#walburga bashing

[n0blefl0wer]

Reggie Crochet Headcanon

Strap in and strap on for my latest trans regulus headcanon!!

W*lburga (transphobic cunt) tried to instill traditionally “feminine” traits into regulus from an early age, forcing regulus into the role of a “good pure blood girl” 🤮

One of the ways she tried to achieve this was by teaching Reggie to crochet. Unlike most of W*lburga’s attempts, Reggie actually took to crocheting and it’s one of the things that got him through the toughest times in his life.

Remus also crochets, and it’s something that the two of them bonded over. Remus knits too, much to Regulus’ astonishment (he’s tried so many times to knit, but just can’t get the hang of it)

He eventually taught all of the skittles, and they (and Remus) all have crochet gossip sessions once a week.

Regulus makes stuff for all of his friends and loved ones. Dorcas’ favorite top is a gold and green crochet bralette Reggie made in fifth year. Pandora loves her periwinkle shawl. For Remus’ bar mitzvah, regulus gave him a set of yarmulkes, and for his fifteenth birthday, reggie gave him a cardigan with moons and stars embroidered all along the sleeves, enchanted to glisten as he moved. Sirius would never admit it, but the worn out maroon fingerless gloves he wears every winter were made by a 9 year old Reggie.

When Regulus and Sirius fled Grimauld Place to go to the Potters’, he drowned Effie and Monty in handmade gifts.

James was the last of the friend group to receive anything from Reggie. He tried his hardest not to take it to heart, but James is such a people pleaser, and overthought it for years. It wasn’t until the first Gryffindor quidditch match after they got together that regulus gave James the gloves he made 5 years prior. The blue-grey gloves bore a striking resemblance to Regulus’ eyes and were enchanted to keep James’ hands warm and an extra gripping charm to help James grip the broom, allowing him to fly one handed much easier. It took James a while to find, but embroidered in silver thread on the inside of each cuff was “R.A.B. + J.F.P.”

[jegulusiloveyou]

im sure I saw a headcannon on tiktok where this was a part of a conversation between Wally and Effie (in that order, of course)

"You're turning my children against me."

"Nonsense, I've done nothing of the sort."

[rewritingcanon]

hello everybody i am back with another epic fanfic drop for @marauderswithpalestineproject. this one is andromeda-centric, with heavy focus on her relationship with her sisters, ted as a contrast, and her mother who is also doomed by the narrative (spoiler! everyone in the fic kinda is!). it’s mostly canon compliant (i think i accidentally messed up the birthdays for some of the characters… whoopsie..) and will eventually feature baby nymphadora as a treat for 25k words of angst. mwah mwah check it out if you want to maybe!!

[chansondepollux]

at some point you have to accept you've made the character SO out of character that you have to slap them a new name and call it an oc

[heartofspells]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAL!!! 🥳🎂🎁

It's officially @tracingpatternswrites birthday by her own timezone, which means it's time to celebrate her! Personally, I think we should spend every single day celebrating her (and i DO), but today is extra special.

To give her just a small piece of the love she deserves on this super fantastic day of her birth, I thought I'd highlight some of my favorite fics of hers that I'll forever love and can always use so much more attention.

(and i totally stole this idea from her because she did the same for me, so how could i not do it for her?)

Presenting just a small selection of the best Mal fics in no certain order:

🥁🥁🥁

1 - over blackened water (E) Jegulus Summary: Regulus knows it as clear as anything. He might be a Death Eater, might be one of the Dark Lord’s most trusted, but Regulus Black belongs only to one other man and that is James Potter.

-- I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I've read this. James is so perfectly grey and the way Regulus thinks about him just sucks you into James' trap along with him. I swear I've had dreams about this fic.

2 - Hanging by a Thread (T) Wolfstar Summary: The Fates does not interfere with worldly things, but that does not mean they cannot see where the road will lead. That is why, when the second boy is born, they look to the star and the moon as they weave their red string.

One end fastened to a boy with raven hair, and the other to a boy with brown curls. Hence they belong together, even though their story will be much too short and their journey will not be an easy one.

-- Mal worked so hard on this one to try a different style of writing and she nailed it. Every word is like a mysterious, omnipotent fairytale rolled into a tragedy that makes me drool.

3 - Prey (E) Wolfstar + Greyback Summary: The man was half-naked, his silk shirt hanging torn over his shoulders. Remus’ gaze snagged on his naked chest, the splatter of ink across porcelain skin. A constellation, Remus could tell, he recognised it as the Canis Major. Greyback had taught him how to read the stars, how to use them to guide his way in the darkness. He wondered briefly what it meant that the man had it painted on his chest.

“For you,” Greyback said, inclining his head towards the man but his yellow eyes were focused on Remus, watching for his reaction.

“For me?” Remus asked, hesitantly, taking a step closer.

“Yes,” Greyback said simply as he leaned against the wall of the cave, watching them both with a predatory shine in his eyes.

-- Hang on. Give me a second while I scream, except I never stop screaming about this one. This fic is soooo twisted and messed up and perfect that I can't ever form cohesive thoughts about it for very long. Just do yourself a favor: read the tags and go read it, then come back and scream with me about it. And what's even better about this one is that Mal wrote it for meeeeeee! I love her so much!

4 - Little Lion (E) Sirius Black/Regulus Black/James Potter Summary: Sirius Black and James Potter are two sides of the same coin. Rivals since the first day they set foot on the Hogwarts Express, constantly trying to beat the other whether it’s on the Quidditch pitch or in the classroom. Together they are the embodiment of the Gryffindor and Slytherin rivalry. Regulus Black is caught in the middle, stuck between his older brother and his Quidditch captain.

Everything comes to a head when Regulus’ parents decide it’s time to bring their wayward son back into the fold through an arranged marriage. Refusing to lose his brother and determined to control the situation, Sirius enlists Potter to make sure his brother doesn’t stray, all in the name of doing what is best for his little lion.

-- If there's one thing that Mal does exquisitely (there are numerous things, but we're focusing on this one), it's crafting into existence the perfect Slytherin!Sirius. The entire dynamic in this fic - the rivalry between Sirius/James, the control between Sirius/Regulus - is blindingly superb, but Sirius is like chewing glass into liquid form, spitting it back out, and injecting it into my veins, my god.

5 - A Mother's Love (M) Sirius & Walburga Summary: Sirius might have left, but he was going to come back. He was going to come back. He had to come back.

-- This fic has haunted me since the first time I read it. Walburga's conviction that she's doing the right thing, the imagery with all the fire and smoke, her perceived slow descent into madness as she repeats to herself that her son will return to her...Walburga isn't a great mother, but Mal's writing makes you almost believe she is, that she's right in all that she does, because she does it out of love.

Obviously Mal has a ton of amazing fics, but I really wanted to highlight some of my favorites that have gained less attention than others. Do yourself a favor: take a look at these, then go read everything else she's got. You won't be sorry. Give her the birthday love she deserves. Leave a comment, send her a note through an ask, tell her why you love her writing so much because she's extraordinary.

