A proper life

August 25th, 1978.

He had dressed meticulously. An eggplant purple robe hugged his waist delicately. He decided on silver accessories, silver and diamonds. He hadn’t been allowed to wear diamonds when he didn’t know he was a male bearer.

Only gold and silver chains, simple necklaces, and bracelets. Now, he could wear everything he wanted. Rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and sapphires. He even had sets of beautiful ambers and tourmalines. The best part was that he could doll himself up to his heart's content and even wear earrings. His mother had brought out countless accessories from the Black Family vaults for his and Severus’s use. She preferred smaller and less shiny things, she had said.

He had put a silver comb in the hair he had secured in a little bun over his curls. Beautiful dark charcoal curls that moved with his head. He couldn’t help but compare this image to the one he had when he didn’t know he was a male bearer. No pierced ears, no shiny combs or beautiful necklaces. Only plain and severe-looking accessories to show wealth and not beauty. The Lord of the House didn’t have to be beautiful, and Merlin knows Regulus was beautiful.

Everyone said that since he was little. The red cheeks, the ordered curls, the cherry rose lips. He was gorgeous. But he had never felt so unsure before. He knew how good-looking he was, but he couldn’t erase those intrusive thoughts of doubt before meeting his future husband. Would he like him? Would he be satisfied? Would he know him? What if he already had a mistress? What if they had a cold relationship? He never imagined himself in this situation when he was fifteen years old.

At that time, he was more carefree. His family thought him a regular man. He would be given many girls to choose from and then he would go to the betrothal meeting knowing perfectly well who his bride would be. But the bride would not. He had never stopped to think how unfair it was for the bride before. Not before turning into a bride himself, though.

And wasn’t that selfish? Being a man was a privilege in magical society; that was true and uncontended. A man could lie with anyone, and it would be celebrated, but a bride had to remain chaste and pure for the same promiscuous man. If the bride was not pure, then they would be ridiculed. The paternity of their children doubted, and everyone would have them as a tea-time topic to sneer about.

Bellatrix had been like that. An unchaste bride. But nobody dared to say anything because she was a Black daughter. Not openly at least. Everyone had a new special light to see Bella under after the incident. Nobody cared that she had only been with Rod before. They just liked to critique everyone for everything. He had never been with anyone before. He had kissed a girl, though.

He had thought he was a normal boy, so he didn’t shy away from kissing Eloise Shafiq after getting a dare from his dormmates. Now, although he didn’t regret doing it, he dreads being asked by his husband about who he had kissed before, knowing he would disappoint him just for saying one name instead of none.

He had come down the stairs to see Sirius by his parents’ side, and wasn’t that an image he thought he wouldn’t see ever again? When Sirius left, he really had some resentment over having to be the Black Heir suddenly. It was a blessing that he turned out to be a male bearer. His mind, he realized, was still divided. Sometimes he felt it was a blessing, and sometimes it was a curse.

“Where is Severus?” he asked Sirius.

“Reggie, my sweet baby brother, am I not important to you anymore? Now that you have a brother-in-law, you don’t care about me anymore,” he said, wiping away a fake tear with his finger.

“Obviously,” he said, imitating Severus to the best of his abilities. This made his parents laugh, and his mother even smacked Sirius on the head playfully.

“Well, enough with the drama,” said Orion. “Severus is resting. He fell asleep because Healer Tarasov gave him another dose of supplements. His weight is reaching at long last a healthy measure.” A proud smile bloomed on his father’s and Sirius’s faces.

“He wanted to come and see you before you left. He said he wanted to reassure you, but we convinced him to go through with the treatment,” his mother said apologetically.

“Well, I did promise him that he would get to see you.” Before he had the time to ask what he was talking about, his brother shouted for Kreacher to appear. Kreacher appeared carrying a magical camera and handed it to Sirius, then popped off right after.

“I’m going to take a photo of you and our parents to show it to Severus later. I’d like to appear, but then Severus would be sad because he was the only one missing, so we’ll take that photo once you are back,” he explained quickly.

His parents were especially pleased today, and they didn’t hesitate to put themselves close to him and pose for the photo. In the photo, his father placed a hand over his shoulder to show support while smiling, and his mother smiled at the camera while holding his hand.

He was really happy with the result, but he couldn’t appreciate it for long because he was ushered quickly to the Floo. His parents shouted “Red Meadow Manor,” and then they were whisked away by the flames.

They were taken to a manor that was decorated with light wood accessories and big, tall windows. It was warm, and it was obvious that they were surrounded by lots of flowers and plants. Red Meadow Manor was a name he was familiar with, and his thoughts were proved right when a house-elf led them to a sitting room where Dowager Longbottom was waiting with Lord Franklin Edward Longbottom.

He was fairly good-looking. If he was not mistaken, Lord Longbottom was already 22 years old this year, as he had been born in early May. As a matter of fact, he had attended his 17th birthday party when he was just eleven years old. He was there when he was invested as Lord Longbottom that same year. He was just a little boy then, but now he would be his bride.

