches their shoulders lightly before the three of them erupt into peals of laughter.  

“Look!” Kreacher offers, startling Delphini out of her stupor. “Mistress Bella and her baby!” He sounds genuinely eager as he thrusts another photograph in her hand. 

This photo appears to be in significantly better condition than those prior. It was certainly newer than the rest. Bellatrix leans back in a cushioned chair, clearly in the drawing room at Grimmauld. There is a small bundle in her arms. Delphini’s eyes burn for a moment. Mum is exactly as she remembers her before those awful wizard took her away. In the photo the new mother gives a tired smile to the camera before someone walks into the frame, ruining the photo. 

Delphini hums, rubbing at her eyes before putting all the photos back carefully. 

“Did Auntie know you saved all these spoilt photos, Kreacher?”

“I'm not sure, Miss.” Kreacher answers honestly. 

Delphini sighs, shaking her head lightly. She’d rifled through all the objects Kreacher had tucked into the corner... 

...She can still hear the ringing.  

Delphi turns away from the pile, leaning into Kreacher’s den deeper before glancing around the large boiler taking up the center. 

“Little Miss-” Kreacher starts but she already saw it. A gleam of silver, a small chain tucked away deep behind the base. Delphini doesn't even bother asking what it is. It shoots out from around the ruddy pipes with a snap of her finger, she's still too young to be allowed a wand but magic listens to her all the same. 

Everything goes quiet the minute the face of the jewelry falls into her slender hands. She can't hear the creaking of the pipes nor Kreacher’s nervous tutting, the ringing in her ears so powerful it's almost overwhelming. 

The corners of the pendant are inlaid with small snake heads, their silver bodies making up the framework for the locket, twirling together to create a sturdy clasp. Along the cover rests a beveled ‘S’ her fingers trace the emerald gemstones embedded along it so carefully. The ringing turns to whispering.

Oh, this isn't mother’s magic. Not at all.  

“Kreacher,” Delphini speaks sweetly. “Where did you get this?”