And I hope you have the BEST birthday, my sweet! <33

[vinylfoxbooks]

June 3 - Enchant | @jegulus-microfic | wc: 521 Warning: Brief mention of Walburga and Orion Black

“Reg?” James asks, walking into the living room, holding his son in his arms, “Would you mind watching over Harry for a couple minutes? I need to run something to Pads and I can’t do it with him.”

“I don’t know James…” Regulus shakes his head, bookmarking the book in his hands, “I don’t-”

“I know.” James sighs, walking over to his boyfriend, “But he’ll likely be playing with his toys the entire time and it’ll just be a couple minutes.” He sets his son down on the ground, watching as Harry immediately crawls over to the toybox sitting in the corner of the room, “And even if he does want attention from you, just set him in your lap and play with him. He likes when you grab one of his toy cars and run it up and down his body.”

“If you’re sure.” Regulus says after a moment of hesitation.

James leans over and presses a gentle kiss to Regulus’ forehead, “I am sure, love. You’re not your parents. The fact that you’re here with me, dating a man, a Potter, is proof enough. I will be as quick as possible.” With that, James pecks Regulus’ lips then stands up and rushes out of the house with a large box in his hands. 

And when he comes back, Harry is sitting in Regulus’ lap. Regulus, although his motions are hesitant and a bit shaky, he’s running a car up and down Harry’s arm, making noises that vaguely sound like a car and is making some of Harry’s bird toys -- of all things, James cannot figure out why the boy loves birds more than anything -- fly around their heads in a wonderful display of magic. Harry is giggling and staring at the car with pure glee. James stands and just watches them for a while, enchanted by the display. Enchanted by how easily Harry is laughing with Regulus -- he’s always been a bit of a shy kid around new people and this is the first time he’s really met Regulus. Enchanted by how sweet Regulus looks playing with his son. Enchanted.

“I said you would do fine.” James says softly, grabbing his boyfriend’s attention. Regulus stops moving the car he’s playing with on Harry’s arm and turns to look at him. He walks towards the couch and sits down next to them, careful to not disturb the flying birds, and wraps his arm around Regulus’ shoulders, and presses a kiss to his cheek. 

“Me?” Harry asks, leaning forward and basically bashing his forehead into James’ chin. The man laughs and kisses his son’s forehead. Happy with the result, Harry leans back and starts trying to grab at the flying birds, laughing whenever they swoop away from his hands. 

“How did it go?” James asks, leaning back and letting Regulus rest his head on his shoulder.

Regulus hums, “He crawled up to me as soon as you left and wanted to play with me.”

“Do you think he likes you?” James asks, but Regulus doesn’t need to answer because Harry leans his head on Regulus’ chest and lets out a yawn.

[theemporium]

I read that you wrote a blurb of Remus on his wedding day with the reader and I would like to ask if you can write one with Sirius, please?

thank you for requesting!🫶🏽

.

“There she is!”

“Sirius—”

“That’s my wife!”

Despite your attempts to quiet him down, Sirius had no intention of doing so. His life had been full of their fair share of good days and bad days, but this had to be hands down the best. 

If someone would have told you during your first year at Hogwarts that you would marry Sirius Black, you would have laughed in their face and assumed they had been hexed. If someone had told you in your third year, you would have scoffed and rolled your eyes. If someone had said in your sixth year, you probably would have tried to pretend like your heart wasn’t thumping at the thought. 

Your story with Sirius Black wasn’t a conventional one by any means, but you came together in the end. And now, at the age of twenty, he was finally marrying the girl that he knew he would spend the rest of his life with after you ‘accidentally’ hexed him off a broom in your second year.

“Baby, let me tell the world!” Sirius exclaimed as he threw his arms out. “I married the prettiest girl in the world! Be jealous, bastards!”

Even if your cheeks burned in embarrassment as the others wandering through the streets looked at you two, you couldn’t find yourself to be mad. Not when you were just as giddy about marrying the love of your life as he was. 

“They are not gonna let us into another pub unless you calm down,” you laughed, letting him intertwine your hands together and pull you along behind him.

When word had gotten out that a Black was getting married, everyone expected luxury and extravagance. They expected millions to be spent, they expected the event to be plastered across newspapers, they expected everything they had seen in previous House Black weddings. 

Except, Sirius was never a Black, not in the ways that mattered to his family.

The wedding he had would have sent his mother into an early grave. It was small, barely even a wedding in the eyes of Walburga Black. 

It was in a cramped little room, with James, Remus and Lily as the witnesses. They had all dressed up after Sirius insisted that even if your wedding was nothing traditional, you deserved to get dressed and dolled up. You probably looked like idiots, every single one of you dressed to the nines as you walked through the dreary halls of the Ministry. 

But none of you cared, and Sirius certainly didn’t.

Because he was with you and you were officially his wife, and nothing could ruin this day for him. 

“It’s fine, love,” Sirius grinned at you, wild and happy and carefree. “It’s a pub crawl for a reason. There are plenty of others we can terrorise.” 

“And not let all of London see my pretty dress? You wound me, Mr Black,” you teased with a smile.

His eyes wandered down the pretty, white dress that flowed around you. It was a sight he never wanted to forget. It was a sight he wanted to see for the rest of his life. 

“I’ll make sure the whole world sees how exquisite you are, Mrs Black,” he murmured in a softer voice as he stopped right in front of you, uncaring at the fact you were standing in the middle of the street. He cupped your face in his hand, looking down at you with pure love and adoration in his eyes. 

“You’re a sweet talker,” you commented, your cheeks starting to hurt with how much you had been smiling all day.

“And you’re my wife,” he retorted with a cheeky grin. “My wife.”

“Your wife,” you repeated with a matching grin.

“I can’t wait to fuck you as my wife and not my girlfriend.”

You snorted. “Way to ruin a cute moment, Sirius.”

He didn’t bother looking bashful. “Gotta end our wedding day right, love.”

.

[illustriousday]

method acting (like you love me) by illustriousday

Chapters: 1/29

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Regulus Black/James Potter

Additional Tags: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Idiots in Love, Minor Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Minor Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Past Regulus Black/Barty Crouch Jr., also some present oops, denial is a river in egypt, Inspired by a Lizzy McAlpine Song, actually her whole discography, Regulus Black and Sirius Black Angst, Regulus Black & Sirius Black Have a Good Relationship, eventually, POV James Potter, POV Regulus Black, Everyone Is Gay, Regulus Black Needs a Hug, Walburga Black’s A+ Parenting, Rivals With Benefits, Meeting the Parents, Fluff and Angst, Mild Sexual Content, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, because it’s regulus and sirius come on, Gay Regulus Black, Pansexual James Potter, Alternate Universe - Actors, Musician Sirius Black, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Hurt/Comfort, Social Media, Trans Regulus Black, British Regulus Black, American James Potter, the story is split between Europe and the US, Press and Tabloids, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, James Potter & Lily Evans Potter Friendship, they are not and will not be romantic ever, No Lily Evans Potter Bashing, she's my girl i love her, Minor Mary Macdonald/Lily Evans Potter, Mutual Pining, French Black Family (Harry Potter), Enemies to Friends to Lovers

Regulus Black has hated James Potter for years. He’s obnoxious, and arrogant, and stole his brother away. James Potter has hated Regulus Black for years. But only because he’s so mean to him. And James, frankly, doesn’t think he deserves it. When the two star as romantic leads in a new coming-of-age movie and have a very public catfight at the wrap party, the publicity team scrambles to find a way to fix this before social media runs wild with it. Something like… a relationship between the two Hollywood golden boys? Featuring fake dating, lots of late-night talk shows and interviews, getting a little too heated “for the paparazzi”, and denial being a river in Egypt.

