The Tragedy of Walburga Black

★𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟖𝟐★

(𝟗 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫)

𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟑𝟏𝐬𝐭, 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟑 - 𝟏𝟐 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞.

"I hate this game," Sirius spoke from his spot on the floor as Alphard beat him in wizards chess for the fourth time in a row. With a defeated sigh, he slumped onto the wooden floor, his pride wounded by his cousin's relentless victories.

Alphard chuckled softly as he reset the wizard's chessboard, his playful teasing evident in his words.

"Ah, nephew, sore losers are no fun, are they?" he remarked, casting a mischievous grin down at Sirius before turning his attention to Regulus, who sat nearby, absorbed in writing a letter on Orion's parchment.

"Regulus, who are you writing to?" Alphard's inquiry cut through the air, his curiosity piqued as he observed his nephew immersed in his letter-writing.

Meanwhile, Sirius's attempts at cheating in their new game of Wizard's Chess were met with Alphard's vigilant watchfulness.

Regulus looked up from his parchment, a faint smile playing on his lips as he met Alphard's gaze. "Just a friend," he replied, his tone casual yet tinged with a hint of mystery.

Sirius couldn't resist interjecting, his words carrying a note of teasing banter. "He's writing to Malfoy—after all, he's your only friend, Regulus. And he hardly counts if he's going to marry Narcissa," he remarked, his playful tone underscored by a hint of sibling rivalry.

Laughing at the jest, Alphard interjected with a teasing tone, "You'd be surprised, Sirius. Your mother was very close with Abraxas—"

But before he could finish his sentence, Walburga's sudden entrance into the room brought an abrupt halt to the conversation. Her voice, filled with a mix of amusement and warning, cut through the air, effectively putting an end to any further discussion of her past relations with the Malfoy family.

"Please don't finish that sentence, Alphard," she interjected, her tone firm yet tinged with a hint of playfulness. There was a subtle tension in the air as she spoke, a reminder of the delicate balance between humor and propriety that often characterized their family dynamics.

Smirking at her he let the conversation die then and there turning his attention back to the game.

Walburga, however, glanced at both her boys, before smiling. As time passed since last Christmas, eventually, they all moved on from the hurtful words that were said. Sirius forgot all about what was said when his father gifted him a new record player. Regulus however hadn't forgotten it at all, he went out of his way to avoid being around Orion.

Sitting down, Walburga called for Kreacher to bring her and Alphard wine, while the boys requested pumpkin juice. As they settled into their drinks, Alphard initiated a conversation with a casual inquiry.

"So, have you lot gotten your things for Hogwarts yet?" he asked, taking a sip of his red wine.

Regulus nodded, his expression earnest. Whilst Sirius spoke up eagerly, "I am excited to see everyone again."

"I would imagine, seeing your friends again is the best part of going to Hogwarts really," Alphard mused, his words carrying a hint of introspection.

As he spoke, She couldn't help but notice the subtle shift in his demeanor, a telltale sign that his thoughts had drifted to someone specific. She understood without needing him to say it aloud—Alphard was thinking of Ares Carrow.

Coughing slightly to break the somber mood that had settled over the conversation, Walburga spoke up with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

"Why don't I beat you in Wizard's Chess, Alphard?" she suggested, a small smile gracing her lips as she attempted to divert the conversation away from the topic of his lost friend.