Lord Longbottom was a tall, lean man. He had fair skin and baby blue eyes. He had blond hair, and it was combed to one side. He looked pristine in his black robes with golden chains. He had a strong square jaw that Harfang II Longbottom didn’t have. Probably, he had inherited that from the Dowager’s family, the Von Rosens from Germany.

Augusta Longbottom née Von Rosen was a force to be reckoned with. She had taken care of the mansion and part of the estate after the unfortunate demise of Harfang II due to a bad case of dragonpox. She had raised the Longbottom Heir to the outstanding man that was sitting leisurely a few seconds ago as if he owned the place because he actually did.

It was not uncommon, and it made sense that his mother had decided on Lord Longbottom to be his husband. He was already the undisputed Lord of House Longbottom, he had an unblemished record at Hogwarts, he was an Auror and the executive Lord of his estate, and last but not least, he had Black blood running through his veins.

Lord Franklin Longbottom was the son of the late Lord Harfang II Longbottom and Dowager Augusta Longbottom née Von Rosen, and grandson to the late Lord Harfang I Longbottom and Lady Callidora Longbottom née Black.
Lady Callidora and Lord Arcturus, his grandfather, were cousins, which meant that his future husband and he were second cousins once removed. He didn’t feel unnerved by the fact but relieved; it was better knowing what to expect than to be thrown into blindness.

Franklin stood up to greet his parents, and as was customary, he took his hand to give a chaste kiss on the back of it. He felt himself growing a little red at the stare of the calm blue eyes that were swallowing every detail of his face. It felt like forever, but it was only a few seconds, perfectly well-mannered.

Dowager Augusta also stood up to greet them, and she assessed him even longer than her son, but her gaze only made him squirm in discomfort. She had hardened eyes, and her gaze didn’t waver nor soften, making him doubt if he did anything wrong or if there was something in him that she didn’t like.

He was taken out of his musing when he was led to sit in front of his future family.

“Well, you have given birth to an exceptionally beautiful young man, Walburga,” Augusta said with a small smile, which let him breathe with relief.

“You didn’t do it bad either. I think they are going to have beautiful children,” his mother said with ease, but that comment only made him stiffen.

“Oh, they will,” his father said. “But only after Regulus has finished his education at Hogwarts.” His voice hardened, and he threw daggers at Longbottom with his eyes.

“No worries, Lord Black,” the deep voice of Lord Longbottom filled the room. It was not as velvety and silky as Severus's, but it was pleasing to the ears. “I already agreed to marry Regulus after his seventh year at Hogwarts is done. We will have plenty of time to grow the Longbottom line after that.”

Regulus was unsettled by all the comments about him bearing children. He knew it was something unavoidable in an arranged marriage, but he was still adjusting his mindset over having children. He knew he was going to struggle with it, even when he was already pregnant, just like Severus had done with his wedding dress.

Being a male bearer didn’t differentiate you too much physically from regular men. The real shock came when you appeared wearing the big earrings or the big dresses, and you were put in a bubble to be protected as a defenseless damsel.

"Would you be amenable to getting married on the 21st of August?" Dowager Augusta asked him.

"I’d prefer another date," he said in a subdued tone. "My brother got married on the 21st of June, and later we celebrated on the 21st of July. I’d like something more different," he explained.

"He’s totally right, Augusta," his mother intervened. "What about the 9th of July then?" He bit the inside of his cheek, a date even closer.

"My other son married on the 21st of June and July, a number composed of 3 sets of 7 or 7 sets of 3, a lucky date. Maybe they can get married under another lucky date. The 9 is for love, isn’t it?" she said suggestively.

"It’s lovely, Walburga!" Augusta smiled and turned to her son. "What do you think, Frank?"

"It’s perfect. I’d love to have Regulus married to me on that date," he said, smiling while looking directly into his eyes. "Maybe if you want to talk a little more about the details of the wedding, I can take Regulus to see the Meadow, with Lord Orion as a chaperone, of course," he directed his answer to his mother too this time.

"Great idea, Frank," Augusta was happy to let them have a moment alone.

They stood up, and Frank led him by the hand to the back garden, his father a few steps behind. The Red Meadow was not just a name. In the back of the mansion, there really was a red meadow.

"My grandfather preferred the red color," he said softly, "so he grew crimson clovers, Indian paintbrushes, and bee balms close to the mansion. We have a place especially for the Scarlet Flax flowers. I’m sure you’ll enjoy watching them bloom."

"They look amazing, but I do not favor that much red."

"Then, you can plant and grow the flowers of the colors that you prefer. This meadow will be yours, as will I," he said seriously while giving him a reassuring smile.

"But obviously, we will have to do something to honor my grandfather’s effort. Maybe naming our first daughter Scarlet? Dahlia and Azalea are also on the table. I’ve got the feeling you wouldn’t favor a name as simple as Rose."

He stared wide-eyed at Lord Longbottom’s audacity. His soon-to-be husband’s audacity.