CHAPTER 1 IS OUT RAHHHHH!

[swag696942069]

Marauders AU where the Black family are trained assassins and the cousins (Regulus, Sirius, Narcissa, Andromeda, Bellatrix) were trained like how Black Widows are trained (like the Marvel characters, not the bug, if that wasn't already clear enough)

OH!!

WHAT IF THEY'RE STILL CALLED BLACK WIDOWS!!!?

Omg

Anyway

What if, Sirius and Andromeda were the only ones to ever get out, and they're now living, simi, normal lives.

Until Sirius gets a message from his baby brother, asking for his help to destroy the "family business" because Narcissa is pregnant and they don't want the next generation to go through what they went through

I'm talking Black brother angst! I'm talking minor/background ships! I'm talking Regulus not understanding very many social cues cause he was literally only taught how to unalive people. I'm talking James/whoever you ship Reg with, going fearl when they see him fight so effortlessly! I'm talkin Sirius having a hard time letting Regulus do what he does best, assassin, cause in his mind, he still sees Reg as the little boy who was afraid of thunder and would crawl into his bed at night. I'm talking angst with a happy ending! I'm taling Walburga/Orion bashing! I'm talking freedom!

Please someone write this

[sofoulandfairaday]

Actually very curious to hear your thoughts and head canons on Sirius + Walburga + Orion

Under the cut, because it's very long. But I'd love it if you read it all. I hope it succeeds in being eloquent, it's hard to put my thoughts into coherent writing for such a sensitive topic.

I don't think that the majority of this fandom actually understands the subtleties of abuse. Also, too many people weirdly like the idea of abused characters, and emphasize their torments, especially physical ones, as a way of... I don't know, evoking more sympathy for them? This happens all the time with Sirius Black.

@ sofoulandfairaday, was Sirius Black abused in your opinion?

Yes.

But not in the way people think.

I am fascinated with stories that explore generational trauma, the cycles of abuse that get repeated over and over. I think Sirius was abused in the way the Roy kids in Succession are abused, in the way that the people in The Crown are abused. It's not that the people in themselves are abusive it's that the family system is.

This doesn't excuse individual adult responsibility because, at a certain point, it becomes your duty not to pass on your traumas to your children. But traumatized adults raising traumatized children is something much more realistic, to me, than “The Blacks liked torturing their children for fun” (wtf?).

The Blacks were an upper-class family in the 1950s. To put this in perspective, my parents both got physically reprimanded as children (1970s), and my grandparents did too (1950s-1940s). It was just the way things were. It wouldn't have been seen as weird if they had been hit, at the time. Do you know when corporal punishment was abolished in UK schools? 1986. And people say Snape was abusive to his students. Bro, 1986. The world has changed a lot in the last 20/30 years but it's a little unfair, in my opinion, to judge their times entirely through our lenses.

And even in light of this... I don't think the Blacks were that physically violent. Maybe Orion clipped his sons behind the ear when they really misbehaved, or threatened physical punishment, but they most likely never truly hurt their kids. I also don't think they raised their hands like filthy Muggles, so maybe... Stinging Hexes? Going to bed without supper? They definitely did not use the fucking Cruciatus curse on their children. The torture curse. The one that scrambles people's brains if used for too long. Sometimes I think that authors don't put thought behind what they write, or exaggerate for the shock value, which... doesn't really sit right with me, to say the least. I don't really care for character bashing of any character. I don't care for painting Walburga & Orion as Disney villains who hurt their children because... they? like? hurting children?

With this being said, I'm pretty sure they were emotionally abusive, maybe psychologically abusive. Tons of families are like that, even nowadays.

Master always liked his little joke,” said Kreacher, bowing again, and continuing in an undertone, “Master was a nasty ungrateful swine who broke his mother’s heart — ” “My mother didn’t have a heart, Kreacher,” Sirius snapped. “She kept herself alive out of pure spite.” Kreacher bowed again and said, “Whatever Master says,” then muttered furiously, “Master is not fit to wipe slime from his mother’s boots, oh my poor Mistress, what would she say if she saw Kreacher serving him, how she hated him, what a disappointment he was — ”

According to Kreacher, Sirius broke his mother's heart when he left. That might have been a dramatic choice of words (Sirius definitely thinks it is because he replies in kind) but perhaps it wasn't.

The problem with the Blacks' love for their children isn't that it wasn't there, it's that it seems very conditional. I fully believe that for a time, when he was a kid, Sirius was a little prince, a perfect pureblood heir. Given his temperament, he might have been the bad child, always in detention compared to Regulus, who was probably quieter, more shy, more poised. Except. Despite all of this or maybe because of all of this, he was probably the more respected out of the two: more handsome, more charismatic, more outspoken, stronger, quicker. Someone like Bellatrix (and Walburga too, I think) must have respected him much more than his brother, even though they probably said the opposite out loud. Sure, they liked Regulus more, but everyone knew he wasn't the brightest out of the two stars. I think the Blacks respected and praised strength.

Want proof of this? Sirius himself calls Regulus soft and an idiot. How many times do you think he heard that sentence as a child?

For these reasons, it's always been my headcanon that the two brothers grew up resenting each other subtly: Sirius probably envied that his brother was their mama's favourite, the one who was shown more affection, despite being not as bright as him, not as good. But children are petty and have very strong senses of pride. In stressful environments they latch onto the identities they create for themselves: if Sirius painted himself, in the family dynamics, as the strong one, the one who doesn't care, the one who rejects even his parents' rare moments of affection, he will most likely never be the one to go to them to beg for their love, or kisses or whatever. On the other hand, Regulus was probably babied by their parents, but never truly treated like the heir, like the competent, brilliant one. His mother might have been more tender with him and yelled at him less, but children are perceptive.

Also, Grimmauld Place has all the characteristics of the Haunted Hause trope, horror film style (which I cannot get into here lest this becomes a dissertation), but generational trauma likely permeates those walls. Merely being back in the house is enough to trigger Sirius' depression.

Sirius is my pride, but Regulus is my joy sort of dynamic for the Blacks and their parents, me thinks.

They love each other but are also constantly pitted against each other. They fight for their parents' love. They think the other had it easier.

Then, Sirius is sorted into Gryffindor. Now, he's already fighting back against his parents now (he's almost 12, the perfect age), but it's always been a little headcanon of mine that Sirius doesn't know how much this will damage him until it happens. We see, again and again and again, in-universe, how much stress the Sorting put kids through - what if I'm not in this house my parents were sorted into? From the way he appears in Snape's memories on the Hogwarts Express, I think Sirius must have thought it hilarious if he was sorted into Gryffindor, the first Black ever to be one. Truly a most rebellious act. This lasted about... seven seconds?

