picture perfect shiny family
MARIUS BLACK
Every single one of her pregnancies, Violetta Black had prayed for only one thing to Merlin: that her children would be beautiful. It was the only thing she wanted, what would make her the proudest, and her wish was fulfilled each and every time.
First came Pollux, elegant features even as a baby, his hair and eyes dark as night. He was followed by Cassiopeia, who despite a personality too sweet for her mother’s taste, had an enviable beauty, Black through and through. The next one to be born was another girl, Dorea, an exact copy of her mother: green eyes and brown wavy hair, flashing red in the sun.
Violetta’s heart was filled with nothing but happiness and pride.
Years later, when all her children were at Hogwarts beginning to live their own lives, she surprised her husband Cygnus one more time. Another baby boy had arrived to brighten their lives.
Marius was as beautiful as the rest of his siblings, or even more if Violetta was fair. It was obvious that her boy would have it easy in life, perfect in every single way. It was a dream come true for Violetta, an honour, to have such beautiful children. But above all, she loved being their mother, and loved knowing she was envied by many others with not-so-pretty little ones.
However, on the eve of her youngest boy’s 11th birthday, life would find a way to surprise them once more.
The three oldest children had all graduated from Hogwarts and left the house to start their own families, spouses as beautiful and rich as they were, Marius the last one home, the apple of his mother’s eye.
Cygnus, however, did not see him the same way: so far, he hadn’t shown a single ounce of magical behaviour, and it was getting clear that his Hogwarts letter was never going to arrive. The harsh reality hit him hard, all the what-ifs and could-have-beens swamping his head.
“Our son is a squib,” he exclaimed one day, forcefully entering the room and half-surprising Violetta, sitting in the marital bed with a hairbrush in hand.
“And you just found that out, dear?” she mocked him, taking off her slippers and leaving her wand on the nightstand, ready for bed.
“I… You never told me!” Cygnus snapped violently, but Violetta was far from startled, used to the man’s outbursts since they were both kids. “Shameful! He’s a disgrace, he’s…”
“Our son,” Violetta interrupted him calmly, lying down on the bed. “I care very little about your opinions, Cygnus. My Marius is a beautiful child, with spectacular manners and an exceptional personality. That is not going to change, whether he’s capable of magic or not. Ha! Who needs magic when there’s five house elves around at all times?”
“Are you stupid, woman?” Eyes wide, he just stared at his wife, fearing for her sanity. “He’s a Black! Whatever you think of the boy is not going to stop my mother from having a heart attack!”
Violetta didn’t reply, knowing that her husband was far from finished with that little rant of his.
“We must make sure the family keeps clean, as it was done with my brother Phineas and Aunt Isla! Do you think anyone will allow us to sit by idly when it comes to family honour?”
A beat.
“What are you implying, Cygnus?” she finally asked, getting her wand and fiddling with it.
“We have to kill the boy.”
“Oh, really?” voice as cold as ever. “You disgust me.” Her hatred was clearly reflected in her gaze, as was what she planned to do if her husband dared to touch a single hair on her beautiful boy’s head.
“It is not something I want to do, Violetta!” he cried. “At the very least, they will ask me to erase his name from the tapestry. Do you think that will be the wisest choice? For us, for him?”
“Yes, I do. I don’t care if you erase him from that damned tapestry of yours, or if you burn the entire house to the ground. Because if you dare do something to my son, your entire family, including your beloved Mama, will find themselves underground.” She smiled right there and then, never losing her composure.
“Alright then,” he sighed, defeated. “But it is your responsibility to build the lie and tell everyone we disinherited him.”
“Whatever you say, dear,” she triumphantly said, while he got up and out the door. He could do whatever he wanted when it came to his own family or that tapestry of theirs, but no one would ever do anything to her favourite son.