Walburga Black I
“Do mistress be wanting more tea?”
The witch snarled at the elf in disgust.
“Leave me be now!”
There was a pop and Walburga Black was alone yet again, she had been alone for a long time now. She had survived while others had died, her father Pollux Black had succumbed to dragon pox – the weak man that he was. And her late husband had been no stronger.
Oh, how she had hated Orion Black from the moment that her father told her about the betrothal, she had raved and ranted her refusal to the match, but no one had listened. The years as the wife of Orion Black had made her excellent at hating, but she did her duty still. She gave the man two sons from his loins. It wasn’t her fault that they were just as weak.
There was some softness lingering as she thought of her youngest, the too soft boy who took on more than he could handle. Walburga wasn’t blind to see that Regulus had desired to make his parents proud and that made her pity him.
It was the thought of the oldest one that made her blood boil.
Sirius Orion Black.
They boy had been the mirror image of her husband but with a behaviour that more resembled his other grandfather Arcturus, if it weren’t for that impulsiveness. Walburga regretted the boy’s existence. He was everything she hated with wizards and his birth had brought her reeling mind to heel. The birth of an heir meant no turning back and Walburga hated him for it.
He then turned into an even greater disappointment, a Black in Gryffindor.
The thought was preposterous.
Sirius should have refused the hat’s choice as soon as it was mentioned - as she had done. Walburga Black had done her duty as an eleven-year-old girl and refused to go to any house but Slytherin while her good for nothing son thought him better than the rest of them, she felt it ironic how her husband had raged at the sorting when it was clear proof that his eldest son was nothing but a Black wizard.
His complete disregard for anything but himself, was in line of the making of a prideful Black male.
She had rejoiced when the menace had been arrested, she knew that he was set up. Her lion son would never betray his beloved James Potter. But his detainment would have meant the end to the line of Black – to Orion’s line.
That was until he was suddenly freed and the name of Harry Potter-Black could be seen beneath him at the tapestry.
The years since had been filled with bitterness, Sirius had acquired a half-blood heir and Walburga had brimmed with anger. She had confronted Arcturus, her gracious good father but the man had ignored her. She had later learned through her own brother that the lord Black approved of the half-blood. Cygnus had himself expressed that the boy would be good for their house but Walburga couldn’t care less about the house of Black.
The door opened and a familiar man joined her in the solar. The man had her dark hair and dark brown eyes.
“What brings you here brother?” Walburga asked as she took another sip from her tea. Cygnus Black sighed and took a seat on the other side of the table.
“How long are you going to continue this exile of yours Walburga? It’s been years since Orion’s death, you need to move past it”
Walburga wanted to laugh at him, her gullible younger brother thought her heart-broken over her husband’s demise and she made no attempt to correct him lest he grow suspicious.
Orion had gone from very healthy to very sickly in a matter of weeks.
“I’m content Cygnus”
She really was not.
“You haven’t even met your grandson yet. He just celebrated his fifth birthday” Cygnus sighed and shook his head. Walburga scoffed at that.
“The Potter-spawn is no grandson of mine”
Cygnus Black gazed upon his sister with disappointment.
“The boy looks like true Black despite his Potter features. Both Dorea’s and Sirius blood flows through his veins, he reeks of the family magic”
Walburga sneered at the wizard. “He’s a half-blood, I cannot comprehend how you’ve sunken so low to accept such filthy blood”
Cygnus Black bristled at that.
“He’s got the blood and magic of two ancient lines, the mudblood is of no concern. The boy is a pureblood now”
The witch rolled her eyes at the foolish man’s words.
“You speak as if you’re in love brother”
“I will admit that I hold affection for the boy, he’s a good friend to my grandson by Narcissa and will become a worthy lord under the guidance of Arcturus”
Yes, Arcturus Black. The mighty lord Black, Walburga had almost forgotten about her brother’s starry eyes when it came to the boorish lord. She knew that Cygnus had always regretted being the son of Arcturus cousin Pollux and not the son of Arcturus himself.
“Yes, how is Narcissa and her French beau”
Cygnus scowled. “Narcissa has proven herself a true Black witch”
She rolled her eyes at that. Her nieces had all proved to be disappointments. Andromeda for fornicating with a mudblood, Bellatrix for succumbing to her wizard husband and wizard dark lord.
She could have said that Narcissa had succeeded the best but the fact that the witch had decided to marry commoner was telling enough. It didn’t help that Walburga had always detested Druella Rosier and Narcissa Black shared her mother’s atrocious blonde hair.
“What is your business here brother”
The wizard looked grim at her inquiry. “I wanted to prepare you for Cassiopeia, she has need for the library here at Grimmauld place”
“And for what purpose would she want to ravage through my library?”
“I do not know, but she will be here tomorrow morning. Arcturus made it clear that you will not be a hindrance as she looks through – his library”
Cygnus frowned at his sister.
“Remember that you owe your living arrangements to the house of Black and therefore our lord”
Walburga threw her cup at the wall, it shattered at the impact.
“This is my home. I’ve earned every right to reside here. I gave everything to house Black!”
Walburga fumed.
“An heir and a spare. One dead and the other a disappointment, I did my duty, and I will not have our precious lord take away what’s rightfully mine. It is enough that he hasn’t exiled Sirius yet and is allowing a half-blood heirship”
Cygnus Black closed his eyes before standing up.
“I only came here to inform you of the impending visit. But I implore you sister to bury whatever hatchet you have with my nephew - your son. Sirius may not be as one would have wished but the boy is doing his duty now and his heir will carry our legacy”
The wizard made his way to the door but paused as he turned the handle.
“Look at yourself sister, look at yourself and ask if this is what you truly wish to be? A bitter witch with all but a house-elf for company”