The next day, Walburga sends a Howler and she's the most displeased Sirius has ever heard her, this is not a joke, Sirius, how dare you? You are such a disappointment etc.

Disappointment. The family disappointment.

This becomes Sirius' new persona. The more he leans into it, the more his mother doubles down. Headcanon n°2: they have the same personality, Walburga and Sirius; Regulus takes after Orion.

Golden-child/scapegoat dynamic ensues, worse than ever. This is the abuse I was referring to: no matter how brilliant, how high his grades, how good Sirius is, it'll never be enough. He's the foil to Regulus - less good in school, less brilliant, less popular, less... So. He fraternizes with Mudbloods and werewolves and dissenters of our Lord and Saviour Voldemort, which is a disgrace. He comes back from his first year saying Muggleborn instead of Mudblood, puts up semi-naked Muggle girl posters in his room with a permanent sticking charm - every time Walburga is in there her stomach flips in disgust. He buys himself a Muggle motorbike.

He can never bring himself to tell his parents that he wants their love and approval and they think he wants everything but. Not just that, they think he's actively trying to drive them to an early grave with all of that rebelling.

This, by the way, puts an enormous amount of stress on Regulus. Now he has to step up, wants to step up, to prove himself as finally better, but also he doesn't want to lose his older brother, but also he can never live up to the comparison, but also why do his parents love him now that Sirius is gone, why couldn't they love him better, sooner? This breeds resentment. Desperate to prove himself, he joins the Death Eaters (whose ideas he fully embraced anyway, let's not forget that Reggie was a racist little arse).

Why did Sirius run away?

This fandom makes the MISTAKE of thinking that Sirius ran away because his parents were evil and mean. No. Nu-uh. That's not what happened.

“But… why did you…?” “Leave?” Sirius smiled bitterly and ran his fingers 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.”

Sirius hated his parents and his brother, but he doesn't offer any indication that they were physically violent towards him - sure, they sound like dicks and they definitely created a situation of emotional abuse (why can't you be more like your brother?), which is still very scarring for a child/teenager, but no indication that they ever brutalized him.

I'm not saying this to argue that emotional or psychological abuse (lying, gaslighting, justifying treating your children horribly with oh, but I'm doing it for your own good, etc.) is less damaging than physical abuse. But I think that half the fandom just writes in a few rounds of Cruciatus to get out of writing the hard stuff - the complexities, subtleties, two-way pain of dysfunctional households.

When Sirius ran away from home, Orion and Walburga blasted him off the family tree. That means that he couldn't come back even if he tried to. He had no family any longer. Running away from home is something that a teenager in Sirius' situation and with his personality might conceivably do - and I'm sure it did hurt his family. But his betrayal was followed by their own betrayal.

Also, I want to contrast this with BELLATRIX and the way she speaks of Andromeda (because we all know that she's actually referring to Andromeda in that first quote):

“Cissy, your own sister? You wouldn’t — ” (HBP) “She is no niece of ours, my Lord,” she cried over the outpouring of mirth. “We — Narcissa and I — have never set eyes on our sister since she married the Mudblood. This brat has nothing to do with either of us, nor any beast she marries.” (DH)

and Walburga:

“- comes back from Azkaban ordering Kreacher around, oh, my poor mistress, what would she say if she saw the house now, scum living in it, her treasures thrown out, she swore he was no son of hers and he’s back, they say he’s a murderer too -”

Bella, even after 25 years, still calls Andromeda her sister. Sure, Ted and Dora can rot - nay, she wants to actively kill them -, but Andy is her sister. Walburga declares that Sirius is no son of hers. She cut ties with him just as much as he cut ties with them. He lived with the Potters until Alphard died and miraculously left him gold; he didn't have a Galleon to his name otherwise. This is incredibly hurtful for a child. He was sixteen.

So. Anyways. This is getting rambly, but I hope I got my point across.

As for pure headcanons, that have no actual basis in the text:

All the Blacks are hot, but Orion & Burgie were not the hottest of them. That title goes to Alphard & Lucretia and then Sirius & Bellatrix in the next generation.

Orion is like Regulus in nature, and Walburga is like Sirius. Ice and Fire. On the other hand, physically, Sirius looks like his dad and Reggie looks like his mum. (Which is not to say much because they are second cousins, and the Black genes are strong lol)

(By the way, they are second cousins guys, not first cousins, not brother and sister!)

Orion wears exclusively shades of black and grey.

He's a quiet man, likes to read, despises noise.

A heavy drinker since he was young, it became a coping mechanism after Sirius' turbulent teenage years, almost drank himself to death when Regulus died. That's not what got him in the end, but it could have very well been.

Walburga always had a temper on her, could scream like a banshee, but she wasn't insane until one son abandoned her for the lowliest of scum and she lost her youngest boy and her husband in the span of six? three? months.

Austere. I can imagine her with her hair pinned up, high necklines... always very proper, with a severe type of beauty. I really like that aesthetic for her.

Crack: Definitely involved in the infamous Love Triangle of '43 when Tom Riddle tried to ask her out (to get access to the Black Family library's Dark Arts books) and she rejected him (not my headcanon btw, I remember reading it on here but I can't remember who came up with it rn - if anyone knows, I'll give credit!). Guess who was smitten with him? Alphard. Chaos of the kind you're thinking ensues.

Theirs was a semi-arranged marriage (there were wink-wink, nudge-nudges from other members of the family and the two of them decided it would be advantageous). I don't think they loved each other but they had a good partnership, gave the House of Black two heirs. (lol, see how that turned out)

Walburga had pregnancy issues, which I headcanon for every single woman of the House of Black, except the only one who was-maybe-sorta-kinda relying on them: Andromeda.

That's all, folks!

(I think.)

[juniperpyre]

🤍💚 !!

as always these are long lmao

💚: What does everyone else get wrong about your favorite character?

to be fair lily is soooo up to interpretation since we only see her through the lens of men (mostly snape). it's hard to say anything is particularly wrong besides flat portrayals. but seriousbrat who's analysis (x x) I always love has been talking about how the boys are often not written like teenage boys, in favor of woke feminist heros, and I think the same can be said for lily.

I think even people that like her use her as the moral compass. but she does almost laugh when james is bullying snape in SWM. so I see her more as someone who wants very badly to be good and kind, but it's at odds with her own desires/wants and sometimes needs (she needed to drop snape before it got to the point of him calling her a slur fr fr).

not that i don't think she's kind. I think she grows to balance the over-empathetic parts of her with her own needs, and dating James is linked to that. in the sense that she's doing something that she used to think would be wrong, but now is like "fuck it I want to".

so yeah back to her almost laughing, I think lily has an instinct towards cruelty to some extent. we know that severus, sirius and james all have a talent for cruelty, and those are the three people we see her befriending in the text. her being a woman also plays into her being the moral compass, but i would say that the pressures of her two societies necessitated her to be more mindful of her behavior. she had less options for recklessness, but, again, we know james and sirius are reckless! and severus is taking some sort of risk by signing up with the death eaters. she doesn't fuck with people who play it safe.

so yes i think there is this part of her she sees as bad that is interested in dark magic and being a bitch bc it's fun (oversimplification) that all three of those relationships allow her to explore in different ways. usually she keeps it locked away unless she deems it acceptable to use as a weapon. i think being a mom brings this part of her out, more, for better or worse.

