lurveinn

(one-shot in 'It runs' universe)

“I really miss you, but you never answer my letters, so I think maybe you don’t want to hear from me anymore. Do you hate me? I’d rather you just tell me, so I can stop writing.” 

Harry quickly reaches for his quill. 

Gods, I’ve been suck a prick, haven’t I? 

Not reading Sirius’ letters is one thing. Reading Orion’s but not responding is another, even if he’s starting to feel bad about that, too. 

But Marvolo….

Marvolo didn’t do anything wrong. 

Harry has been punishing them all collectively, and that’s unfair. It’s just that he’s so angry; angry isn’t even sufficient to describe the way he feels about Sirius. 

But that’s no excuse, is it?

“I don’t understand why you’re ignoring me,” Marvolo says, in front of the Fat Lady. “I get that you’re fighting with Orion, but I am not Orion.” 

And Harry felt bad then, too. But…”You approve of what Orion does to my friends, though,” Harry says, gentler than he speaks to Orion, but he still has to say it. 

Marvolo frowns. “And you approve of what your friends say about Orion. You laughed when those horribly unfunny twins played what they call a prank on Orion. Not only was it unfunny and in poor taste, but it was mean. And you laughed.” 

“Orion provoked them- " 

“And Granger provoked Orion when she called him ‘small-minded’!”

“It’s not the same!” 

“Whatever, Harry. Whatever. Fight with Orion, if you must, but I didn’t do anything. You’re unfair, anyway; I wanted to tell Father, about everything, I want him to make you two stop fighting, but Orion won’t let me. He says Father will be very mad with you. Orion still has your back, you know? Professor Snape made a joke about you, called you ‘our local celebrity’ in the common room and Orion snapped at him that he’s jealous he’ll never in his life do anything impressive, meanwhile you did it as a baby. He’s still serving detention for that!”

Harry sighs, pens a letter to Marvolo, assures him he wants to hear from him, that he doesn’t hate him. It’s just that he knows Marvolo will snitch back to Sirius, as he’s prone to do, and that’s why he’s keeping quiet. 

He won’t say that it’s painful to read Marvolo’s letters; they are very detailed, as Marvolo tends to get. And it hurts to hear so much about Hogwarts, about home, their family, and be reminded that he is not there, that he is no longer family. 

“You hit my son”. 

Orion’s letters are easier to stomach. They started off hateful, filled with accusations, of what Harry did wrong. 

“You’re the reason Mum is sad. You broke our family apart and now she doesn’t have one of her sons beside her. You selfish knob. And for what?” 

There are still plenty of lines like that in Orion’s letters, but over time they lost their bite a little. 

Orion doesn’t write about Hogwarts, or what he ate for dinner, or what Helix is doing, or what dress Astrid is wearing, like Marvolo tends to. 

No, Orion writes about how Harry can fix 'it'. Orion writes with less frequency, but it’s always a plan, on how to get Harry back to Hogwarts. 

“You can’t possibly like it there. From what cousin Gerhard told me, it’s fucking horrible. He says you’re always alone and that you’re having a hard time with those dictators that pose as teachers. I know you needed a lesson, and Father was right to teach you one, but surely you learned it. He’s just trying to show you that you belong with us, that you’ll always be better off with us, alright!? 

You don’t want this! You want to be home, with us. Tell Father you understand what he was trying to do, when you come back in the summer. Tell him you’re done with your stupid friends, you’re done rebelling, and you understand no friends are worth your family, and he’ll let you come back to Hogwarts. Probably. And then you act right, and we’ll all forget about it.” 

Astrid almost never talks of Sirius, rarely mentions him. The most she said about it was a day before Harry was supposed to leave. "You will be safer there, away from the war." 

Harry can’t fault her for wanting him safe. She’s his mother, of course she’d want him away from Voldemort. And she’s- well, she’s not with Voldemort. Same way Cissy isn’t. They have no say in what their husbands do. 

Harry has no idea what Sirius writes about. The envelopes are very light, so probably not much. But Harry cannot read them. Will never read them, he promises to himself. 

