Affects
Morgana and Regulus didn't know why suddenly, they were "invited" to one of their mothers' Wednesday meets, but the air was tense as soon as they sat down on the green velvet couch that they had been forbidden from since the dawn of time. They looked worriedly at each other before toward their mothers.
"Well, Morgana... Regulus... there comes a time in every young person's life when they must learn about certain things," Mrs. Travers began. She gulped then continued, "And in light of recent events, your mother and I have decided that it is high time you understood."
"Are we about to get the talk?!" Morgana blurted out.
Regulus's face paled, "No, no, no, no please oh Merlin no."
A small smile darted across the mothers' lips, but they remained serious.
"No, no, it's not that. It's..." before continuing, she glanced at Walburga, who nodded, "it's about Sirius."
Immediately their faces fell. What was wrong with Sirius? They looked up to him, neither more so than Regulus. If he was gone...
"What's happened to Sirius?" Morgana wrapped one of her little hands around Regulus's. Her voice was quiet but stable, she had to hold it together for Regulus's sake.
Walburga leaned in front of the children and sighed. "When you go to Hogwarts, what house do you want to be in?"
"Slytherin," they said in unison.
"Very good, now do you know why Slytherin is the best house?" She paused a moment to let them think of their answers. Walburga knew these children inside and out and she knew how turning this into a learning game would make it stick better in their minds.
After a beat, Regulus offered an answer, "Because of tradition?"
"Very good, Regulus, but there is something more to it... Morgana?"
Morgana looked at the women around her and thought about all the things chanted in her childhood about right and wrong, about valor, about achievement, about blood... She remembered once reading that the sacred 28 were direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders of Hogwarts. There were some families, the book said, that were inbred to keep their lines to Salazar pure... "Because of blood."
Walburga smiled, which was terrifying, and looked at Mrs. Travers in approval. "Very good, Morgana. Now, expand on that."
Morgana took a moment to collect her thoughts and choose her words carefully. "We are direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin, one of the greatest wizards of his time. Being in his house creates a connection and a sense of honor for us. Being so, it is filled with like-minded individuals."
"And that mindset is the only thing that separates us from the low wretches without magic. We were blessed with a great gift and it is important that we protect it. Muggle scum lack it and it makes them lesser. Slytherin was a firm believer in blood purity and we know that that ideology holds true in the wizarding world."
Mrs. Travers took a moment to jump in, "In other houses, they do not celebrate the same ideals. They prance with the mudbloods that are trying to create an impure form of magic. They don't understand that it's for their own good."
Regulus let their words sink in, it was similar to what he had heard his entire life, but there was more urgency to it. and he still couldn't see how this was relevant at this moment. "What's this got to do with Sirius?"
"Your brother... he has greatly dishonored the Black name and the teachings of our bloodline. We may lose him entirely." Walburga wiped a single tear from her eye. "Sirius has been placed in Gryffindor."
———————
An entire month passed before Regulus heard a word from Sirius. He knew their mother had sent him a carefully worded howler two days after they received the news, but besides that, there had been no contact with his brother. Walburga and Orion had taken to having evening talks with him on the importance of blood purity and tradition. Of course, he grew up with these theories in mind, the word mudblood had become no more than an adjective to him, but it had never truly been enforced. There was a resounding pressure that had settled on him from his parents and it was mildly overwhelming. Additionally, Mrs. Travers had taken to keeping Morgana at home more as to "not have her corrupted." In short, it had been a very rough month for Regulus Black and the long overdue letter from Sirius did nothing but make it worse.
Dear Reggie,
You will never believe the life I've found at Hogwarts!! It's truly an amazing world. I've made some friends in Gryffindor that I think you'd really like! They're not as uptight and prissy as our cousins or Morgana (I love her but these guys are different), but they really have known the world. James Potter, my bestest friend, is like a brother to me. He's so much fun to be around. And Remus! I think I would fail without Remus!
Somethings you should know before you come: a lot of what father and mother say isn't true. We shouldn't call people mudbloods (James taught me that), it's actually sort of a swear word in a way. Regardless, it isn't kind and you'll lose more friends than gain with it.
Well anyways, I've got a transfiguration essay due tomorrow so I have to cut this short. Береги себя для меня.
Love,
Siri
Had he already been reduced to nothing? They were partners in crime, best friends besides Morgana, and now some guy he just met is like his brother? And another thing, why would he say that about Morgana? Sirius loved Morgana almost as much as Regulus did and for him to say that about her... It was all so confusing. The pressure his parents were putting on him and yet the tip from Sirius not to listen to them? He was only 10 for Merlin's sake... And he couldn't see Morgana as much.
Morgana was having trouble at her own house. Her mother and father fought constantly whenever he was home and she wasn't allowed to see Regulus like she used to. Her parents, Dahlia and Atticus Travers were concerned about the influence Regulus would be on her. They couldn't have her disgrace their name by being in Gryffindor too... So they cracked down on her.
Morgana always found herself studying. Whether it be books, language, music, or magic, she was always occupied. They need a good Slytherin girl to marry a good Slytherin boy one day as her older brother had been meant to. Whenever she did have a moment, she would be introduced to various pure-blood families and their children, all as pompous and prissy as the next and it made her want to vomit.
She hadn't even heard a word from Sirius since he was sorted. It was so hard to hear everything crash down around her and it was all his fault and he couldn't even bother to write. It hurt...