A Proclamation
Once upon a time, long, long ago. Well, more like 20 years ago. Euphemia Potter married Fleamont Potter in front of 6,000 of their closest, personal friends.
Big cake.
Yeah, so instead of a honeymoon, Fleamont united all of the kingdoms and got himself elected King of the United States of Hogwarts. He rounded up all the death eaters, the Slytherins, basically all of the really interesting people, and he booted them off to the Isle of Azkaban, with a magical barrier to keep them there.
This is my hood.
No magic.
No Wi-Fi.
No way out.
...Or so I thought.
Hang on, you’re about to meet us, but first, this happened.
Prince James was getting his outfit measured and ready for his up-and-coming coronation, where he would be crowned King of Hogwarts. He was turning sixteen in about a month, March 27th to be exact, which meant he was dutifully ready to rule a country, according to his mother.
James didn’t think so, at least not as much. He wasn’t ready to rule an entire country, he wasn’t ready to be king, he was just a child and he wanted to keep being a child, but he had to live up to his parents’ expectations.
He had already planned his first big notion as a ruler, he had been thinking about it since he was a kid, it was his goal, his dream, and soon, his biggest achievement.
His parents, well, he doesn’t know how they would react. He’s expecting them to yell, maybe his father will unleash his beast, his mother might faint, and frankly, if their reaction is that bad, who knows how the kingdom itself will react.
All that doesn’t matter however, once he’s King, they’ll have no choice but to accept his decision, and he will do good with his word.
He’s planning on sharing this with his parents today, which is essentially perfect timing, seeing as his thoughts were interrupted the moment Euphemia and Fleamont Potter walked into the fitting room, hand in hand.
He looked up and smiled at his parents, he’d always wanted a love like theirs, one that you would see in fairytales, which he supposes they do live in a sort of a fairytale, but alas, minor details.
“How is it possible that you’re getting crowned king next month? You’re still my little boy!” Fleamont exclaimed, a wide grin plastered on his face as he walked towards his son, holding his wife’s hand in his.
“He’s turning sixteen, Flea, he’s perfectly of age.” Euphemia softly responded, staring at her son with a fond smile.
“Hey, mom, dad.” James uttered with a nervous expression.
“Sixteen? That’s far too young to be crowned king!” Monty exclaimed playfully while cleaning his glasses, “I didn’t make a good decision until I was at least 42.”
Effie scoffed, glaring at him. “You decided to marry me at 28.”
“Well, it was either you or a painting.” he teased, winking at his son.
This however, did not please Euphemia.
“Kidding!” Fleamont laughs as he puts his glasses back on, while Effie shakes her head in playful annoyance.
“Mom, Dad...-” James tries, but gets interrupted by his tailor, ushering him back to his stand so he can continue his work. “I’ve chosen my first official proclamation.”
Euphemia and Fleamont straighten up at this, an encouraging smile growing on their faces.
James takes this as a sign to continue, “I’ve decided that the children on the Isle of Azkaban should be given a chance to live here, in Hogwarts.”
His parents, bless them, didn't immediately yell or scream, but he assumed they were still processing what he said since all they had let out was a gasp, his mother dropped the jacket she had been holding though.
James tries to soothe things through, “Every time I look out to the Island, I feel like they’ve been abandoned.”
“The children of our sworn enemies? Living among us?” Fleamont retorts, worry etched in his expression.
“Well, we could start out with a few at first, only the ones who need our help the most.” James explains with a proud voice, desperately trying to convince them to agree. “I’ve already chosen them.”
“Have you?” Monty scornfully responds, an eyebrow raised in objection.
Euphemia, however, is quick to pull him back, a soft yet worried smile growing on her face. “I gave you a second chance, didn’t I?” she then turns to face her son, “Who are their parents?”
“Mr. Rosier,” they nod.
He continues, “Bartemius Crouch Sr.”
He watches as their eyebrows raise, still not stopping him though, so he decides to ignore his nerves and say the final two in one go.
“Druella and Walburga Black.”
He hears his tailor dropping his needle and screaming in shock before his father exclaims “The Blacks!? Walburga is the worst villain in the land!”
“Dad, just hear me out here...” James attempts, but to no avail.
“I won’t hear of it.” he removes his glasses, the anger building up inside him, “They are guilty of unspeakable crimes!”
“Dad, their children are innocent!” James argues, “Don’t you think they deserve a shot at a normal life?”
The silence engulfing the room is loud. James understands where his father is coming from, he does, truly, but he strongly believes that it’s not right, unjust, for the children of Death Eaters to not be given a chance at a normal life, just because their parents made some mistakes, it shouldn’t affect their ability to choose their own future. James firmly believes that.
“Dad...?” He tries again.
His parents exchange glances, Monty’s etched with dismay, Euphemia’s tied with a firm yet gentle and encouraging smile as she nods towards Fleamont, easing his worries.