What hurts more than seeing Sirius’ handwriting on the envelopes is…the letters he doesn’t receive. 

His grandmother had not sent a single one. She has not said a word to Harry since that afternoon. 

He lost her. He knows that. She’s lost to him forever. 

Even in his anger, with all the pain and rage, even when he tells himself he lost Sirius as well... deep down he cannot really believe it. He knows he’ll see Sirius again; even it will be to fight, even if it will suck, even if it will be horrible and painful, there’s no way he’s not seeing or speaking with Sirius again at some point. At least one final time, one finally fight. 

It’s so incredibly humanizing to see people from the very distant past in such authentic color

And like. look at these landscape shots!! They’re so vivid!! Even aside from the historical value, these are just legitimately beautiful photographs

Prompting is OPEN for Blackcest Fest Nov 24-Dec 7!

Prompting Form

Prompt Gallery

Submit any and all Blackcest prompt ideas. There is no limit on the number of prompts. We look forward to seeing what you think up!

Prompting is OPEN for Blackcest Fest Nov 24-Dec 7!

Prompting Form

Prompt Gallery

Submit any and all Blackcest prompt ideas. There is no limit on the number of prompts. We look forward to seeing what you think up!

I do not particularly like the gender-neutral term wixen coined by fandom - not because I know German, I also do not like the term magicals - but because it does not feel organic in-universe. We need a gender-neutral term, but there is a fundamental issue with choosing one that combines terms witch and wizard. It is true that throughout the series, when aimed at people of all genders, we almost always see wizards or witches – something that out-universe is caused by the existing literary tradition (The Worst Witch, etc.) It is also true that wizard and wizarding are used by default.

On paper, such double use of a term as both gender-specific and gender-neutral in the absence of grammatical gender in Modern English is asking for a term that does not function as a generic masculine.

None of the terms for magic users – save for warlock, which is male because of the -ck suffix, and initially not negatively connoted, unlike in the real world – are inherently gendered in the real world. However, I also do not agree that honouring the real-world usage of witch, wizard, mage, sorcerer, etc, as truly gender-neutral terms for magic users that simply practice different types of magic or represent different schools of thought works canonically.

 Historically (in-universe), the world wizard was indeed gender neutral. The Sorting Hat, which is as old as the founders, still refers to the four of them as wizards:

There lived four wizards of renown, Whose names are still well known.

It is not a coincidence, as at this time witchcraft and wizardry were still separate practices. All founders were practising wizardry and thus were wizards; they represent a classical archetype of a wizard (etymologically it is derived from “wise”), since they are scholars, not some wild witches, and they build an academic institution. It just also so happens that with time Hogwarts starts teaching many forms of magic and becomes a school of witchcraft and wizardry.

Some of the classes like flying on brooms, potions, and divination are historically associated with women and witches[gender-neutral]. They are linked with the wild, the nature, the womanhood. (NB: the now regressive author used to be rather progressive by making both practices available to people of all genders).

Ironically, even we as fandom, started seeing broom flying as something that fits boyhood more than girlhood. Culturally, broom flying used to be associated almost exclusively with witches, brooms are after all a household item and were heavily associated with witch hunts, but as many things introduced to everybody, it started to be seen as more worthy of the boys. Slytherin implicitly favours boys over girls on their team, because Quidditch is seen as elite and flying is not feminine anymore.

Potions - like their real-world analogies of cooking and folk remedies - are left to men on a professional level and to women in the household. Feminine-coded Divination attracts as many girls as boys and is one of the main research areas in the DoM – and yet somehow it still looked down as irrational by some of the characters, while its more academic analogue - Arithmancy - is male-coded and respected.

Astronomy, History, Charms, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes (and Alchemy, though it is not in the Curriculum) are associated with studied men, academics, sitting in libraries and wearing beards – and so with wizardry. Some of the classes are less obviously associated with either witchcraft or wizardry, but let us talk about it sometime later.

