A Black Yule
The hallway was filled with the lively sounds of chattering and laughter as Hedwyn made his way towards one of the drawing rooms. He couldn't help but suppress a groan, feeling a sense of fatigue as he walked, arm in arm, with his husband. Despite his weariness, the title of husband brought a genuine smile to his face, making his mind put aside the reason why he was walking through the fancy hallways of Château Noir. He tightly held onto that feeling, knowing that he would certainly need it in the time to come.
The man beside him was in a mood quite opposite to his own, for which Hedwyn was oddly grateful. Seeing the faint smile on Regulus's face and the calmness of his stride was the most important thing to Harry. To see his husband happy about visiting his family to celebrate Yule would be enough to counter the need to go home and avoid some of the particular guests of today's celebration.
As they arrived in the room the others were in, Melania quickly rose from her seat to meet them. Hedwyn was thankful she was the one to greet them and not one of Regulus' weird family members. The lady hugged her grandson and gave Hedwyn a kiss on each cheek, a small smile on her face.
Hedwyn's gaze wandered curiously over the members of the Black family. He observed Lycoris, Cassiopeia, and Lucretia, who appeared to be engaged in a heated argument about a matter he couldn't decipher from afar. Meanwhile, in a corner of the room, Orion, Cygnus, and Dorea were speaking to a man in a painting. He relaxed slightly upon seeing how calm the family was, which was in contrast to what he had expected. If anyone were to call him prejudiced, Harry would simply say that his notion of the Blacks being an exasperating family to be around was Bellatrix's fault. He was so sure of the convincing power of this excuse that he failed to realise he had never spoken to her before.
He acknowledged them with a bow, as well as Walburga, Pollux and his wife, the Black sisters and their parents, and all the others — even those whose names were unknown to him. Melania did introduce him to everyone he either did not know personally or had no idea even existed. By the end of the many greetings, his cheeks were hurting from forcing smile after smile and he had to stop himself from massaging his sore face.
Regulus walked them to a couch beside one Charlus and an older woman were discussing a new potion for heart problems. It did not miss his attentive eyes the fact that Lucius Malfoy was in the furthest side of the drowning room from them — in the seats Regulus chose. To that he smiled, thankful for Regulus' quick thinking.
“Oh, Hedwyn!” Charlus exclaimed with a beaming smile, melting Harry's heart. He would always feel more alive when one of the Potters gave him a warm welcome. “This is Dorea's cousin, Callidora Longbottom. A wonderful woman! She was the youngest pioneer to receive Rowena's Medal for Notable Minds, did you know? Isn't it marvellous? Oh, Fleamont will go red with envy, I can tell you that. He always wanted to meet Mrs Longbottom. To create a potion that cures most types of lung damage is no easy feat, as I'm sure you can imagine. Do sit down!”
Harry pretended not to see Callidora trying to chug her tea so as not to laugh at Charlus' lack of manners, though he sent the greying woman a knowing smile.
Regulus, on the other hand, did nothing to pretend not to be shocked by the suddenness of the influx of words coming from the Potter man. The Black Heir looked at his husband as if asking for help to deal with Charlus, but Hedwyn only gave Regulus a smirk.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Peverell,” said Callidora as she handed him and Regulus each a cup of tea. “I must say I was most curious to meet you. It's not every day that little Regulus meets the man of his life, of course,” she chuckled at her comment, and Regulus' cheek tinted pink. “It was a beautiful precision, your wedding. We are long gone from the day when those types of processions were the norm, unfortunately. And to have it done in such an old and magic-filled home as the Peverell Keep was superb.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Charlus looking around as if searching for something more interesting than the new direction the conversation had taken. Wisely, Harry chose to ignore his great-uncle and focus on Mrs Longbottom instead. He took a sip of his tea and gave Callidora a warm smile. “Thank you, Mrs Longbottom. I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s truly a shame that so few weddings adhere to wizarding traditions these days, but I hope that changes will come in the future.” Callidora nodded at Hedwyn and was about to speak when an irritated sound from the portrait Dorea, Cygnus, and Orion were speaking to caught her attention. Harry seized the opportunity to gently nudge Charlus’s shoe with his own, preventing him from escaping the conversation by playing with his turquoise robes.
"Indeed!" exclaimed Charlus, catching Callidora's attention, who looked wide-eyed at him from the suddenness of his loud exclamation. "Oh, I remember my wedding with Dorea... My dear never looked more beautiful than on that day."
