King of Swords [ Regulus Black ]

Chapter 7

I am not being fair in the way I tell this story.

Haro Fawley, with his charms and riches, did not turn me into the slithering serpent I am. Maslin Fawley, with his spite and rudeness, did not make me a distrustful creature. That gift was bestowed upon me by the wife and mother.

You have to understand something about Riverina Fawley. She is the most intelligent person I have ever met in my life. This fact also makes her the most fearsome woman in the wizarding world.

Secrets are the currency of the parliamentary system and high society in general. I have many secrets, none so severe as the one I am about to tell you.
Riverina was not born into this world, the daughter of fortune and cunning. As a muggle-raised witch, she carved out her place among a populace that would otherwise hate her for it.

Through hard work, dedication, and a few well-placed lies, she convinced her peers that she was the pureblooded daughter of a sacred faction of wizards hailing from French aristocracy.

I know this is a lie. It is evident in the way her accent occasionally falters when she speaks with passion. I know it because I snuck into her office in my first year living at Pembridge and found a birth certificate from St. Alphonsus Hospital, Newcastle. Tucked in a book and hidden on the top shelf, it remains to this day.

I know it because every time she looks at me, a tinge of guilt wells in her eyes.

Maslin would not dare call me anything but my name in front of her. She would have his head for it. He does not know why, nor does Haro, as far as I know.

This secret will have to be pried from my cold, dead hands. It is a secret I will keep until the world erupts in flames and will be kept still as the fire licks my flesh.

This is why I am so dedicated to this family. It is why I am happy to walk amongst the shadows, steal, and lie. Along with her many material offerings, Riverina Fawley has given me hope.