Fleamont nods, staring at his son in reluctance, “I suppose their children are innocent...”
He walks away without an extra word, waiting for his wife before exiting the room.
Euphemia walks towards James and straightens his collar before muttering, “Well... well done.” with a soft smile.
She walks towards her husband, hooking their arms together, uttering “Shall we?” as they both wordlessly walk out of the fitting room.
James lets out a heavy sigh, walking towards the balcony and staring out the window at the Isle of Azkaban. Soon he’ll be meeting Evan Rosier, Barty Crouch, and the two brothers Sirius and Regulus Black.
He can’t help the smile that forms on his face.
Growing up as one of the sons of the Noble and Ancient House of Black comes with years of training to become a Death Eater who surpasses his mother, Walburga Black.
He grew up on the Isle of Azkaban with his elder brother Sirius and his three cousins, Narcissa, Bellatrix and Andromeda Black. He and his brother were both raised by Walburga and Druella, their father’s sister, though they did not know who their father was.
Or at least his brother didn’t.
It didn’t matter whether Regulus knew or not who his father was, he still left them before they were even born. At least his mother stuck around.
His mother was the most feared Death Eater known to Hogwarts. She had reigned supreme in her glory days, the days of terror and fear, where the Death Eaters would make everyone cower in their presence, when Walburga Black was ever so close to stealing the Fairy Godmother’s wand and ruling the entire nation.
He had strived to live up to his mother’s expectations of him, his goal was to surpass her and make her proud. He thrived whenever he was called evil, whenever he was compared to his mother’s wrath, whenever people called him a true villain. It made him glad; it encouraged him to continue pleasing his mother until her very last breath.
His brother, however, did not agree with such ideals. His brother longed to live in Hogwarts, he longed to leave the Isle and live like royalty, he’s convinced that he was a prince in his past life.
His mother had practically given up on Sirius, she switched her focus to her younger son, trusting her legacy onto him.
He and Sirius are very different, morally. Sirius had no restraint when it came to verbally voicing his opinions, he opposed his mother’s antics, and he was loud and proud about it, never once faltering. However, Regulus always listened to his mother’s words, worshipping them like gospel, knowing that if he didn’t, it wouldn’t end well for him.
Which brings him to his current situation, standing in front of his mother, his closest friends and family standing next to him: Barty and Evan, his best friends, and Sirius, Narcissa, Bellatrix and Andromeda, his family members.
“Regulus, Sirius! Delightful. I have news! Great news, wondrous, and you’ll listen to it.” Walburga exclaimed, looking less stoic than usual.
Sirius grimaced while Regulus leaned closer, interested in the information, “Yes, mother? What might that be?”
“You four, Regulus, Sirius, Bartemius and Rosier, have been invited to attend a different school,” she paused, “at Hogwarts.”
“What?” Regulus exclaimed, appalled, portraying the reactions of his friends quite well. “I’m not going to some boarding school filled to the brim with prissy pink princesses and narcissistic pampered princes!”
“Pretty princes,” Sirius muttered in a daze while Regulus sends him a glare.
“Yeah, no offense, but I don’t do uniforms.” Barty complained with a smirk, “Unless it’s leather.”
“Uhm... I read somewhere that they allow dogs at Hogwarts.” Evan shivered, “Mother said they’re rabid pack animals who eat boys that don’t behave.”
Barty barked in his ear, laughing ludicrously as Evan jumped with a gasp, muttering ‘don’t fucking do that to me’.
“Mother, we aren’t going, and that’s final.” Regulus dared his mother, looking her in the eyes intently.
“Oh, you’re thinking small, darling.” Walburga sneered, “It’s all about world domination!”
Sirius glared at his mother, rolling his eyes.
“Regulus, you, your brother and your little friends will go, you will find the Fairy Godmother and you will bring me back her magic wand.” she insists, “It’s simple, really.”
“What’s in it for us?” he questioned determinedly.
She rolled her eyes, “Matching thrones, hers-and-her crowns?”
“Uhm, I think he meant us-” Evan attempted, but to no avail.
Walburga stood up, gesturing Regulus closer, “It’s all about you and me,” she deepened her thought, “Do you enjoy watching innocent people suffer?”
“Well, yeah, I mean, who doesn’t...-”
“Well then, get me the wand!” she quickly interrupted, her voice growing louder, “And you and I can see all that and so much more.”
Regulus looked over to his brother, who was staring at him with an uncertain gaze.
“And with that wand, and my scepter, I will be able to bend both good and evil to my will!” she explained maniacally.
“Our will.” Druella nonchalantly corrected, Mrs. Rosier and Bartemius Crouch Sr agreeing with her immediately.
“Our will, right, our will.” she rolled her eyes in displeasure. “And if you refuse, you’re grounded for the rest of your life, Regulus.”