"Never? Is that so?" Dorea's voice made Charlus jump in his seat and blush with embarrassment. She took a seat next to her husband, smiling politely at her cousin Callidora, who was pretending not to grin at Charlus’s flushed face, as well as at Regulus and Hedwyn. The men greeted her in kind, also ignoring the flushing Potter.
“How are you, Dorea?” asked Hedwyn, wondering how the woman was dealing with motherhood. “Not too tired, I hope.”
She waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, it’s going much better than I expected, to be honest. Castor is such a calm and quiet baby that I don’t feel nearly as exhausted as I imagined I would. I thought I’d be worn out all the time, but it hasn’t been nearly as difficult as I anticipated."
“That's good,” he said and started to drink his tea before it got cold. Callidora and Regulus nodded, agreeing with him.
“You're lucky, darling,” said Callidora. “The gods only know how exhausting it was to take care of my Tobias. He would cry for hours, I tell you. And the only thing that would make him stop crying? Food! Can you believe it? No wonder he loves to eat to this day — it's a habit he's had since before he even had teeth.”
Dorea laughed at her cousin, and Callidora soon joined in. Hedwyn smiled as he watched Dorea enjoying herself, keenly aware that she hadn’t been able to do so in his former life.
Hedwyn looked at his husband when he felt Regulus taking his hand and lightly squeezing it. He relaxed as he saw the understanding in his partner's eyes. It did not surprise him that Regulus was able to know what he was thinking about. As more time passed, Harry was sure the two of them would be able to communicate with glances only.
“Thankfully, Melania was kind enough to make sure there was a room so I could take Castor for when he was tired,” said Dorea. “He's there now, actually. With our house-elf, that is.”
“Grandmother did tell me in a letter about some of the preparations for today,” said Regulus as he put down his cup. “It has been a while since I've seen all the family together. It's... nice. It's quite nice.”
The sweet smile Regulus had on his face almost made Hedwyn stop breathing. I love you so much, he closed his eyes as he said, unable to keep looking at his husband without doing something embarrassing.
He sat back and let the others speak, comfortable enough with just watching. It was a rare opportunity to see how people from such noble families interact with each other in a more... familial setting.
It was odd, in a way, to see people he knew were the furthest from demonstrative — in public — interact so genuinely with each other. To watch, as people removed their masks and showed who their true selves were, would always be intriguing to him.
His left eyebrow lifted slightly when Orion and Pollux joined their group, though the two remained behind the couch. Hedwyn watched the two men with curiosity as they joined the conversation. While Orion tried to change the conversation to a topic he preferred, Pollux always seemed to know something about whatever the others chose to speak about.
“I do think you are right, Dorea,” said Pollux to his sister, one of his hands on her shoulder. “There are more important things than the greedy accumulation of money some families are obsessed with.” His eyes momentarily moved to Lucius Malfoy, who was having a conversation with Arcturus and Charis Crouch. “But we must remember that maintaining a family as big as ours is no easy feat. Arcturus takes this fact to heart. We cannot always remain on our ideological endeavours when the very balance of the Family is at stake.”
Dorea furrowed her brow as she pondered her brother's words. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, Orion voiced his thoughts.
“Why should such matters be of any concern? We are one of the most powerful families in this country, and we should remain so. Is it so hard to allow ourselves some selfishness? The world is a never-ending competition, and we have come out on top. Is it in our interest to give away our leisure in order to gain more power in the future? Fortunately, no. Be thankful we are not fighting for crumbs like the Weasleys do. Our ancestors gave us the comfortable life we enjoy now and we should help maintain it. Unless you wish for your descendants to struggle in life.”
Dorea only pursed her lips, though Harry did see the look Charlus sent Orion. He smiled slightly as his great-uncle looked as if he would tear Orion's head off for upsetting his wife.
After a few more minutes of conversation, Callidora, Pollux and Dorea left to speak with the others in the room. Orion tried to ask Regulus about his ambitions for the future but only got a shrug for an answer.
"Why does it matter what he plans to do? He is already rich and powerful, isn't he?" Charlus asked Orion, his tone laced with sarcasm. Despite the clear irony in his words, Orion's thoughtful expression suggested he did not grasp the jibe.
Regulus rolled his eyes in exasperation as his father continued to bicker with Charlus, despite Orion's persistent failure to grasp the other man’s provocations. Each time Charlus made a pointed comment intended to provoke Orion, the man responded as though it were a perfectly ordinary observation.
Deciding to leave before he started to laugh out loud, Hedwyn took Regulus' hand and left Charlus to deal with Orion by himself.
Harry immediately regretted his decision when he saw Bellatrix approaching them, with Rodolphus trailing closely behind her. His eyes were drawn to her belly, where her pregnancy was unmistakably evident, leaving him with no choice but to take notice.