🤍: Which character is not as morally bad as everyone else seems to think?

this is kind of random but molly weasley. I think she was adored uncritically in early fandom and now she's just bashed both of which I think are two sides of the misogyny coin.

In general people project their own relationships with their parents onto characters like molly & walburga. molly is not super emotionally mature, she's cruel to hermione in book 4, she yells at her children and she plays favorites.

she also is the sole caretaker for all of her children, her husband, and then in 5, 6 and 7 the whole of the order. do we see anyone else taking the lead on household management? no! that's an enormous amount of stress. it's clear she feels responsible for the well being of her children and they are constantly in danger.

her two brothers died in the first war. she births all of her children during a war (ginny is born a few months before jily die). her whole adult life has been shaped by this conflict, and I'm sure it's impact what she believes care should look like. she's desperately afraid of her children making the wrong choices and ending up in a bad situation. I know this comes in the form of nagging about grades and making good career choices, but it's impossible for there not to be something deeper there

like I did not grow up with war in my country but I've had an incredibly unstable life up until age 25/26 (I am 27). my younger sibling (22) who I raised also has! and when she makes choices, there is a deep level of anxiety for me. there's a looming fear that something will end with extreme harm, even if that doesn't seem connected to that choice. I can only imagine how much that's multiplied when it's 1) your own children 2) active war & 3) your brothers died in the active war.

plus she makes me think of all the invisible labor women do to help war efforts. I don't think she's a great mom but I don't think she's horrible, she loves her children & is trying very hard and sometimes falling short or even failing. to err is human tho.

[peraltiagoicons]

first chapter of the marauders x Derry girls fic @equippedtoloveis and I are writing is out bitches!!!

Do you have to let it linger? (5002 words) by Wraithsbastard Chapters: 1/25 Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marauders Era (Harry Potter) - Fandom Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Regulus Black/James Potter, Mary Macdonald/Lily Evans Potter, Lily Evans / Mary MacDonald, Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Euphemia Potter/Fleamont Potter, Sirius Black & James Potter, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew & James Potter & Lily Evans Potter, Lily Evans & Remus Lupin, Mary Macdonald & Marlene McKinnon & Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew & James Potter Characters: Sirius Black, Regulus Black, Lily Evans, James Potter, Mary Macdonald (Harry Potter), Euphemia Potter, Fleamont Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Marlene McKinnon, Minerva McGonagall, Walburga Black (derogatory) - Character, Walburga Black Additional Tags: Inspired by Derry Girls (TV), Regulus Black & Sirius Black Have a Good Relationship, Lesbian Lily Evans, Remus Lupin is So Done, Pining, Mutual Pining, Regulus Black is a Little Shit, Sirius Black Being Sirius Black, Regulus is friends with the marauders, Marauders Friendship (Harry Potter), Awesome Euphemia Potter, No Lily Evans Bashing allowed, Lesbian Mary Macdonald (Harry Potter), Marlene Mckinnon being iconic, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Irish Marauders, Band Fic, Marauders are a Band (Harry Potter), warnings will be in the chapter, There probably won't be very much, Attempt at Humor, Sirius Black and James Potter being idiots, Author Is Sleep Deprived, lots of swearing Summary: “What's all this? I thought we were going to be individuals this year?” Lily demands when she sees the three sullen boys clad in blazers. “I wanted to, Lils, but my ma wouldn't let me.” James says with a shrug. There was just no getting Effie to change her mind sometimes. She was quite a stubborn mother, but a kind one nonetheless. “Well, I’m not being an individual on my own.” Lily says, already putting her blazer back on. She came prepared in case something like this happened. or Equippedtolove and I decided to write a Marauders fic that is 100% inspired by Derry Girls. We hope you enjoy the fic <3 We do not own the characters credits sadly go to Jk Rwling. Nor do we agree with her views. A good portion of the script is taken from Derry Girls TV series (we love you Derry Girls. Best show ever.)

[c-m-li-s-fanfic-corner]

WIP Lineup 5/27/24

So You Wanna Start a War?

Harry Potter / Marauders Era

Sirius Black & Arcturus Black

Sirius Black/Dorcas Meadowes

Noble and Most Ancient House of Black Centric

Anti-Walburga Black, Anti-Orion Black, Anti-Peter Pettigrew, Anti-Dumbledore

We're messing with the canon and fixing a lot of shit.

This is entirely finished. All that's left is proofreading and editing then it'll get posted.

* * *

If All We Know Is What We're Told Then They've Made Up Our Minds

DC Comics

Dick Grayson/Jason Todd

The Red Hood comes back to Gotham but has to pause his revenge tour when he finds out that Nightwing hasn't been seen in years since the Joker died.

Dick Grayson has given up Nightwing.

Heavy on the ramifications of Blockbuster/Catalina.

This will be bad parent Bruce Wayne.

* * *

Doomed By the Narrative

DC Comics

Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & John Constantine

John Constantine/Zatanna

John needs help to do a ritual to save Zatanna, but he can only use the help of people who have died and been brought back. The amount of people who have done that and that he trusts are extremely low.

Post-Spyral

Bad parent Bruce Wayne

* * *

Gold and Green Through a Different Lens

DC Comics / Marvel Comics

Dick Grayson & Jason Todd

Nightwing and the Red Hood get thrown into the Marvel universe where they clash with the Avengers, get mistaken for mutants, and get rescued by Magneto. Not necessarily in that order.

Former Talon Dick Grayson

Lazarus Pit Jason Todd

Avengers aren't in the best light, but they're not evil.

* * *

Heathen

Star Wars

Obi-Wan Kenobi & Cin Drallig

Rule 63 for Obi-Wan Kenobi

Melida-Daan canon divergence and thereafter.

Bashing for Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda.

I've been sitting on the first chapter of this for over a year but I swear it's always in the back of my mind.

[imaginejamesandsirius]

Sirius was 16 when Regulus was born, and ran away when Regulus was only a couple of months old. He and James are happily married and have a son together, Harry (who was born 1980, like canon).

One day Sirius is visited by a Wizard Solicitor with a Will telling him that he’s inherited half of the Black fortune, and is now also has custody of his younger brother, who is a about 8 at this point.

Sirius assumed that his brother had been the perfect child for his parents, he expects a blood-purist spoiled brat — instead he’s got a child who’s abuse makes his own (which was already severe) seem like nothing.

Just Sirius feeling guilt for abandoning Regulus, feeling responsible for his abuse, and he and James trying to give him the best life possible — and Harry being adorable, and Regulus and him becoming the best brothers, which makes Sirius feel complicated feelings.

((A/N: Mentions of child abuse))

Anger and discomfort. That's what Sirius felt when his father pushed a week-old baby into his arms and said, "Hold him until your mother gets back."

