A first time for the second time
The Black family had been a part of the noble line of London since the late 1500’s. Their bloodline was the longest drawn back beside that of the royal families, which dated back all the way to the very start of the United Kingdom. The family was held in high regard at any social outing and event. It was almost considered the highest honor if a Black family member would attend your ball.Though the highest resigned with the Royal family.
The current Duke and Duchess of the Black household were Orion and Walburga, being succeeded by their two sons, Sirius Orion Black the Third and the younger brother Regulus Arcturus Black the Second.
It was considered a high mark in society to be good enough to be married to someone in the Black family line. Even a distant cousin who did not even share the name could boost your standing socially.
So that made this year a very exciting year for those eligible for marriage.
Both Black brothers were Going to be on the market for marriage this year. Having come of age at 17 in June of this year it was Regulus Black's First season, and while he was not the heir to the Black fortune and namesake he was still considered by the people of the town one of the most desired prospects. As well as the heir Sirius Black who is now 18 and on the market for a second year.
Regulus, much like all the Blacks that came before him, was hidden from the town until he was presented so not much was known about him, but that certainly wasn't going to be for long. It was said by his brother that he enjoyed hunting, Music, Sword fighting, All the proper things a young man would be interested in.
Sirius on the other hand it seemed that too much was known about him, After a miserably failed first season for the young man it seemed that all of society now knew of him. He was loud and while charming as could be, there was no looking past the scandal that he had caused in the prior season.
Being spotted multiple times with Commoners and those who were new to society and did not have a well enough bloodline to even be considered worthy of being in the same room of a Black. His parents were not pleased in the slightest and at the last hunt that Orion Black attended he swore this year would be the year that his son married a respectable person, and stop promenading with those of lower status. He wouldn't dare be disgraced with having a son who took three years to marry.
He had multiple conversations with his son beforehand about how he would not act the way he did the previous year until Sirius was sure his ears would bleed if he heard the statement one more time.
Sirius sat here on this very couch, dark blue, which you think he would know just from it being in his own house, but no. This couch was in his fathers private study for personal matters, a place he had not seen very often until he entered society and needed to apparently have many conversations on what it was like to be a proper Black. He spent most of this time staring at the fabric, trying his best to block out his father.
This time was different though, this time his brother was with him. Sirius looked over at him, he was sitting up straight, his black hair sitting nicely on his head, curls still soft, definitely had been washed this morning. It made sense, with tonight being the twos first ball of the season.
They were ot permitted to go to the real first ball of the season because it was being thrown by some “ lowly baron” as his parents had put it. They had told them that this ball being thrown by their family friend an Earl would be much more suitable for Regulus to make his debut in. as well as for Sirius to reinvent himself at.
He couldn't help but worry about Regulus, while he did not doubt his brother's ability to perform, he did however know what his parents were like when the performance was not up to their liking.
Sirius wasn't sure if the town was aware of how the Black family treated each other behind closed doors. But because they had such an image to uphold, their parents had to use excessive force to get their children to behave and uphold the family ways. It was yet another reason why the Blacks were hidden until they were formally introduced into society. To hide the bruises and cuts that they received during the so called “learning period” and got through their “difficult stages”.
That was part of the reason Sirius had acted so wild this season, not only out of rebellion and hate for his own house. But to take some of the pressure off his brother, he remembered the year before he entered society. It had been worse than ever before. It seemed that he had new scars and bruises daily.
They didn't go unnoticed by Regulus either, and to their parents it seemed that seeing Sirius’s consequences had made the younger one shape up to take his place. He could tell that his younger brother was of course worried for him, but also worried for his own future.
And he would do anything just to save his brother from pain.
“Sirius.” His father's words brought him out of his own thoughts. His eyes finally lifted off the sofa and onto his fathers. “I am saying this for a final time that this year will not be a failure like last year. You and Regulus will both be married by the end of the year, or at the very least engaged to someone very. Respectable.”
And by respectable you mean our cousins Sirius thought, but was somehow able to keep his mouth and face at bay and nodded.
“Good. Now go finish getting ready. The both of you, your mother will be up in 30 minutes to make sure you both are ready and we will continue this conversation in the carriage on the ride over. You both are dismissed.” Orion said to the both of them.
Sirius waited until his brother had gotten up before he stood up himself and started to make his way out of the room with him. They both walked into their respective rooms, Sirius didn't have much to do, he tugged on a red vest on top of his white dress shirt and put on his jacket that was black and lined with red on the inside. He looked rather good he thought as he buttoned his collar which would no doubt be unbuttoned by the end of the night.
He heard a knock at his door before it opened, he looked over and saw his brother standing in the doorway. Green was the first thing he noticed, the color on the jacket that hung over his brother's shoulders. The family color really, it was normal for Blacks to wear it on their first season out. The vest beneath it was black.
