In which the untold story of Walburga Black unfolds.
She was a witch before she was a wife, mother, and cruel woman.
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"You failed as a mother; I failed as a son. Can you sit here truthfully, and say you love me? Look in my eyes, and say that you...
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( 𝟏 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫)
𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝐫𝐝, 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟒 - 𝟏𝟐 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞.
As time passed, Walburga found herself undergoing a transformation driven by necessity. If people had thought her cold before, she had now become practically frigid.
Her leniency toward Sirius' interest in the Muggle world had been destroyed as she implemented new rules. She took it upon herself to teach him and Regulus as much as she could about the Dark Arts. Orion had done just the same, forced to accompany Carrow on missions to sack Muggle towns.
Carrow had taken it upon himself to insert himself into the family dynamic, especially when the boys had returned to school.
She would often find him sitting on the couch, immersed in reading about the Dark Arts, just waiting to observe their actions and the company they kept. She was grateful that the nuisance would leave when her sons returned home.
"Did you send it?" She questioned Orion as he entered the study. She had prepared Sirius a birthday package, it had been his fifteenth birthday, though given he hardly ever wrote to her she had the package addressed to Regulus hoping he would give it to Sirius.
"Yes, I did," Orion replied, settling into his chair with a faint furrow on his brow. His left cheek bore severe bruising, a testament to his recent outing with the Death Eaters. It was an odd situation, considering he hadn't yet received the Dark Mark.
Nodding, she looked down, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling upon them both amidst the growing turmoil of war.
He lit a cigar, taking a moment to draw in a deep breath before he was inevitably sent out again. Orion never once spoke of what he did while he was out, though it was known he often accompanied Cygnus and Amycus. She could smell the metallic tang of blood on him when he returned, a stark reminder of the violence and darkness that surrounded them.
Walking up to him, she placed her hands on his shoulders as she sat before him, forcing him to meet her gaze. As she nestled her hands against his craved cheeks, she searched his eyes for fear but found only exhaustion.
He leaned into her touch, exhaustion evident in every line of his face. "I think we deserve a break," she murmured, though they both knew it was impossible.
Closing his eyes he hummed in response as she traced his cheeks. "I wouldn't object to a shared bath,"
She smiled faintly at his suggestion, a small glimmer of warmth amid their troubles. Leaning in, she placed a quick kiss on his bruised cheek, feeling the roughness of the skin beneath her lips.
Their foreheads met in a silent exchange of comfort and solidarity, a testament to the unspoken bond that had formed between them in the face of adversity. Despite their tumultuous history, they found solace in each other's presence as the war raged on, drawing strength from the shared burden they carried.
Throughout the year, Orion had been a constant source of support for Walburga as she grappled with the unsettling revelations about her past. Despite her inability to recall the memories Alphard had spoken about, Orion remained by her side, offering reassurance and understanding. He gently reminded her that it was okay not to remember, reassuring her that she was not alone in her struggles.
"I'll tell you what," she spoke, her voice unusually soft. "When you come back tonight, we'll have just that."
He only smiled before getting back up. "Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and Carrow will die mysteriously," he mused, his tone tinged with dark humor. He put out his cigar before donning his coat. "It would be nice to rid ourselves of the nuisance."
With a resigned smile, she watched him prepare to leave once again, "What will you be doing until I return?" He asked as he grabbed his wand.
"Alphard is meant to join me for dinner, hopefully, he comes," she sighed, her disappointment evident in her voice.
Her brother had once again distanced himself from the family, only appearing when the boys were back from school or when she bombarded him with letters. He had all but denied Cygnus the decency of a visit let alone a dinner. She couldn't remember when was the last time the three of them were together alone.
With Cygnus occupied with mission after mission, Walburga having to maintain the facade of the perfect matriarch of the family, and Alphard off doing whatever his mind pleased, they hardly found time for each other.
"Well, if he doesn't come, at least you'll save yourself from his company," he jested, though there was truth in his words.
As he kissed her forehead and apparated away from home, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the air.
