In Incepto est Finis
Regulus had made a mistake and it almost cost him his life. Someone had seen him tutoring a first year… a muggleborn first year. Somebody, probably someone looking to cosy up to his family, had told his mother. He barely even remembered what happened, one second he was standing in the parlour for Yule break, the next he was in St. Mungos. He tried leaving, tried to get back to his mother to beg for forgiveness, but they wouldn’t let him leave, saying he was “unstable”. Regulus ought to bring cousin Bellatrix in and show them unstable, not to say that she was, just that she was certainly on the cruller side with those that have wronged her.
Once he finally gets to leave it’s time for him and the other students to go back to Scotland. His parents didn’t come to see him once in his long stay, not even when he was set to leave they just sent Kreacher, armed with his trunk, his owl, and a letter from his mother. The letter was nothing special, just the usual spiel about behaving and not repeating his actions, it doesn’t do anything to ease his anxiety and anger at whoever told his mother.
-
It had been a normal night back, at least it was until the whispers started, it started at the Hufflepuff table and got passed on until it reached the Slytherin table. Someone had seen him at St. Mungos… Mother was going to actually kill him this time, it hadn’t even been a day and it was already out. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered whether his mother would send a howler or storm the castle. Did it matter? Either way it was bound to be embarrassing.
-
Narcissa was having tea with Bella when Evan’s owl came, she thought it was just an update on how his schooling was going. Oh, how wrong she was. All she saw was black, she doesn’t know how she found out her aunt was on her way to Hogwarts all she knew was that she was on her way there too, with Bella on her heels. Her baby cousin almost died and no one, and she means no one, hurts her family, not even her crazy aunt.
-
Regulus let his guard down. He got through the night unscathed and let his bloody fucking guard down. So perhaps it was his own fault that he was shocked and downright terrified when his mother and father stormed into the great hall looking absolutely seething. Which made little sense to Regulus, what was he supposed to have done? Hide in the corner of his hospital room like a cowering little mouse when his body was healing? Although he knew quite well that that would get him nowhere.
While he was lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice Cissy and Bella coming in mere moments after his parents, if he could even call them that. The only reason he even came back to himself was the screaming match that seemed to be taking place between his cousins and parents. Although it seemed to be purely one sided considering Narcissa wouldn’t even let them get a single word in.
In the back of his mind he realises he should put a stop to her, lest it becomes a scene and gets out. If that happened then his parents would find a way to blame him and then he really would be dead.
“Narcissa stop,” He says while getting up from his seat, and walking well, more limping towards his furious family members, “I’m fine.”
“Fine? Regulus you can barely even walk, you are in no way shape or form, fine. And once I’m done with your sick excuse of a mother she will certainly not be fine!” Narcissa screams angrily.
“Care to help me?” Regulus asks Bellatrix. “Merlin no, anything she gets from Cissy, she has coming and more from me.” Bellatrix states all the while giving a fierce glare at his mother. Regulus sighs realising he’s fighting a losing game.
“You, this is your fault! Our reputations have been tarnished because of you and your blood traitor brother. I never would have had children at all if I knew I was going to end with two disgraces!” Walburga snarls at Regulus, seeming to have lost all her ice and cares for her reputation.
“You little bi-” Bella cuts herself off, before holding her hands out for Narcissa and Regulus. “She broke a law, we don’t have to be the ones to deal with her.” Regulus is confused for a moment before remembering his lessons as a child about the family laws, then he’s just shocked that Bellatrix would even suggest it.
“Bella, I-” Regulus says before cutting himself off after seeing Narcissa grab Bellatrix’s hand. “I- are you sure?” Regulus asks, “Only if you want to petit etoile” Bellatrix says softly.
Regulus grabs Bellatrix’s hand before he can overthink it, but before he can do anything further, he notices Narcissa holding her hand out to his brother. “You had been the one to deal with her longer than any of us, take my hand Sirius, do it with us.” She says to Sirius. Sirius on the other hand doesn’t even think about it, he always had it worse than Regulus, so he can more than understand.
“Venerunt maiores. Venit mortis Lator. Tolle Ruptor. Auferat Dolorem.” They chanted together calling for their ancestors, calling on death. Come Ancestors. Come Death Bringer. Take away the breaker. Take away the pain.
He wasn't sure that anything would happen, he wasn't even sure she really broke a rule. Suddenly light surged from their connected hands, it was the brightest light regulus had ever seen brighter than the light of a patronus, hell it was brighter than the sun. It had temporarily blinded him, but when it fades he can see their ancestors all around them. Sirius Black the first, Phineas Nigellus Black, Elladora Black, Lola Hitchens née Black, Regulus Black the first and second… Every single ancestor dating back centuries surrounding them and his parents.
They weren’t ghosts, they looked human and alive even though they weren’t. Just as he was wondering how it was possible he hears the doors to the great hall open once more. When he turns around to look he sees every single living member of the black family, even Andromeda. “Grandfather, what are you doing here?” He asks Lord Black.
“We were called.” He replies almost breathlessly, which brings another wave of shock through Regulus. He had thought nothing would take his grandfather aback.
“What has happened, young Black?” Sirius the first asks Regulus. “I- my mother, she tried to kill me…” Regulus murmurs ashamed.
“So, she broke a law. Why do you seem abashed? It is your birthright to call on us should you find yourself in need.” Sirius the first questions.
“I- well she’s my mother…” Regulus replies, for once sounding meek. “Just because she is your mother does not give her the right to hurt you child.” Sirius the first states looking fondly at Regulus.
“Now, to deal with you” He utters looking directly at Walburga and Orion. “You have broken the most sacred law of our family, you put a member of the house in harm’s way. Tradition states that we kill you where you stand, however I believe I have a punishment that will teach everyone a lesson. I, Sirius Black the first hereby banish you both from our house, our magic, and our world.” He said calmly, like he wasn’t banishing his mother and father to a life without magic, a life without family.
“Now, you my darling for your grace in dealing with your mother shows us that you are more of a black scion than all of us combined. For this, I henceforth dub you the new Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.” Sirius the first says, kneeling like he wasn’t changing Regulus’ entire life in one single sentence. “Long live, Lord Regulus Arcturus Black!” He cheered and after a moment, “Long live, Lord Regulus Arcturus Black.” his family, both dead and alive, echoed kneeling.
All of his family kneeling for him, all except Sirius and Andromeda. They look to each other, both wondering the same thing ‘is this family something they want to be a part of’. Andromeda looks to Sirius then Regulus and seeming to have made up their minds they kneel with their family, their blood.
Regulus doesn’t understand why this is happening, all he did was stay alive in the violence his mother seems to live in. All he did was survive. His grandfather was kneeling in front of him now, he doesn’t know when he moved, he was too busy staring at the thousands of other Blacks kneeling for him. All for him.
His grandfather is holding something up for him… the lordship ring. Well technically it’s his now. He reaches for it, not sure what else there is to do. He stares at the ring for one long moment before putting it on. He doesn’t know what he was expecting but the surge of more family magic than he knew existed was not on his list. He was Lord Black now, responsible for their seats in the Wizengamot, their family, their existence…
“Long live Lord Regulus Arcturus Black.” They echo once more, this time with the addition of his distant family members that are still in Hogwarts, not Black’s not by name anyway, but by blood they were all connected to his house one way or another.
The moment he put the ring on and officially became Lord Black his ancestors disappeared, going back to the afterlife, going back to where they all came from and will return once more after death.