His brother looked so grown now.
“Green I see,” he said to the other.
Regulus nodded, stepping further into the room, “ I see you decided to piss mother off by wearing red,” he said.
Sirius nodded, “she's always saying it's a poor man's color, and being a part of this family seems to be the poorest thing to me.” he joked half hartley. Regulus looked away from him, and he looked over his brother once more. “You look nice Reggie. You'll make them happy tonight i'm sure of it”
“Any advice for me?” he heard his brother ask him.
“Are you sure you want advice from me?” he chuckled. While Sirius knew when it came to attracting people, he definitely had better knowledge than their parents. And when it came to the two of them he got the charisma and Regulus got the strategy. If his brother ever mastered the other and stopped being such a little nit he’d be unstoppable in the social world.
He didn’t quite know how everyone in the town would react to Regulus’ competitive, defensive, and insulting nature. Of course he would be polite and respectful as a front, but eventually the poor chap who married him would find out his brother was quite the little psycho.
“Of course not. Only wanted to know what more not to do,” Regulus answered him. “If I wish to keep my head attached to my body I’ll do my best to act like we’re not even related” he finished.
Sirius patted his brother's shoulder “atta boy Reg.”
Regulus opened his mouth to say something to Sirius but the older quickly retreated away from his brother and took a step towards the door when he heard the click of his mothers heels coming their way. It sounded like he walked to Regulus’s room, noticed no one was there and made a b-line straight for his room.
Walburga walked straight in without knocking, the room seemed to turn colder the second that she entered the room. She looked Sirius up and down before turning her attention to Regulus, “come now, we must leave soon if we want to arrive on time. You both look up to par. Even if your color choice is quite poorly Sirius” she said to them.
She walked further into the room past Sirius, he wanted to move again to stay between the two but didn’t. She walked over to Regulus and adjusted the vest he was wearing. “You will be astonishing Regulus. The family will be pleased.” She told him.
Sirius couldn’t see her face, he didn’t have to, her face rarely ever showed any emotion other than anger or no emotion at all. Just that same look of disdain.
She turned around to walk out the room and Regulus’s head picked up and his eyes followed her as she left the room.
Mamas boy Sirius thought as the two of them both left and made their way down to the carriage in the front of the house.
Regulus got in first before Sirius, and he followed behind him, they sat across from their mother and father. The door closed behind Sirius and once his father had shouted the command they were on their way.
“I want you both to understand that I will have my eyes on you the entire night” their mother said, “neither of you will be leaving the ballroom without permission for even a second.”
“Yes mother,” Sirius answered her as it was more directed at him rather than Regulus.
The woman looked him up and down rolling her eyes before looking out the window to not have to look at her son anymore. It was fine by him, he didn't wanna look at the old wench anymore either.
More quickly than he would’ve liked they arrived at the ball. Once inside he found himself surrounded with those he hated, while he did have a few friends he was fond of, James potter being one of them. Most of the members here that his mother would approve of were horrible people.
He looked around for his buddy hoping to quickly slip away but it seemed the man with glasses was simply nowhere to be found. Maybe the lucky bastard slipped out already Sirius thought.
The two had met about a year ago at introductions, it was one of the only moments Sirius was able to breathe. Somehow he had slipped away from his mother and in his haste to get away from the women he knocked into the boy.
He thought they might fight or he’d be met with some snarky remark but he wasn’t, “you alright there mate?” Is all that he was greeted with as the other straightened his suit.
Sirius told him he was alright, the two started talking. It turned out the boy was the viscount heir, and enjoyed typical things like rugby and hunting.
Of course by the end of the night the two had gotten themselves into quite a bit of trouble playing tricks on the party goers, from swapping the drinks around, to opening the outside doors to let in any wild animals that could find their ways inside.
and that is what began what Sirius hoped to be as their lifelong friendship.
It all came to an end when Sirius’s mother dragged him away by his collar, more angry about him socializing with someone who wasn’t pure blood than causing trouble.
As soon as they entered the large hall he began to wander, slowly making it further and further away from his family, before he could make a run for it. It was stuffy and hot due to the sheer number of people in the room on top of it being mid summertime.
Looking across the room it looked like his mother had already paired his brother up with one of her friends' children, a pureblood child who was a few years older than Regulus. If Sirius had less self preservation he’d dive in and try to save his brother but some battles Regulus would have to face on his own.
Slipping out a side door, he walked further out into the garden and took a cigarette packet out of his pocket so that way if he was caught he’d have an excuse as to why he was outside.
So he lit the fag and took a long drag of it, hoping to smoke the rest of the night away outside.