Other terms also appear to have once been widespread, but are currently largely obsolete. They stay in historical titles (Grand Sorc., Chf. Warloc., the Warlocks’ Convention of 1709, a sub-committee of Sardinian sorcerers). They are still used in the neutral stylistic register (Witching Hour, with the popular singing sorceress, Celestina Warbeck, warlock called Perkins), but there is a second negatively connoted meaning for each of them. It is especially obvious when used side-by-side (venerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in Transfiguration Today but wild-looking warlocks). Underage Sorcery is something wild, something you are supposed to stop using after having received the privilege to learn from books (hi Harry).

See, the only truly gender-neutral and practice-neutral term that is used in the series is wand-carriers, and it is uttered by a Goblin. Why? Well, because homo sapiens might have erased the differences between sorcery, witchcraft and wizardly, by generously allowing other homo sapiens, bar squibs, to study in one place, but the same courtesy is not given to other beings wielding or not wielding magic (Non-Wizard Part-Humans is the legal term for those of mixed descent, Magical Creatures is for those of non-human descent). Magicals also does not seem like a very inclusive term, since some of the creatures – merpeople, giants – do not wield magic.

I don't think Bella would care what muggles do or support any muggle movement. She thinks one wizard, even a half-blood, is superior to all muggle women.

She thinks a half-blood witch is inferior to a pureblood man.

She thinks *she* is better than most wizards; she thinks *she* should lead. She's upset *she* was not given some opportunities.

She'd sacrifice fellow pureblood witches for her lord, her husband, or her cousin.

Our girl is problematic 😂 Her first cause is the pureblood cause and her family - as long as she prioritises that, she can never truly care about any kind of feminism. She will always think a Black man is superior and should have more privilege than....idk....any other pureblood woman that is not a Black. The only women she truly values and sees as her equals are her sisters, aunts, grandmothers- if you're not her blood, then you are lesser, regardless of gender.

Of course, she tends to like women better than men, she thinks McGonagall is better than Dumbledore, but they're both half-bloods at the end of the day, so her bigotry trumps any other ideology she might have had otherwise.

She would not support a similar feminist movement in her own world, because she would balk at a random witch being seen as equal to a Black man. Only *she* is equal to a Black man, of course.

She likes Voldemort because he gave *her* the right to fight, but if Voldemort was to allow muggleborn witches in his army, she'd turn against him 😂

“…Everything I do is for us, for our family. For the women in our family, so they can have a choice, but also for the men. To make Father proud, and to make sure you and Regulus will keep the position of power that you were born into, that you will always be above any Minister or any mudblood, or any filth that tries to interfere with our way of life. No one is above you.”

Did he like at all ever put it together before Sirius confirmed it. Like even just a tiny suspicion?

Also, what type of crazy rumours went around the death eater circles?? Because there were different "levels" of death eaters so does the rumors vary to each circle? (Is Avery a big gossip or nah?).

Anyways, love your fics💕💕

Here's a little something. It's a bit silly, but I had fun with it!

----

Regulus knew his brother would get along well with the Dark Lord, if only given a chance. And he was right.

“We all know Sirius is his favourite,” Corban once says, at a private gathering, with a little smirk. Regulus doesn’t like that smirk. But he puts it on Corban envying his brother.

Everyone was always jealous of Sirius. It’s natural, really. Sirius has his…flaws, but whenever he sets his mind on something, he will accomplish it like no other. Sirius always stands out in any crowd.

“Corban,” Lucius says, softly, reprimand in his tone.

Corban laughs. His gaze moves to Regulus. “Right,” he says.

Regulus holds his gaze until Corban looks away with a sigh.

(-)

Regulus hears from Barty, who hears from Rowle, who hears from Parkinson that his brother often saves their fellow Death Eaters from the consequences of their own actions.

“It was odd watching Avery fawning over Sirius,” Regulus agrees, finally happy to have solved the mystery of why everyone rumoured to be in the inner circle is now very careful around Sirius.

“The Darl Lord talks very …highly of him,” Barty says, with a frown.

“Of course he would!” Regulus snaps. Barty just doesn’t know how great Sirius is. They didn’t spend that much time together, mostly because Sirius always bullied Barty when Regulus tried to have them interact.