The new baby, his new brother, sixteen years younger than him, Regulus, whimpers pathetically. He tries to rearrange his arms so the baby won't start screaming, but does he know anything about babies? He's never really been around one before. This is maybe the second time he's held one, and he would've been happier if it had stayed at one.

"Why can't you bloody hold him?" Sirius asks as Orion backs away. "He's your stupid son."

"As are you," Orion replies dryly, a familiar angry glint in his eye. "So do as I say and hold your sodding brother while I get a drink." He leaves, long strides taking him from the room far faster than Sirius can chase after him. He doesn't like the fact that he has a sibling now or that he's supposed to wait here until Walburga gets in-- whenever that's supposed to be-- but he doesn't want to bash the baby's head into the door, so he has to stop following their father and wait in the room as requested.

He sighs, gives the door an impotent kick, then gingerly makes his way to a chair. It's easier to hold a baby while sitting, right? He's heard that somewhere. Maybe, if he's lucky, Regulus will stay asleep. Or is he awake and just not crying? It's hard to tell which when his face is so scrunched up. Sirius isn't sure. As long as he's quiet though, he doesn't care.

He knows what a new sibling means. His parents didn't say it in as many words, but they didn't need to; he knows that he's a disappointment to them. He's said a hundred times (to James), that if they could replace him, they would. And now they have.

His parents don't like each other. They don't have sex for fun. They purposefully conceived Regulus so that, once Sirius is gone, they'll have a new heir. Sirius knows that he won't be here much longer. It's a toss up whether he runs or they throw him out. He thinks he's going to run; he'll be able to pack all of his things that way.

He glances down at the (thankfully) still quiet baby in his arms and hates him, just a little bit. Right now, he's fine. He's a baby. He doesn't have personality, he's trying to figure out going to sleep and eating when he's hungry. But when he grows up? Sirius turned out alright, in spite of their parents. Regulus probably won't turn out the same. Andromeda noted to him once, in the corner of one of their family gatherings, "It's fifty-fifty if one of us isn't utter shite. It's like, you and I turned out good, so Bellatrix and Narcissa have to be piss." Sirius laughed, knowing the truth in her words; Uncle Alphard, present but apart from the others like they were, was a clear sign. They could turn out good, but it wasn't a guarantee.

If Sirius is fine, then what does that mean for the future of this newborn baby? He'll grow up under Walburga and Orion's watchful eyes and the 'benefit' of hindsight that raising Sirius will have given them.

Sirius will grow to hate him. That stir of anger, to that future, to their parents, is still there. "Sorry, mate," he whispers. Angry or not, he pities him.

*

There's a knock on the door, and James answers. "Hullo. Erm, can I help you?"

"I'm a solicitor, my name is Joe Byrne." He holds a business card out. It's a deep green, almost black but its colour is visible from the sunlight shining on the doorstep. "I'm here to speak to Sirius Potter."

James takes the card and glances down at it. The sigil stamped to the background and the skate of magic underlining his information like an errant drop of water mean he's old money-- which means he's likely connected to the Black family. "I don't know what business you could have with him."

"I presume you're his husband, James Potter?"

"That's correct."

"Mr. Potter, are you aware that his mother recently passed?"

"Yes-" it was in The Prophet "-but she disowned him. I know children are usually in the will even if they're estranged, but this isn't a usual situation."

Mr. Byrne doesn't appear bothered by this. "The will has been read. What Walburga Black may or may not have done to disown your husband in a social manner wasn't reflected legally, so I need to speak with him."

James knows he's being overprotective by thinking anyone connected with the Black's-- even professionally-- is bad for Sirius. So he swallows it down, tucks the card in his pocket, and says, "Okay. Please, come in. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Please. Thank you."

James waves his wand to get things started in the kitchen and leads Mr. Byrne to an armchair. They're both quiet as he sits. Another wave of his wand brings the teapot out, the tray and cups trailing behind it. He can't remember if it's polite to pour for him or not; it's been so long since he tried to be proper, and that was occasionally, not all the time. Bloody hell, he shouldn't care about this, and he doesn't, really, but he's nervous. Sirius's parents are an old scar, but they are a scar. What's the point in putting pressure on that scar again? For a single galleon that his mother left, just to spite him? "Go ahead," he says, motioning to the tea service, "and I'll go get Sirius."

Mr. Byrne thanks him, so even if it was a mistake, it's a small one.

James isn't looking forward to this. To any part of this. He didn't even want to let the solicitor in, but now he has to tell Sirius that he's here, and he likes that less. He heads to the backyard, where they were soaking in the sun for a few hours while Harry's at the Longbottom's.

Sirius glances over when he walks out, then frowns. "You alright?"

"There's a solicitor here for you. From Walburga."

"I don't imagine we'd have anything to discuss."

"I said the same to him, but he claims you're in the will." James holds out a hand to him and tries to smile. "Best to get it over with."

Sirius sighs but agrees, taking his hand and joining him inside.

Mr. Byrne introduces himself to Sirius before opening his briefcase and removing a sizeable folder. "I apologize for coming to your home to discuss this, but my letters didn't receive any response and certain matters need to be taken care of quickly."

"We received quite a bit of post after her death," James says by way of apology. None of the letters were welcome; they'd burned the lot of it without sifting through to check senders.

"I understand," he replies, accepting. Then he looks to Sirius. "In summary, you are now the Head of the Black family. There's quite a bit of details to get through in relation to that, but we can schedule an appointment for that if you prefer. The most urgent matter is that of your younger brother, one Regulus Black. Since your mother's death, he's been staying with a member of S.U.B.S., but the hope is to transfer him into your custody as quickly as possible. There are a few forms I need your signature on, and then you'll be his legal guardians." Mr. Byrne is very efficient about the whole matter. As he's speaking, he retrieves a quill and inkwell from his briefcase. By the time he's done, the inkwell is unstoppered, and the corresponding forms are facing Sirius and James.

Two minutes ago, they had a three year old and struggled with that. Now they're being told they have to raise another kid, one who's older and they've never met.

Sod everything.

*

Sirius and James have a certain idea what Regulus will be like. Sirius was raised in that house, he knows what life was like before he went to Hogwarts, and Regulus is eight. He was snooty and cold and unused to anything like James and Sirius as they are now; Regulus will be the same, possibly worse.

The first glimpse they get of Regulus makes them rethink that assumption.

The first conversation they try to have with him crushes that assumption beneath a harsh hammer and grinds it up afterwards. At first, Regulus is too loud, too aggressive. Then, he's quiet, almost not daring to breathe, and he shrinks away like he expects pain. When none comes, he flees to the loo with a murmured excuse.

"That's not normal," Sirius whispers to James. They need to talk about it, but he doesn't want Regulus to overhear. And, given what just happened, he doesn't want to go too far from him.

"Definitely not," James whispers back. "D'you think they hurt him?"

"That's what it looked like, but it doesn't make any sense. They wanted to make him the perfect son to replace me." He shakes his head. "This doesn't follow."

"Maybe he's skittish from losing his parents and living with strangers," James says, but he doesn't sound like he believes it.

