(when the room is empty)

Narcissa Malfoy

No one was going to do anything. A perfect opportunity to find black mail had descended upon the gossip columns of the Daily Prophet and no one had planned to do...anything. This was a newly appointed Wizengamot or government or whatever it was (the exact details had flown from her head some time ago in her heist to gather and move and do) official who could be bought with the right information and...well, Regulus hadn't exactly determined the next steps but, really, she was already doing the heavy lifting. 

And wasn't that a laugh? Regulus Black. Doing something. 

You've done a lot, she reminded herself--but none of it were known things. Remus Lupin gave her a place to stay. Marcus McKinnon visited--and she had told him, something, she was certain of it... but nothing had happened and maybe it was a dream. "I know what I'm doing." She said to her reflection and because no one else was in that room with her she said it two more times, rubbing her palms down the velvet robes she had stolen from her mother's closet. They didn't fit quite right--it was supposed to cling to her sides and hips but even after after the stolen potion there was too much space--but she loved the texture and the green of it.

She tried to put on one of the necklaces--a lovely sliver chain with a tear drop end--but the moment it touched her chest she remembered having her hands slapped away. That was years ago, she reminded herself. It did't matter. the tear drop slipped and clattered to the floor. Useless, she thought, swiping her finger under the vanity. She couldn't find it and found herself transfixed by the mirror when she looked up again.

Thats you, she thought, over and over again--sixteen times until she stopped gritting her teeth. She put everything away--not how her mother would have, but the precise way she knew it should have always been.

Family

It’s a good thing Regulus has never watched a TV-Family nor has he spent much time with any family that might constitute as “normal” by anyone outside PureBlood Circles. Even still, Regulus understands that families love each other and generally care for each other.

And that is why, at the heart of things, Regulus truly believes if he were a better son, his parents would be better. He even believed, for a time, that if he had been able to be better, Sirius might have stayed (although this has evaporated, the thought is a well worn path in his head and he’s liable to fall back into it for other things)

These thoughts were what helped him move forward after so much family upheaval. He could sit up straighter, he could find a way to almost make eye contact--which was enough, he could enunciate better, learn finances... Of course it has never been enough but Regulus is still trying.

After all, if his family didn’t love him, they wouldn’t push him to be better (although push is a generally light term). Of course, many of the things being asked of him are against his personality or nature--but one day, maybe, he’ll be able to do those, too.

He tries less around Narcissa ( @missmvlfoy ) and her husband ( @purestpeacock ) because, simply, they haven’t demanded it of him and Lucius hasn’t ostracized him for protesting the various things Regulus refuses to do. Bellatrix ( @lestrangebtrix ) is something different all together--and Regulus wanted to imitate her throughout his late teens but now it is more of show, an attempt, and much like what he does with his parents.

Regulus stays where he is, putting a lot of effort into learning how to be the head of house, because he loves his family and, at the same time, he has comparatively fewer people outside of it.

“Well I suppose I’ll kill Snape, fuck Lucius as Narcissa would surely find that the least problematic of the three, and that leaves marrying Yaxley who I assume is Corban Yaxley and not another Yaxley.”

“Marry my husband, of course, sleep with Severus, and kill Yaxley. Sadly I am closer with Severus than I am him.”

“Everyone always acts like me loving Ted makes me better than the rest of the Blacks but there are moments when I catch myself using the m word.”

“Sometimes I don’t know if I actually care for Bella or I just act like it because she is my sister and I have to.”

“It isn’t that I’m incapable of getting pregnant that keeps us from having an heir but rather the fact we aren’t trying.”

“I lean towards lighter grey and the only reason I’m still on the tapestry is Orion is way too lenient and the Prewetts are a very old family.”

“I never told the boys my maiden name, it would only cause issues for them if they realized just who they were related to. Plus knowing Arthur he’d try and befriend some of them.”

“I do actually love Sirius, regardless of the stupid things he does and how irritating he is. I just can’t let his behavior go unchecked.”

@slytherthings