The Tragedy of Walburga Black

★𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟗𝟗★

(𝟔 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫)

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟔 - 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞

Time seemed to fade into the background as the summer passed swiftly for her. It had been a pleasant break, truthfully. Regulus had spent most of it at the Malfoy Manor, and she had allowed it, knowing he needed it. Narcissa had been there as well, the sweet girl never once pushing him away.

As for herself, Walburga had attended dinners at the Malfoy Manor, although they had started incredibly awkward. Abraxas would smile at her, and his wife would pretend not to see it, adding an extra layer of tension to the already strained atmosphere.

It was during one of these dinners that she realized just how close the trio of Lucius, Narcissa, and Regulus had become.

She would gladly allow Regulus to stay, knowing that Abraxas and his wife had raised Lucius to be a proud pureblood. She was well aware of the extent to which the Malfoys would go to help the Blacks, a reflection of her own friendship with Abraxas.

By the time the summer had drawn to a close, she found herself alone once again with Orion, who did his best to ignore both her and Regulus.

She often found herself wandering the halls aimlessly, unsure of what to do with her time. Her small part in creating the potions for the Dark Lord was all but finished, leaving her with a sense of restlessness and purposelessness.

It had reached the point where Amycus Carrow would unexpectedly appear, and she would extend an invitation for him to stay for lunch. At first, the boy seemed to think she was under an Imperious Curse when she suggested it.

Shaking her head to clear the memories of the somewhat odd and entertaining lunches with Carrow, she focused on getting ready. With practiced precision, she slipped into her elegant gown, the fabric flowing gracefully around her figure.

Using delicate spells, she charmed her hair to cascade in lustrous waves around her shoulders and enhanced her features with subtle yet captivating magic, accentuating her sharp beauty. Satisfied with her appearance, she left the room, exuding an aura of elegance and allure.

The gown itself was a masterpiece of dark elegance, its fabric a rich black hue that seemed to drink in the light around it. Intricate patterns of deep green accents adorned the edges, swirling and intertwining in mesmerizing designs that added an enchanting allure to the garment.

As she finished preparing herself, she walked out of her room and began to make her way down the hall. Purposefully, she avoided glancing toward Sirius' room and instead headed directly to Regulus' room.

Each step she took was deliberate, her determination palpable as she approached her son's door with a sense of quiet resolve.

Ignoring the sign hanging on the door that forbade entry, she knocked gently before allowing Regulus to open the door.

"Are you ready?"

Her eyes looked over him, he was dressed as one would expect a pureblood to dress. His unruly curly hair framed his face, adding a touch of wildness to his otherwise refined appearance. While the suit fitted him perfectly, his expression betrayed a solemnity that lingered in his eyes, casting a shadow over his features.

"Yes, Mother," he replied quietly, his gaze fixed ahead as he walked past her and descended the stairs to the main room, where Orion awaited impatiently.

As they reached the room, she reached out and gently grasped his shoulder, halting his progress. "Are you okay?"

Looking at her, he offered a small, reassuring smile. "Immaculate," he replied with quiet confidence, though his eyes still held a hint of melancholy.