The Dark Lord
Another school year had gone, and Regulus had changed. He was 14 now, hard as it was to believe, and with that age, his heart and mind had hardened. One thing everyone knew about Regulus Black was that his life revolved around the people in it. His parents, he feared, he respected, he needed. Their approval was what kept him in shape, on top of the books, and everything they wanted. He met with people with dark ideas, listened to them, and responded as if he agreed. He saw no truth in those around him, but he couldn't help but follow because that was all he could do. His brother was brave, bold, reckless, and belligerent. He was a disgrace and the opposite of what Regulus could be. He was truth and freedom, he was love and war, and he was passionate. Regulus couldn't be that. He had to be lies, deceit, cunning... perfect. Morgana... oh Morgana... Morgana Vega Travers was his best friend and she couldn't be any more than that. He couldn't allow it. She was the only one that truly understood him. She was the only truth that was allowed in his life. While she was obedient, following the rules of her parents, and presenting to them the child they wanted and needed, she was also sly, sneaking around, trying new things, the master of controlled risks. She never got caught, she knew what she wanted to do and she would do it. He would watch her on the Quidditch pitch during practice and when he wasn't hunting the snitch in games and he would see the beauty in the way she moved, the way she tricked others with slight body movements, the way she danced in the air to get what she wanted. She was his truth.
Another school year has gone, and Morgana, only 14, had a heart and mind made of clay. One thing everyone knew about Morgana Vega Travers was she was ruthless. Some people called her a taker, others called her a saint, she did what she wanted and knew what she needed. She hated and fought fiercely. She looked after her own and dealt with enemies accordingly. Top of her class, favorite of the slug club, chaser on the quidditch team, and member of a prominent family, she was everything she needed to be outward, molded like clay to fit the expectations set for her... But inside, Morgana was scared and bored... She explored different paths from her parents, listened to muggle music, was kind to those she thought needed it, and wanted nothing more than to run away from this life made for her by construction workers of a previous generation. She resented her parents, she resented the people they hung out with, and she hated the Dark Lord for coming into her and Regulus's lives. She just wanted to be a kid and mold herself to her own wishes... but no one but Reggie could ever know that. He was her one bit of truth.
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The fourth year had gone by so fast it seemed. Too fast almost. They had won the quidditch cup, the house cup, received top marks on all exams, got into incredible mischief(without getting caught thank goodness), and now it was all over. Back to the summers when they had to endure the fighting and dueling back home, where the dark arts were preached, and the pressure felt more real than ever before. At least they endured that together.
Morgana stepped off the train and put on what Regulus liked to call her "parent face." She erased all emotion from her body language and hardened her eyes. Her mother couldn't read her like that, hell no one could. No one but Reg. No one could touch her like that. Not teachers, not other students, but especially not her mother.
He knew how much her mother frightened her, how much she hated being home. Sometimes he found it strange, how the strongest, smartest, and most cunning person he knew could be so scared of someone like her mother. Part of him understood, their mothers were terrifying. But another part of him wanted to believe that Ana was indestructible, that nothing could harm or scare her. That was the point of the face, to seem unafraid, but he knew.
"Morgana! My dear," Mrs. Travers made a few steps forward to meet her daughter, giving her a weird sort of stiff hug before taking her arm and instructing the butler to grab her bags. "We have an outing to attend so Arthur will take your stuff dear."
With that, they apparated away, Arthur following suit only a few moments later.
Walburga Black also proceeded to approach her son with a stiff hug before firmly gripping his shoulder and apperating away, leaving Orion to tend to Sirius and the luggage. Regulus hated the feeling of apperating. It turned his stomach inside out then back again, pulled his skin in a way that made him want to wince in pain. It never lasted longer than a few seconds, but it was hellish.
They landed gracefully next to Morgana and Mrs. Travers outside what they recognized as Malfoy Manor.
Malfoy Manor had been in the Malfoy family for generations and it was one of the grandest of the great 28 houses. The Malfoys' house crest was decorated with dragons, but they always joked it should be peacocks due to their flamboyant nature. The grounds were nearly three miles in all directions from the house and were filled with well-kept gardens, bubbling magical creeks, and various gazebos and tree houses/little hideouts built over the centuries by the children. The house itself was grand as could be with great walls covered in ivy, towers that threatened to scrape the sky. Often, as children, they had been forced to attend soirees at the manor and though they complained about the nature of their going, Malfoy Mannor's grounds had always paved the way for some of their best make believe games. Regulus liked to pretend to be a centaur general named Fortis, which he'd discovered was the Latin word for brave, and Morgana opted to be a wood nymph by the name of Licentia, the latin word for anarchy. They would take off their shoes and dance in the bubbling magical springs and braid flowers into each others hair. Those gardens help many fond memories for them, but the comfort that those memories often brought was lost now as they entered the main doors of the manor.
Inside was colder than out which in the summer, could be considered pleasant... but not today. It put Ana and Reggie on edge as their anticipation crawled under their skin and the chill caused the hair on their necks to stand up. Goosebumps crawled on their skin as they were brought to an already almost full dinning room.
Before they entered, their mothers turned to them, facing the children together. Walburga spoke first, "Now, children... As we enter this room, you must remember your manners. Everything we ever taught you, is about to come into play and... and we want you to know... we... we want you to know..."