Sirius doesn't believe it either, but he says, "Yeah. Maybe."

*

"Are you going to lock me in the basement?" Regulus asks one day over lunch.

Sirius wishes Harry weren't here for this, and James wishes that there was a warning before someone asked something so horrible like that.

"There's no basement," Harry informs him. "Uncle Peter's house has a basement, but he says I can't go in." He's too young to understand the horrible implications in Regulus’s question. To him, it's a question on the same level as 'can I go in Dad's potion lab' or 'can we have dinner early today'.

James tries to smile. "Right. Like Harry said, no basement. I don't know why we'd do something like that to you anyways."

"The full moon is tomorrow night."

His stomach sinks, because that didn't sound like a different topic, and he doesn't want to ask, but he has to. Sirius braces himself and asks, "Why is that important?"

"They put me in the basement for my transformations."

He blinks. "Transformations?"

"When I become a wolf." Regulus said it as if this was information they already knew.

Sirius and James both force themselves not to react; there's no point in making him think it's a bad reaction. "Right. You don't have to do that anymore, we have something else worked out." They'll have to figure it out tonight. It'll be easy, since they can both transform and keep him company, but finding a suitable location will be a bit of a challenge-- and finding someone to mind Harry while they were both gone, helping Regulus, won't be easy because of the short notice. 

*

"I should've taken Regulus with me when I ran away from my parents," Sirius says, staring up at the ceiling and hating himself for something eight years past. From the corner of his eye, he can see James pause.

"You're not blaming yourself, are you?"

He says nothing.

James sighs, a quiet, sad thing, and pads over to the bed. He sits and places a hand on Sirius's shoulder. "We were sixteen. We couldn't have raised a kid."

"We would've figured it out," Sirius says stubbornly. He's convinced that it's true. They had Harry a little earlier than was wise, but they had each other, so they were able to get through it. It would've been the same with Regulus; they would've been scared and stressed with juggling everything, but they would've managed it.

James lays down. He throws one leg over Sirius's and curves his arm to smush between them so he can hold his hand. He should probably look up at the ceiling with him, but instead he stares at Sirius. His jaw is set, eyes tight, and he's glaring at the red paint like it's done him wrong. "I know you feel bad for him. I do too, but there's nothing we could have done-"

"We could've helped," Sirius cuts in, voice hard.

Mm. He isn't going to make this easy, is he? James keeps himself from sighing again, knowing it'll only make Sirius more defensive. "Okay. Humour me. You're sixteen, and you show up at my house with a baby in your arms. My parents let you and Regulus both live there. We-"

"I know that it wouldn't have been easy with Hogwarts, but-"

James is the one to cut him off this time. "I wasn't talking about Hogwarts, I was talking about Walburga and Orion. If you'd brought him with you, that would be kidnapping. Do you really think they'd let that slide? The law would've been on their side, and they would've wanted him back."

"They treated him like rubbish!" Sirius says, turning his head to glare at James instead of the ceiling. "He's a werewolf; they wouldn't have raised a finger."

"He wasn't a werewolf back then."

A retort is on the tip of his tongue, but he hesitates when that penetrates his fog of guilt and self-recrimination. James is right; Regulus wasn't a werewolf. He doesn't know when he was bitten, but it had to be after he left. "I still think I should've been able to do something," he eventually says, feeling helpless and hating it.

"You didn't know. And it doesn't seem like anyone else knows; they kept it locked down. All we can do is focus on how much better parents we're going to be to him," James says with a grin.

Sirius snickers. "Yeah. Doesn't sound like it'll be hard."

"We'll blow them out of the water."

*

Harry thinks it's fun to have Regulus around. Where James and Sirius are sometimes too busy to play with him exactly the way he wants, Regulus is always free-- and, importantly, always willing. Regulus and Harry both are enjoying the novelty of living with someone close to them in age. Hell, Regulus is enjoying playing. So much of it, he seems to be experiencing for the first time (like he's never had a playmate), but sometimes he does act the five years older than Harry that he is, knowing what Harry wants before he says a word.

It's pretty damn cute no matter which way he's acting. He talks more now, which is a marked improvement on when he first moved in. He doesn't fully trust Sirius and James yet, but they've got plenty of time to build off that, and he does trust them a little. He doesn't expect for them to berate him over nothing; he doesn't expect for them to lock him away on full moons or when he gets 'too annoying'. James gets frustrated with the slow pace sometimes, hating that Sirius has to remind him that baby steps are the only way they'll make progress. Raising Harry is, by comparison, easy. He's known them his whole life, never had reason to doubt that they'll be there for him or keep him safe. Dealing with raising both of them at the same time, with these differing viewpoints, isn't easy, but they're surviving.

Regulus and Harry wore themselves out playing. Sirius, as Padfoot, joined the fun, and he's feeling lethargic as they head inside. When he curls up to take a nap, Harry joins him automatically, pillowing his head on thick fur. When Regulus sees the way Sirius doesn't shake him off, he joins them, arm over Harry and head resting on Padfoot's gently moving chest.

James comes home, takes a photograph before any of them can wake, then tiptoes around the house, wanting them to have as much peace as they can. It's not an easy family, not one he ever thought they'd have, but it's good. Regulus fits in, taking on the role of Harry's brother, with Sirius more like a father.

[puppypawprintce]

~Trapped in this Dismal Vignette~

1500 words | 1974 |

gen + snegulus + bit of inner turmoils.

cw: underage smoking, sirius bashing (theyre bonding)

Everything in the house reeks of never breaking tradition, of the walls cluttered from landing of stairs to the chandelier that hangs precariously above the large, faded-by-time wine stain on the busy carpet. It feels like when one walks through the hallway everything in existence sprouts undead eyes and it wouldn't be unlikely to spot a few thestrals once exiting the premises. It's as if things stick between the coils of life and death. Remnants of a soul burn in the two sons and nowhere else.

Walburga Black cares not for her eldest son, nor does he wish for anything more.

"Isn't your dear old brother's birthday coming up?" Less a question, and all a reason to sneer and scoff. Regulus slams his palms on the counter, the look on his face wild, then deadpan. The same gray eyes.

"Unfortunately."

"He doesn't shut up about it, he's convinced he's London's favorite doll." Severus stares from across the room with a twinge of satisfaction in his chest, it's a rarity to hear anyone agree with him. To speak and know he was in similar company. Sirius Black wasn't all that, in fact, he was below average across the board. I wish he weren't so pretty at least. Maybe if his nose were twisted just a smidge to the left. And if someone were to douse that hair in petrol.

"Even worse, in 3 months."

"I know."

"He could stand to wait til October."

And Severus has to think for a moment. Has to dig through the many layers of memories he isn't particularly interested in—he isn't interested—and there it is, the first day Autumn showed her face in the leaves and her unrelenting breeze. Sirius, the bastard all grinning and standing tall over his friends, growth spurt, lunges an arm over James' shoulder while proclaiming he wants to do something dangerous for his birthday. November 3rd wouldn't be a good day, Severus had thought.