“What!? Mom-” Walburga was quick to interrupt his protests, drawing him in for a glaring battle.
His mother had taught him how to embrace his inherited powers, his family was born with fierce green eyes, cold, cruel and demeaning, making anyone who dares to look into them quiver at their feet.
They frequently had glaring contests, to test Regulus’ strengths, though his power alone was never enough to beat his mother, just like now. He intently and determinedly looks his mother in her eyes, squinting ever so slightly once he feels his eyes start to burn, while his mother shows indifference.
He holds his gaze for a few more seconds before shutting his eyes with a defeated sigh. “Fine, whatever.”
“I win.” his mother responds with a cruel and knowing smile.
He glanced over to Sirius, who was animatedly talking to Andromeda, seemingly excited to be headed to where the royals lived.
“Well, they’re not taking Evan because I would miss him too much.” Mrs. Rosier exclaimed.
“Really, mom?” Evan questioned hopefully.
“Yes! Who else would be here to touch up my roots?” he sighed at her response, looking away diminishingly.
“Yeah., maybe a new school wouldn’t be the worst thing.” he muttered under his breath.
“Evan, they have dogs at Hogwarts.” she nodded to him.
“Oh, oh no I’m not going!” He looked over to Walburga with dread in his eyes.
“Well, Bartemius isn’t going either!” Bartemius Crouch Sr exclaimed, “I need him to stock up the shelves in my store.”
“What is wrong with you all!?” Walburga yelled, dragging Regulus along with her, “People used to cower at the mention of our names!”
Everyone quickly quieted down, staring at her with regret.
“For 20 years, I have searched for a way off of this Island! For 20 years, they have robbed us from our revenge!” she continued, naming all her peers’ worst enemies, igniting the fire within them, forcing them to pay attention to the more important issue at hand.
“And I, Walburga Black, will finally have my revenge on Evans, ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and her relentless little prince.” she mocked disgracefully.
“Death Eaters,” she heard a round of ‘yes’ before continuing, “Our day has come. Druella, give Sirius the magic mirror.”
Druella handed her nephew her old magic mirror, as he cooed mockingly at the object, “This is your magic mirror?”
“Well, it’s not what it used to be, but then again, neither are we.” she chuckled, “It will help you find things, like the magic wand, it will only work once you’re out of the barrier and at Hogwarts.”
Walburga nodded, clearly distracted by something else. Regulus was about to question her, when she suddenly jumped, as if she had remembered a crucial piece of information, and headed towards the fridge, which she called a ‘safe’.
“Regulus, darling, come here.” she gestured, holding a frozen book in her hands.
“Yes, mother?” He responded, approaching her slowly from where he was standing from across the room, eyeing the book wearily.
Walburga stroked the book as if it were a prized possession. “It doesn’t work here, but it will in Hogwarts.” -she pauses, then says- “remember, when we were spreading evil and ruining lives?”
“Like it was yesterday.” Druella responded with a cruelly fond smile.
“And now, you will be making your own memories...” Walburga slowly passes the book to Regulus, before pulling it back the moment he touches it, “By doing exactly as I tell you.”
Regulus grabs the book as she hands it to him, rather violently. Before he could get his thoughts straight on anything, they heard a car honk outside.
He felt himself get pulled aside by someone, watching as everyone else rushed out of the door.
“Cissy, what are you doing?” his eyes widened as his brows furrowed, staring at his cousin in confusion.
“Don’t I at least get a proper goodbye?” Narcissa smiled sadly. She was always good at masking her emotions; she is the one who taught Regulus how to do so in the first place.
It is at this moment that Regulus realizes the severity of his situation. But the thing that causes him consternation isn’t the weight of his mother’s words, nor her expectations. It isn’t the fact he’s going to be surrounded by obnoxious and preppy princesses and princes. No, it’s the fact he may never see his cousins ever again. He may never see Narcissa again, if he doesn’t succeed with whatever his mother has planned, that is.
So he looks at her with a newfound determination in his eyes, and a need to get his job done as soon as possible. “I will be coming back.” For you. For Sirius.
He hugs her, even though he hates physical touch. He holds onto her tightly, a promise to return safely, an oath to return to her.
“Goodbye, Reggie.” she smiles softly, sorrow etched in her eyes. “Don’t do anything stupid. Follow your heart Regulus, not your mother. Your heart is always right.”
He didn’t know what to do with that, how to respond. Instead of pondering too much about it, he decided to respond simply. “Goodbye, Cissy. I’ll be back before you get the chance to remember I’m gone.”
And with that, he followed the rest of the group out of the rotten house, and towards the fancy limousine parked near the border of the island.
Exchanging one last demeaning look from his mother, Regulus entered the limousine and sat down next to his friends and sibling.
This is it.
With a quick glance around the Isle, Regulus sighed deeply, afraid, yet determined for what’s to come.
Hogwarts won’t know what hit them.