But they were young back then. Barty should put their childhood behind them.

“Of course?” Barty mimics him. “Sirius is basically our age. The Dark Lord refuses to bend his ear to advice from men much older than us, who have been in his service for over a decade. But apparently he listens to Sirius.”

Regulus snorts. “Sirius is a Black,” he reminds Barty.

Of course the Dark Lord dosen’t listen to any other man. But no matter how young, Sirius is a Black. The Head of their ancient and noble House. He was raised and taught by great men, like their father and grandfather. He learned from the best men in the world.

Anyone with a bit of sense would listen to Sirius, and the Dark Lord is highly intelligent.

While Sirius could be impulsive or have a childish tantrum- that was before! Since McKinnon died, Sirius changed. No one hears about his scandalous affairs anymore, no one has seen him drunk lately, and he has this look about him, this newfound determination. He seems more comfortable, even when he visits Grimmauld and speaks with their mother. His eyes look brighter. He clearly found a worthy cause to dedicate himself to, and that is the pureblood cause, and the Dark Lord.

Sirius grew up. He’s focused now on what matters, not on sex and alcohol. And when Sirius is focused- well, there’s no stopping him. The Dark Lord is wise to listen to his advice. Especially since Regulus knows that now Sirius meets with their Grandfather. Regulus is sure that some of the advice Sirius offers to the Dark Lord comes straight from their Grandfather.

“Bella was right,” Regulus once says, during a tense dinner with his mother and grandfather. It shames him that from all their family, it was only ever Bella that never lost trust in Sirius. She always insisted he would recover, that he’ll get over his rebellious phase and return home.

Regulus lost hope eventually, around the time it was rumoured Sirius had joined Dumbledore, and it does shame him now. He should have listened to Bella. She knows him best, after all.

Both Grandfather and Mother scoff at that. If they have one thing in common, these two, is that they both dislike Bella.

Regulus understands why, he does, Bella is a little…well, she doesn’t do things by the book, she behaves in most peculiar ways, but that doesn’t mean sometimes she isn’t right.

“She was!” Regulus insists. “Look how far Sirius has come!”

Ever since Bella killed McKinnon, their mother’s vitriol towards her has reached unprecedented levels. It’s her usual hypocrisy- she would have despised McKinnon, if she had ever met her. Regulus saw her a few times, even talked to her on several occasions, back at Hogwarts- the woman was a proper blood-traitor.

He was …well, he didn’t exactly approve of Bella killing her, hurting Sirius that way, but that’s how Bella is.

She often hurt Sirius, ever since they were young, but she was always the one to kiss away his pain, a balm for his every ache. It wasn’t unexpected that she’d turn a wand against McKinnon even if Regulus heard the Dark Lord prohibited it.

Bella was jealous. Regulus never understood why their parents didn’t arrange for a marriage between her and Sirius, especially since anyone with eyes can tell they’re in love.

He doesn’t know how Rodolphus stands it, or why Sirius, as jealous as Bella, hasn’t tried to murder him.

It really is a great mystery, and people often mock Rodolphus behind his back, that Sirius is sleeping with his wife, and he’s welcoming Sirius in his Manor, at his table.

That aside, it seems Bella was right about McKinnon, too. No matter how it hurt Sirius, since McKinnon died, he’s a much better man. He even seems happier. Bella really does know what’s best for him.

But both his mother and grandfather seem to think killing the redhead was a terrible thing.

“It pushed Sirius onto a path that will be difficult to correct,” his grandfather said.

What path? If anything, it only pushed Sirius into a deeper connection with the Dark Lord, and that is the best thing to ever happen.

Regulus ignores them. These old people always like to criticise Sirius, nothing he ever does pleases them.

It’s why he left to begin with, years ago, after their father fell unconscious. Their mother, grandfathers, uncle- everyone was unreasonable, and nothing Sirius did ever met their standards. They said Sirius was the issue, but when Regulus was forced to replace him, they found faults in him, as well.