"Their lot would kill me if they knew mine, I'm sure." Severus balances his tilted head in the palm of his hand, almost like a fateful reminisce. Though his face remains sour, and Regulus only stands to mirror.

"Potter oughta be expelled."

There's that feeling, the one where Severus thinks it be best to douse the stove and all its tangled wire before the pot can even come close to boiling over. He blinks, his breathing stiff and the line between feeling as calm as a Cokeworth boy can be to wanting to hide in the nearest quiet closet looms in between his skeleton and the subtle beating of his heart. "They would never expel Potter, he's got a whole battalion on his side."

"So do you Severus."

The boy looks at him expectantly, his hands still firmly placed and the curl on his forehead twirling to obscure the visible scar Regulus wears near his left eyebrow. An expression of mercy on his hair's part, Severus always feels guilty laying his eyes on it.

"No one is on my side Regulus, what are you playing at?"

"I just mean it would take a thousand Potters to outsmart you." Regulus moves in search through his jacket pockets. "Mum will be home soon, let's head out."

Severus hops off his place on the rickety old stool, almost on command. His feet don't reach the floor from up there, and he's glad no one ever comments on it.

"Does it hurt..to smoke?" His hands rest in the pockets of his sweater, the edges of its stitching frayed and full of holes. It's hardly sweater season yet, but Severus doesn't like when people can see his arms. And the pockets, he likes those a fair amount. They walk at a steady pace, leaving the grounds of Number 12 Grimmauld Place behind.

Regulus shoves his newly retrieved cigarette between his teeth, his perfect set of front teeth, and sets the end aflame with a careful cup of his other hand. Taking a drag, his eyes close and for a moment Severus wonders if he shouldn't be so curious. Wonders if this is a fork in the road the future him would madly scold him for.

Regulus balances his cig between his index and center. "Nah, not really."

A dense cloud escapes from his lips and rises up, disappearing into the monotone atmosphere above. It smells like it always does, bitter and strong enough to make you wanna plunge into the nearest shore just to get away from it.

But Severus doesn't run, and his eyes stay fixated on the schoolmate he's somehow managed to get along well enough to be friends with. That might kill him someday.

"Do you wanna try it?"

His heart doesn't skip a beat.

"Yes." He frees his left hand, then stuffs it right back in his pocket. Too eager. When Regulus offers him the same cigarette that had just vacated his mouth, Severus appears hesitant, and for the first time in months an odd sense of dread tears its claws into the very back of his mind. "Hold on, same one?"

"Yeah? Why not. You a germaphobe or something Sev?"

The words bounce right off him. He doesn't feel particularly strong about germs in either direction, no and it isn't like they haven't shared snacks before, or even taken sips from the same water bottle. But his mind twists and his stomach feels sick and for once in his life Severus isn't in any danger yet thinks he's looking death straight in the eyes. Petrified.

"Fire's dying." Regulus hits it again, his eyes watching Severus closely. He doesn't like the way Regulus always looks him in the eye, too near and too close and it'd take a million Regulus Blacks to get any of this out of his head. Sometimes he wonders if it's on purpose, what's his aim in all of this?

Severus makes up his mind in the same second that his friend tries to offer him the cig again, can't be too cowardice. Doesn't matter his reason, doesn't matter the fear. He tentatively holds it between his fingers and repeats the action of guiding it to his lips.

It tastes awful. Like dirt and the corroded, burnt bits of whatever got thrown into the brazier for last night's supper. Inhaling is much, much worse.

Resisting the urge to drop it on the ground, Severus hands it back and his whole body convulses into a fit of heavy coughs. His hands shake and it feels like his chest is on fire.

"Did-" he coughs a few more times. "Did you fucking jinx it?"

Regulus can't contain his amusement whatsoever, the way his giggling turns to a couple snorts and he totally drops the cigarette without even realizing. Severus looks about ready to hex the guy himself before he's met with a water bottle shoved in his face, cap already slightly unscrewed just for him.

"I didn't do shit to it Sev, you just aren't used to it."

He'd be more inclined to believe him if he didn't think his lungs were crawling with fire ants right about now. Clinging to the bottle like it was his saving grace, Severus gulps down three quarters of it without stopping. Ebbing the pain away into a subtle discomfort.

"I thought you said it didn't hurt." He wipes his mouth with the back of his sleeve and coughs again.

"I forgot you're...."

"Forgot i'm what? You did that on purpose and you know it, Black."

"Hey... hey okay maybe I knew that would happen—" Severus' eyes are glaring and narrow as nervous-to-pick-up-the-pieces words fumble out of the boy's mouth, hands raised in mock defense. "But I didn't jinx anything. That happens to everyone- it's normal!"

The betrayed Slytherin stamps the sole of his shoe on the last bits of life the stick of death had left, all embers burnt out and their fuel crushed to dust. "You're very lucky that I'm generally a fan of you."

Wind picks up and brings both of their hair to reposition around their faces, Severus brushes his back into place and Regular doesn't move a muscle. That godforsaken scar stares its dark eyes back at him, 2 dots amongst the general blob-ish shape. Taunting him, making him wish to repent.

"I didn't like it."

"Clearly.. It's okay, you would've transformed my head into a pincushion if it wasn't taking effect. Feel any better?"

He takes a second to assess it all, the way his head feels and the dissipating burn in his chest and the odd sense of anxiety that'd come over him. How he doesn't like how close Regulus is and gets, yet he doesn't mind at all. Maybe it's the latter half that makes him so queasy, everything feels like sandpaper on his skin and there's nothing he can do that would land him in better shape. Nowhere else was as safe as the right here, right now.

"I don't know."

[whinlatter]

oooh 27, 44 and 50 for sirius, please!

straight for the jugular with the saddest questions about sirius - i see how it is @bronzeagepizzeria…

27. Their guilty pleasure

it says a lot about how i think of sirius that this question is so hard. young sirius i don’t think would feel guilty about much pleasure, cocky and hedonistic as he and james were, and older sirius i struggle to imagine finding much pleasure in anything, and certainly not feeling guilty about it in a way that would imply he still has any investment

i quite like the idea of sirius as a smoker? especially him in the canon series. he’s so committed to living for harry, but there’s something about him enjoying the promise of eventual destruction that also i think would have a guilty dimension to it (because he knows harry needs him)

as padfoot… tummy scratches

44. Their happiest memory

i really feel like it would be something exclusively with james, rather than with the other marauders. i think the marauders as a group matters more to remus (and maybe even to james), but the one-on-one friendship with james would be a source of maximum happiness for sirius (sorry to the wolfstar girlies!) maybe a day with the bike and james, when they've both left school and sirius is free of any reminder of his family, and although the war's brewing there's still a lot of freedom for dumb young fun boys having a wild great time and also bashing death eaters on the daily. ugh! ugh

50. The memory they’ve blocked out

i think sirius has absolutely suppressed any memories of his immediate family that don’t align with the way, in the canon timeline, he has decided to think about them. we know next to nothing about his father in canon, but that walburga only enters the text as this like horrific jumpscare ugly portrait screaming slurs is such a good metaphor for how sirius has chosen to remember her — a literal caricature of herself