#au regulus

When Eleanora married Regulus and took over Grimmauld Place from Walburga, one of the first things she did was claim the attic as her workshop. She used it for potion brewing, jewelry making, working on antiques and magical artifacts, but since the war ended her primary purpose had been figuring out a way to remove Regulus’ dark mark. Growing their marriage from an uncomfortable arrangement to a genuine partnership had been a long and arduous process, but it ended up being worth it. She knew Walburga had suggested the match to make up for Regulus’ shortcomings as an heir and her parents had agreed because the Black family was one of the most distinguished pureblood families in the British Isles. None of them had really considered Eleanora and Regulus’ compatibility, but a certain kind of compatibility had been there anyway.

Over the course of their marriage Eleanora and Regulus had fallen into an easy familiarity. They shared books, played chess, and slept in separate rooms, an arrangement that suited them both. They had the kind of partnership Eleanora had always wanted from her marriage, one built on mutual respect and a friendly sort of affection, just like her parents’. So it was important for Eleanora to find a way to remove Regulus’ mark because she knew how much it bothered him. And she didn’t like that his parents had forced him to get it while he was still in school, really just a child. When Eleanora finally worked out how to undo the curse that bound the ink to Regulus’ skin, she felt a fierce sense of pride and satisfaction. She’d never been one to doubt her own abilities, but having the practical proof of it was always gratifying. 

She found Regulus in his study off the library that they shared. She knocked before entering, then wasted no time sharing her news. “I’ve figured it out.”