Her walk was calm, but the tension in her shoulders betrayed her true feelings. Apprehensive? he wondered. Hedwyn couldn’t help but smile at the thought. To have someone like Bellatrix Lestrange feel any degree of fear towards him was the highlight of his day. He intended to savour it a little longer.
Bellatrix halted a few feet away, Rodolphus by her side. Harry turned to glance at Regulus, eager to gauge his husband's reaction to the couple's arrival. However, instead of curiosity or concern, he found Regulus gazing at them with a palpable air of disinterest. His lips were pressed into a thin, unimpressed line, while his grey eyes, usually sharp and attentive, were half-lidded and devoid of any spark. His brow remained unfurrowed, exuding a calm detachment, and a faint sigh seemed to escape him, as though even acknowledging their presence was a tiresome chore. The entire expression was one of practised indifference, clearly designed for Bellatrix and Rodolphus to see, signalling that their approach had failed to elicit anything more than mild irritation.
“My lords,” Bellatrix and Rodolphus said while bowling their heads slightly. Hedwyn only raised an eyebrow, not willing to speak.
“Hello, Bella,” said Regulus after a few seconds. “Rodolphus.”
The awkwardness that set on them as silence took over was so thick that Hedwyn was sure the others in the room could see it. He said nothing, however. For some odd reason, he found the atmosphere amusing. Perhaps he liked the way that Bellatrix looked at her husband, probably trying to make Rodolphus speak and break the silence. Or maybe he was just a cunt. He didn't know and didn't particularly care.
“We would like to thank you for granting us our freedom, my lords,” Rodolphus' voice came out almost as a whisper. The man's hands were, undoubtedly, sweating, as he kept rubbing his palms on the sides of his robes. It was pitiful. Hedwyn would be feeling sorry if not for his memory of what this man could do. What he did do, even if in another life. Thankfully, the Longbottoms would never know such horrors now, and the Lestranges and Crouch Jr would be under his and Regulus' foot until the day they died.
“We are very merciful lords, Rodolphus,” Regulus's tone was thick with disdain, even as his face remained impassive. “Just remember to whom you owe your allegiance, and all will be well. Oh. One more thing. We trust you will teach your child to be honourable, not to relinquish his status or grovel at the feet of those stronger than him. That is a vital lesson for a child, wouldn't you agree? Dignity is something only animals are indifferent to. Make sure they learn that well.”
Without waiting for a response, Regulus swiftly turned on his heel, guiding Harry away from the couple without so much as a backward glance at his cousin. His movements were purposeful, almost dismissive, as if being in their presence any longer would be a waste of time. He led Harry through the room, weaving between the guests until they reached the white round table where Cassiopeia, Lycoris, and Lucretia remained engrossed in their conversation. The trio barely seemed to notice their arrival, caught up in their own discussion, their voices a low murmur against the backdrop of the gathering.
They sat down, and Regulus called for a house-elf to bring them some refreshments. Moments later, a small, timid house-elf appeared with a tray laden with tea, scones, and a selection of delicate sandwiches. The elf bowed deeply, setting the tray on the table before scurrying away, its ears twitching nervously.
Regulus poured the tea, the faint clinking of china breaking the silence. He offered a cup to Hedwyn, who accepted with a polite nod. They sipped their tea, each lost in their own thoughts, the crackling fire and the conversations being the only sounds in the room.
As they finished the last of the scones and sandwiches, Regulus set his teacup down with a soft clink. Harry followed suit, carefully placing his cup on the saucer. The house-elf reappeared almost instantly, eyes downcast, to clear away the empty dishes. With a quiet word of thanks from Regulus, the elf vanished as swiftly as it had arrived, leaving the table feeling more spacious without the tray.
Regulus leaned back in his chair, the warmth of the tea settling comfortably in his stomach. "Do you think I did the right thing? With Bellatrix, that is." he said, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen between them. Hedwyn nodded with a faint smile, dabbing their lips with a napkin before replying, "It was perfect, darling. It is essential for us to remind our knights of who their new lords are. It's a bore, of course, but a necessary thing to do. They may fear us, but I don't doubt some of them resent us for killing Voldemort."
Regulus unconsciously nodded, his eyes lost in thought.
As the silence between them resumed, Hedwyn's ears caught snippets of the conversation between the three ladies seated in front of them. He heard Lycoris mention something about a man she had recently visited, prompting Cassiopeia to utter something that sounded like, "Were you kind?" or perhaps "Are you kind?" As the latter didn't make sense to him, he guessed his first deduction was correct. A name that sounded like Rius slipped from Lucretia's lips, though it was not someone Hedwyn recognised. He did, however, find it odd the way the two women seemed to be trying to calm Cassiopeia down, or at least that was how it appeared.