Their grandfathers and Cygnus belittled Regulus and, deep down, seemed to resent him that he wasn’t like Sirius.

So Regulus long learned to ignore these people, just nod, agree with them, and never take to heart their constant nitpicking.

He long learned that no one will meet their standards; only his father did, but his father was one of a kind, there’s no one else like him. Yet Sirius is the closest they have.

(-)

“Reggie!”

“Do not call me that!” Regulus says, measured but firm. He hates nicknames, but he allows those close to him to use them.

Avery has no reason to be so familiar.

“Sorry, sorry.” Avery comes closer, tries to put an arm around Regulus, who steps away. “Listen, I was wondering if you could put in a good word for me? With Sirius? I find myself in another tough spot, and no one can find Sirius these days. But you’re his brother, you’ll probably have an easier time getting in touch with him, yeah?”

Not this again. So many people now come to Regulus, asking for Sirius, who apparently lives….

No one knows where he lives. His so called house is abandoned.

Regulus suspects he’s sneaking around with Bella, using one of their properties.

He does not want to confirm it. It’s distasteful. Bella is a married woman, Rodolphus is a good man, and while Regulus agrees Bella belongs to Sirius, first, they still shouldn't do this. Alas, neither Sirius nor Bella ever cared much for social norms.

These things are better ignored, unknown, so Regulus doesn’t try too hard to find Sirius.

(-)

“No way,” Avery snaps when they establish the Quidditch teams.

It’s Regulus’ birthday, and, for once, everyone is forced to do what he wants.

And he wants to humiliate them.

“No way in all the hells,” Avery insists. “You can’t put Rowle as a Beater on the team that’s playing against Sirius!”

“Why ever not?”

Avery is growing crazier and crazier by the day.

“You can’t! Rowle is an excellent Beater, and he could accidentally damage Sirius’ face with a bludger! And then what will we do? Out of the question!”

Barty looks at Lucius, in confusion. To his shock, he sees Lucius nodding in agreement.

Worse, even Rabastan says, “yeah, I’ll replace Rowle, I’ll make sure Sirius’ face remains intact.”

Everyone nods.

“What is going on?” Regulus snaps at them.

Barty sighs, as the others argue about what men are to be trusted with a bat around Sirius’ face.

“Have they all gone mad?” Regulus asks him.

Barty takes him aside. “It’s…well…it’s rumoured the Dark Lord favours Sirius.”

“Yes, and?” Regulus doesn’t see why that matters when they’re talking about a friendly quidditch match.

“Favours him, Regulus. All of him. Including the face, you know?”

“I imagine the Dark Lord doesn’t want one of his most trusted men injured, obviously,” Regulus says. “But this is just Quidditch!”

Barty sighs again. “Alright, there’s no easy way to tell you this, and you obviously can’t take a hint, but …it is said the Dark Lord is…you know…involved with Sirius. Intimately.”

Regulus blinks. For a few seconds he can’t comprehend what he’s hearing.

The rage comes next. How dare anyone suggest such a thing, slandering the good name of his brother and the Dark Lord’s!

It must show on his face, because Barty backs away, lifts his hands in surrender. “I’m not saying it! I’m just telling you what others are saying!”

“Who?” Regulus demands. “Who dares-”

“Mostly everyone.”

Regulus marches over to their so called friends, to give them a piece of his mind, but just then Sirius walks in, hand in hand with Bella, and -

He can’t say these things in front of his brother. Sirius doesn’t deserve to hear such offensive lies made up about him.

People gossip a lot- when they run out of truths, they invent stuff. Like that nonsense that the Dark Lord is having an affair with Bellatrix.

Regulus breathes in, tries to calm himself. That rumour made all the rounds for years, and it finally died down.

No doubt, this one will as well.

His parents always did say people are obsessed with Blacks, that they make up rumours about their family all the time, and that the best thing Regulus can do is never pay them any attention.

Everyone is just so jealous of the confidence Bella and Sirius enjoy with the Dark Lord. They earned their place at his side because of their Black greatness, but people can’t stand that, so they spitefully try to denigrate their success.

