The Tragedy of Walburga Black

☆𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎𝟕☆

(𝟕 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫)

𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡, 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟗 - 𝟏𝟐 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞.

Her quill scratching across the scrolls echoed through the main room as she wrote to Dumbledore, warning him of a new poison that Death Eaters planned to use on the battlefield.

Not a day of the war passed without news of wizards and Muggles dying making the front page of the Daily Prophet.

Fear began to spread even among the most loyal followers. Even Bellatrix, who seemed to be Voldemort's most trusted, would often appear to Walburga covered in bruises, yet still holding a smile.

The young Death Eaters she had grown accustomed to seemed like mere shells of themselves. Even Severus and Mulciber, whom she had regarded as the strongest, looked as if they hadn't slept in years.

However, it was Regulus who seemed to change the most. Her son appeared to be caving in on himself. Whenever she tried to speak to him about it, he would shut her out. Something had happened that he seemed too afraid to speak of.

She had commanded Kreacher to tell her the truth, but in his loyalty to Regulus, he could not.

With a sigh, she stood up and sent out the letter to Dumbledore.

"Who's that for?" a familiar voice asked, making her jump slightly.

Turning around, she huffed before walking nonchalantly towards her desk. "Your uncle," she replied, looking up as she watched Regulus prepare to leave. "Who are you with tonight?" she questioned.

The boy looked worn out, with a permanent frown etched on his face. She hadn't seen him smile for quite some time. Even when his friends were around, his mind seemed to wander somewhere else.

"I am alone tonight, though I am taking Kreacher." He muttered not looking in her direction.

She frowned, her concern deepening. "Why—"

"Don't worry for me, Mother," he spoke up, cutting her off. "It will be a simple mission, and Kreacher has healed from what the Dark Lord did to him."

She sighed, studying him for a moment before nodding reluctantly. "Just be careful, Regulus," she said softly, her worry evident in her voice.

He gave her a small nod. "Always am."

With that, he disapparated away from Grimmauld Place, leaving her alone with nothing but a growing worry gnawing at her heart.

☆ ★ ☆

As the night progressed, she had paced nearly every square inch of the home. By the time Orion arrived, he found her sitting in the hallway, pulling at her hair in distress.

Confusion etched on his face, he hurried over to her and knelt beside her. "What happened?"

She looked up, her eyes filled with worry and fear. "I... I cannot live like this any longer." As he wrapped his fingers around her wrists, pulling them away from her hair, she continued, "I want out," she whispered so quietly he could barely make out her words.

Orion's grip on her wrists tightened momentarily, his worry evident in his expression. He knew there was no way out of it, but he wouldn't tell her the hard truth, instead, he nodded, "I'll find a way out for us," he promised, his voice steady despite the uncertainty swirling around them.

Helping her up, he wrapped his arm around her waist and led her back into the main room before leaving to make her some tea.

In his absence, she felt the walls closing in on her. With no time to think, she grabbed her wand and Disapparated out of Grimmauld Place.