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This is my first time reading a characterisation of Orion Black who is so immensely dedicated to his family because they are his family and not his legacy.

I find it really impressive how the author has taken that ‘typical’ characterisation and chosen to keep it at its core, but still finding a way to turn Orion into the kind of character you can see yourself latching onto just as the other characters in the story are. The fact that he has so many different dynamics with so many characters and each one makes complete sense? Not even a talent at that point, it’s a skill.

I’ve always been a firm believer that canon Orion and Walburga Black loved their sons. They adored them, and spoiled them, and were horrible people nonetheless. Horrible parents, too. They’d put pressure on Regulus to be more like Sirius, and would be frustrated by Sirius’ rebellion but always forgiving at the end of the day. In canon, it was common knowledge that Regulus deserted the Death Eaters and Sirius’ allegiance was to Dumbledore — Walburga and Orion would’ve known this. And yet they kept their sons things, kept their rooms clean and intact, exactly as they left them. Almost as if they’d be walking back through the doors at any minute.

So yeah, they did love their children. And I find it really special that I’ve found a fic that — although it’s an absolute wild ride of an AU — treats Orion in a way that makes it known how much his children mean to him and having that BE the reason he’s as hostile as he is.