CW: Mentions of violence and abuse.
~~~
Late Summer 1976
Regulus had never had a summer that felt so quiet. If it wasn't Sirius making a scene over wanting to wear his leather jacket instead of his formal robes, then it was his mother screaming at him for putting up more scarlet and gold banners in his room with a permanent sticking charm. Even when it was quiet, Sirius would find a way to sneak into Regulus' room and entertain them for a little while until they were told to grow up, but now it was just Regulus - the new Black family heir.
Ever since Sirius had run away, their parents had acted as if he had never existed to them. The entire family shunned him like he had never been a Black. Even the mention of his name was often brushed off. He may as well have been James Potter's brother... he certainly felt like no brother to Regulus.
"Hold your chin high, this will be a grand day for you. Act like it." Walburga demanded as the private tailor poked needles into his new emerald and black robes.
"Ouch!" Regulus gasped as a needle accidentally stuck him in the arm.
"Oh man up!" Walburga hissed.
The tailor seemed to be completely unbothered by his accidental jab and continued on.
"Now, I don't want any misbehaviour during the ceremony." Walburga commanded as she paced around him, making sure every bit of his new robes were in proper order. "If you even so much as put a single toe out of line, there will be punishment. You are our family heir and if you even think to act like the other one... so help me, I will take it away."
"Yes, mother." Regulus responded as rigidly as a statue.
His parents had come to refer to Sirius as "the other one" whenever they did have to speak of him. He was beyond being the family disappointment - he no longer was in the family for all they cared.
"You will make this family proud and you will make the dark lord proud." She demanded again.
Regulus did not respond as he watched the tailor stick the next needle into the cuff of his sleeve and tried not to flinch.
~~~
It was an honour to be the next Black family heir. That's all he had ever heard his whole life and now the honour was being officially bestowed onto him. Everyone in their family was there to watch the ceremony, along with friends of his parents and their children, most of which Regulus was friends with as well.
He hadn't left his room in hours as he waited for the ceremony to start, he just wanted it to be over with. Everyone was there to watch as he took the title that was never meant to be his, like his brother had never existed.
Every so often, Kreacher would knock on his door and let him know who had arrived and how much time until he had to go downstairs. He laid on his bed, in his perfectly hemmed, emerald and black robes, staring up at the canopy draped over the four poster bed. He refused to get up until it was necessary.
"Master Regulus?" Kreacher called, poking his head into the room.
"Yes Kreacher?" He responded, his eyes locked onto the canopy.
"Mistress Black has requested you join the party. The ceremony is about to begin." Kreacher informed him.
Regulus took in a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.
"Thank you, Kreacher." He said, politely. "I'll be there in a minute."
Kreacher bowed his head then backed out of the room, closing the door.
YOU ARE READING
Faith in Fear | A Regulus Black Story.
Fanfiction"Regulus didn't see him again until the holidays were over and his parents acted as if they had only ever had one son." Regulus Black has been told his entire life that he should be proud of who he is and the family he comes from, but with a rebelli...
