#bloodyhellharry

Hi friends I think the last chapter of Motoboy will be late because I have overextended myself in after-work events this week I'm sorry!!!!

First of all, thanks to Vitoria for the referral! She and I talk often, and I appreciate her confidence and interest in my opinions. :) I hope I don’t disappoint. 

Secondly, I am so behind in my messages! The rest are mostly about Peter, so I tend to get caught in a Passionate Feelings Spiral about him! If anyone reading is still waiting for me to answer their message, please know I haven’t forgotten you.

Regulus gives me plenty of feelings, and I plan to explore them more practically in my very long (and overdue for an update) fanfic, The Life Cycle of the Common Rat. So I don’t want to give EVERYTHING away, but here are my general feelings about Regulus:

Regulus is the second of two male children in not only a wealthy family, but a family whose members have influenced society and politics for generations (an heir and a spare!). As far as we’re told, Sirius and Regulus are the only male children in the Black line–the rest are female cousins who would marry into and perpetuate other pureblood families.

Because of this, Mr. and Mrs. Black would have wanted their sons to marry other pureblood witches, have their own sons, and perpetuate the Black line. This was expected among ALL families of their status and social class. The Blacks took this particularly seriously; Mr. and Mrs. Black were second cousins, and I suspect that Sirius was likely expected to marry one of his three female Black cousins. To them, this was normal. 

Even without the Wizard-Nazi sympathizing, this would chafe any teenager. (Look at any wealthy/royal family–there’s almost always visibly rebellious behavior.) 

Because Regulus was the second child, he spent most of his life expecting Sirius to marry, propagate, and manage the family home. Regulus would, of course, be expected to marry and have children himself, but it wouldn’t be nearly so urgent should Sirius do his job and get there first. After that, the pressure on Regulus would be considerably less. 

Sirius was, make no mistake, the favorite and most treasured son in the Black family. Handsome, brilliant, talented, charming. The model of an upcoming socialite/political mover and shaker. A Gryffindor, yes, not ideal, but the Black heir nonetheless.

Regulus was…also there! Not as handsome, not as outspoken. But clearly smart and observant, and appreciated well enough. In fact, I rather mightily suspect that Regulus was pretty much a secondary concern until Sirius decided to abandon his family “responsibility.” I suspect he idolized and resented Sirius in equal measure.

It’s a pretty common (and unfounded) fandom belief that the Black family was physically abusive to Sirius, if not both children. I am disinclined to agree.*

In fact, there is no reason for us to think that Sirius had any reason to consider problems with his family’s beliefs until he arrived at Hogwarts and was exposed to other people, classes, and ways of life. To quote Vitoria: “If you read Sirius as anything other than a guy who never had to deal with consequences until he got himself arrested then idk whats this book u read,” and I quite agree.

Obviously it sounds a lot like this is a post about Sirius, but I promise this foundation is necessary to understand Regulus!

There’s a phrase that I think sums up the historical circumstances of multiple sons in a wealthy family rather helpfully: “One to the land, one to the war, one to the church and pray for no more.”

Sirius was the eldest son and heir, and due to his rebellious nature and—eventually—a righteous hatred of pureblood supremacy, he abandons his family home at age 16. He’s burned off the tapestry.**

Until this point, Regulus was probably planning to live a life pursuing the magical hobby of his choosing and quietly bribing politicians to do the stuff he wanted. The simple life!

But Sirius’s disownment thrusts Regulus into the spotlight. Unlike Sirius, Regulus takes his duty to heart—or at least works to maintain the peace. All of a sudden, after sixteen years of being the second son, Regulus is now the sole heir. But, oh dear, there’s a war on, and his family has indicated exactly where their sympathies lie.

The second son goes to war.

I admit that I am speculating now, but imagine that you are the head of an old, wealthy family that is nevertheless fading in influence and prestige. You have two sons who are the only hope of carrying on your storied family legacy.***

Then one day, your first son and heir apparent not only abandons home, but makes it clear that the family legacy is something he wants no part of. Soon after, you find out that your second son—the one you didn’t expect to have to rely on for an heir, especially not while he’s still a teenager—has put himself on the front lines of an increasingly brutal war. Of course, you knew about the movement and quietly support the cause, but you are aghast at the idea of sacrificing not only one of your sons to it, but the LAST REMAINING HOPE to continue the family.

This is why, despite the fact that they were pureblood supremacists, I think the Blacks were absolutely horrified that Regulus became a Death Eater, and would never have encouraged him to do so, especially once it was clear that Sirius wasn’t coming home. 

Maybe Regulus had the wrong idea entirely—maybe he thought his parents would be incredibly proud of him for doing the OPPOSITE of what Sirius-the-Traitor did. Imagine his surprise when his parents weren’t exactly overjoyed. Maybe it made him think twice, and more critically, and planted the initial seed that would eventually flower into his self-sacrifice.

I do not think it is a coincidence that Mrs. Black was driven to the absolute edge of her wits with grief, or that both parents died shortly after Regulus’s own death and Sirius’s life sentence. There was no longer any possibility of reconciliation or future heirs. The House of Black was ended.

*Although I fully acknowledge the emotional/mental abuse of impossible expectations combined with likely significant emotional withholding.

**I don’t think Sirius was burned off the tapestry as soon as he moved in with James at 16. I don’t think he was disowned until after he came of age, accepted money from Alphard, and decidedly didn’t move home, then joined the Order and condemned the DEs/pureblood cause, but I have no strict canon evidence of that. 

hello lovely people!! 

so i’ve just hit 100 followers!! woohoo! thanks everyone for finding my blog :)

anyways i thought i’d celebrate!! here is a list of some of my favourite blogs i’ve found so far. it’s very small but all these blogs are amazing and i love having them on my dash!! 

i love the whole harry potter fandom on here, everyone i’ve talked with is so sweet and supportive!! u all rock <3

From bloodyhellharry comes an excellent series of fanart dedicated to the unsung heroes (?) of the Harry Potter universe. From Dudley Dursley to Winky the House Elf, each of these drawings are as adorably witty as they are nostalgic.