He glanced at Regulus, curious to see if his husband had overheard the women’s conversation, but found him still lost in his own thoughts. Hedwyn sighed, resigned to his failure in uncovering what the ladies were discussing.
Once more, his eyes roamed the room, searching for something to occupy his mind. He observed the Blacks, whether by surname or origin, along with those accompanying their spouses. Longbottom, Crabbe, Prewett, Potter, Crouch, and many others brought a variety to the room, a contrast to the uniformity of the Blacks. He saw Druella Rosier and Harfang Longbottom leading Herbert Burke and Pollux towards the balcony, while Lucius Malfoy, the elderly Cygnus Black, and Hesper Gamp spoke quietly in a corner. Everywhere he looked, he saw the intricate web of families — scenes his former self could never have imagined witnessing.
He relaxed in his seat, comfortable with the atmosphere going around the room. Perhaps this is a more amiable group to be around than I had predicted. His eyes closed and the sounds around him gained more space as he savoured his peace.
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“I would like to thank you all for coming to our beloved château to celebrate this glorious day together,” said Arcturus, holding a glass of champagne and raising it to the other guests at the large, formal dining table. The man sat at the head of the table, with the former Lord Sirius II positioned on the opposite side. “For some years our great family has drifted apart, which brought my father and me an awful feeling of imbalance. However, as we can see from the marvellous scene before us, that is no more. Now, as we celebrate the grand night of Yule, with the Yule log burning in our hearth, I wish for us to enjoy this moment of togetherness. Much has changed in our world, but the Blacks are and forever shall be united!”
Glasses clinked and people cheered as the feast commenced. Hedwyn wasted no time digging into the golden duck breast on his plate, served with potato purée, roasted carrots, sautéed spinach, and plum sauce.
“I see you’re enjoying it, darling,” said Regulus to his left. He replied with a shy smile, and the look in Regulus’s eyes almost made him melt. He subtly moved his left leg so that his knee touched his husband’s. A grin threatened to appear on his face as he noticed Regulus relax his shoulders and felt his knee press against his own.
“The meal is absolutely delightful, Arcturus. The duck is beyond wonderful,” Hedwyn said to the Black Lord. The old man put down his glass and grinned at him.
"Melania insisted on it, you know? And, as always, she was right." Arcturus gently took his wife's hand and placed a kiss on the gold ring adorning her ring finger. “A great hostess is the most modest compliment I can give her.”
“Cheers to you, my lady,” Hedwyn lifted his glass and saluted Melania, who gave him a flushed smile.
Hedwyn resumed eating and initiated a conversation with Regulus about Caershire, while also ensuring to include Walburga, seated to his right. He carefully balanced the discussion between them, though his attention naturally gravitated more towards Regulus. Nevertheless, he was mindful not to let Walburga feel disregarded. Failing to acknowledge the woman who would one day become more important in the family's hierarchy would be a faux pas Hedwyn was determined to avoid. Despite Regulus being the one with greater influence and power as the future holder of the Black family seat in the Wizengamot, it would be unwise to overlook Walburga and Orion. Although Orion lacked political ambitions, maintaining a measure of respect towards them was essential to maintaining peace.
Orion inquired about the more intricate aspects of establishing a wizarding village, while Walburga was more interested in the defences of Caershire. Hedwyn answered their questions as thoroughly as he could, though certain details remained the exclusive knowledge of the goblins, who were responsible for creating most of the magical defences.
Walburga was quite taken with his idea of using golems to patrol the village and ensure no illicit activities took place. However, he chose not to mention the Inferi, sensing that doing so might pique her curiosity more than was prudent.
As the dinner drew to a close, Arcturus and Melania ushered everyone into the room where the grand hearth was ablaze with the Yule log. The flickering flames cast a warm, inviting glow, reflecting the ancient pagan traditions that celebrate the rebirth of the sun during Yule.
In the room, they all rested for a while, enjoying each other’s company. No one raised their voices as they spoke quietly, allowing the sound of the flames to consume the log to be the most prominent force in the room. Hedwyn sat next to Regulus, arm in arm, listening to his husband talk to Lycoris about the school for young witches and wizards. He let Regulus’s voice calm and soothe him as he closed his eyes, not caring for a second about what others might think. There, with his lover’s warmth enveloping him, Harry allowed himself to simply be. The chill of the night, the fire in the hearth, and Regulus were all he cared about at that moment.