Regulus couldn't believe it, but he saw the tears form and then fall from his mother's eyes. She was crying, she was afraid, and she couldn't hide it. Mrs. Travers pulled her into a hug and the women stayed like that for a moment, soaking up each other's fear and it was then that the children understood the depth of their mothers' friendship. It was more than just a show for blood purity and beliefs and husbands and status... They grew up together, they went to Hogwarts together, they supported each other the same way Regulus and Morgana supported each other, they loved each other, and now they would face this together too.
Regulus looked at his best friend and she at him. They knew that what was to come would be bad and scary and stressful, but they would use the only good thing their mothers had taught them. Not the dark magic or the Latin or the early magic or potions or math or manners or societal expectations, they would use their friendship and trust. All they had were each other just like their mothers.
Mrs. Travers turned to the children while Walburga finished composing herself, "What will be asked and expected of you from this day on may be the hardest thing that you ever have to endure... But we know," she took Walburga's hand in her own, "that you two are the only ones that can. I know you can be brave... this is what we have prepared you for. Don't let us down."
The pair nodded and Morgana grabbed Regulus's hand. He looked down at it in shock at the contact, but closed his hand around hers tightly and nodded. Morgana was a huger, she liked to be in contact with people she trusted whenever possible but rarely did that include hand holding. She saw that as a practical thing to drag people along or rarely when it was used as an affectionate way, it was both hands so that some one would have to look at her. Why hold hands when you can link arms and skip? But now she needed it. He almost though he saw visible fear flicker across her face, but he didn't need to see it to know it was there.
The doors to the dining room opened and their mothers were gone from their sides in an instant, taking their places at the only open seats, next to their husbands. Regulus and Morgana walked forward, taking their time, before stopping at the end of the table, looking down towards the person at the head.
He was an attractive man, or would've been if not for the fact that it appeared as though his features had been burned and blurred; they were waxy and oddly distorted, and the whites of the eyes had a permanently bloody look. He wore a long black cloak that contrasted so drastically with his pale white skin. It rippled and blew when he stood up to greet them showing that it was light, made of some of the finest silks that money could buy.
"Greetings, Morgana Vega Travers and Regulus Arcturus Black. So long, I have waited to meet you." Lord Voldemort's voice was raspy and cold as if his lungs would collapse at any moment. "Your mothers have talked a great deal about you and, my my, you do live up to their descriptions... Come closer, my children."
Regulus and Morgana felt a pull in their minds. A sort of calm and warm feeling washed over them and a little voice in their head told them to let go and walk towards the dark lord. It felt wrong and violating. Morgana hadn't felt this relaxed, well, ever and it made her want to hurl. It was sending off alarms in her brain. This is wrong, this is wrong, this is wrong...
Regulus felt that warmth wash over him and all anxiety he felt washed away. He felt so relieved and free that the little voice in his head telling him to do stuff seemed so nice. He just wanted to let go, but at the same time, he could feel Morgana's hand on his and he could feel the cold of the room. He knew the fear he was supposed to be feeling and the calm he felt was wrong, so fucking wrong.
The children stood there for a moment and the adults looked on perplexed. They knew this was a stage of the Dark Lord's initiation, testing the grit of their minds. Only a moment of that awkward silence passed before Regulus and Morgana walked over to him, together. They never dropped hands as they walked and once they reached the dark lord, they looked him dead in the eye.
By that point Regulus could feel the effects of the imperious curse leaving his body and the fear really settled in, but he dared not look away. He was not weak and wouldn't represent himself as such... he had expectations to uphold.
Morgana met the Dark Lord's gaze the entire time they walked. She wore her poker face so sternly that he almost looked impressed. But unlike Regulus, the effects did not fade. The warmth that settled in her body rose up and threatened to make her head buzz, but she kept firm.
"Such strong young blood," he hissed. Looking down at their intertwined fingers he smiled, "Ah, how sweet. You would make a fine pair no doubt."
The children didn't break. They'd heard such comments before and it was just a part of being so close for so long.
The Dark Lord seemed frustrated at his inability to get a rise out of them, especially after the failed attempt at an imperious curse. "You are top of your classes I hear?"
"Yes, my lord," they answered in unison. They knew how to address him simply due to their parent's whispers. They never referred to him by name, just the Dark Lord.
This address seemed to please him and a snake-like smile appeared on his face. An awkward moment paused before he spoke again. "I want you two to feel at ease. We are going to be... friends, no?"
The children nodded slightly, "Yes, my lord."
His smile widened and he stood. Stepping out of his chair, he stood right in front of the children and leaned down to their eye level, so close they could feel his rank breath on their skin. He moved a brown curl away from Morgana's face and to behind her ear with a single skeletal finger. For a moment her composure broke and she felt herself shiver. The Dark Lord seemed to take deep satisfaction in that. She was very difficult to read, even for him.
He stood back up and a giant snake slithered out from under the table and slithered up his body. Regulus's eyes widened and he took a slight step back in surprise to make room for the giant mass of muscle and bones. Morgana held steadfast as always but she did look as the scaly creature slithered across her shoes. "You two may be excused."
They looked at each other and did a sort of awkward bow and made their exit as calmly but quickly as possible.