(-)

“My Lord,” Regulus adds, just as the Dark Lord turns.

They ran into each other by accident in Lestrange Manor, and exchanged quick greetings. The Dark Lord is always so polite with Regulus, it’s really is such a rare honour, from what Regulus learned about other Death Eaters’s experiences.

“Yes?”

Regulus doesn’t know how to say this, but it occurs to him he should take advantage of this opportunity.

He can hardly tell Sirius, his brother will lose his mind and murder someone.

“You should know that some people,” he says, “are speaking ill of you.”

“Half the country speaks ill of me,” the Dark Lord says, amused.

Regulus waves it away. Who cares what mudbloods and traitors say? “I meant within our own circle.”

“Do they?” the Dark Lord tilts his head, interest piqued. “And what are they saying?”

Oh, Gods. “Unfounded accusations, fuelled by jealousy, My Lord. It concerns Sirius, as well. You and Sirius,” he adds, hoping that would suffice, that the Dark Lord would get his meaning.

And he does! His eyes flicker with understanding, and he goes still.

“Avery is the worst of the lot,” he goes on. “But Corban should take more care with the way he implies things, too. I apologise for even mentioning it, My Lord, it is so far beneath you, but you can imagine how these types of accusations could hurt one’s reputation. This nonsense shouldn’t spread; otherwise, obviously, it could make people abandon our cause, if they are misguided enough to give credence to this filth.”

What pureblood worth his salt would ever follow a man rumoured to lie with other men?

“I see. Thank you, Regulus, for bringing it to my attention.”

“You’re most welcome, My Lord. I- if I may offer some advice?”

“You may.”

“It’s best if you don’t inform my brother about this. You know his temper. He’d be infuriated to learn someone is accusing him of such depravity.”

“No doubt,” the Dark Lord agrees.

He’s taking this much better than Regulus would have thought. If Regulus were the target of these types of rumours, he would not react as stoically as the Dark Lord.

“I will see to it, Regulus. Don’t trouble yourself any further.”

Regulus smiles at him. He feels better now, knowing someone can deal with this nonsense.

(-)

That night, at a party, Avery again makes some insinuations, but Regulus doesn’t react. No need. Soon, the Dark Lord will punish him for such infractions.

“You look gleeful,” Rabastan says, taking a seat beside Regulus. “Whose puppy did you kill?”

Regulus tells Rabastan, not just to boast and to let the man know he will never lie down and take slander against his family in stride, but also to warn him, subtly, that if he also partook in such slander, the Dark Lord has now been made aware of it.

He must have partaken, because Rabastan genuinely looks horrified for a second. Not many things scare Rabastan these days. Only Rodolphus.

“You said that to his face?!” Rabastan whispers.

“Someone had to,” Rabastan drawls. “He surely appreciated I am looking out for his reputation. I won’t let anyone imply he or my brother would ever lower themselves to that.”

“You’re a- gods,” Rabastan shakes his head. “You are so lucky you are Sirius’ brother. If you were anyone else, I’m sure he’d have killed you.”

“I am lucky, yes.” Regulus would have no one else as a brother. Sirius is the best. “And yes, it took remarkable restraint from the Dark Lord to have to hear those vile things and not snap, but he’s a wise man, he knew I was simply the bearer of bad news.”

“Did you use that word? Vile? Morgana’s tits, Regulus!” He shakes his head again. “Do yourself a favour and never say that to Sirius.”

“You mean do you lot a favour?” Regulus asks. He laughs. “Alas, I am not that vengeful, Rabastan, as to set Sirius on you.”

“Thanks,” Rabastan says, full of sarcasm.

Blackcest Fest is back for 2025-2026!

Prompting: November 24-December 7 Claiming Opens: December 10 Claiming Closes: February 28, 2026 Submissions Due: March 8 Posting Begins: March 16 Author Reveals: TBA

The rules are mostly the same as previous years with a few changes worth noting. First, podfics are now eligible for the fest. Second, AI is explicitly banned. Third, we will now have a discord server where participants can chat about their works!

We'll see you in November :)