The noble house of black, a big tragedy

The tradgedy of Walburga Black

As Walburga sits on her bed, picture in hand, she can't help but think about where she went wrong. She swore she would never be remotely like her parents, yet whenever she looked in the mirror, all she saw was her mother looking back at her with a wicked grin plastered on her face.

The picture of which she is holding contains a memory quite dear to her, in the small frame she keeps hidden in her drawer there is a picture, in it is Walburga with a smile on her face and next to her is Euphemia Potter with a matching one.  There wasn't really a reason for why the memory was so dear, nothing special had happened but she was with Effie so that hadn't mattered, they were simply happy and tipsy from the firewhisky they had drunk that night.

Life was easier back then, when she was still at Hogwarts and didn't have to worry as much about her parents, at least not while she was at school. Back when she wasn't married to a man as cruel as her father, back when she wasn't like her mother. She thinks back to that fateful night she had gotten that letter, the letter that would change her life forever, the letter that said she was to marry her second cousin, Orion Arcturus Black.

-Hogwarts 1943-

“I won't do it, Effie. I can't do it!” Walburga exclaims hurriedly, a slight shake in her tone as she paces around the small dorm room she and Euphemia shared with two other girls.

“What? What can't you do, Wally?” Euphemia answered her calmly, trying to understand why her best friend was so shaken.

Walburga didn't  say anything. Instead, she handed Euphemia a letter from her parents, Irma and Pollux Black. Two of the most horrid people Euphemia had ever heard of, if what Walburga had told her and the wounds they had given her and her brothers were anything to go by. Euphemia slowly took the letter as Walburga took a seat next to her, a distant look in her eyes as she bit at her nails, a nervous habit often caused by her parents.

In the letter was something they both had expected, only that they thought Walburga had more time.

*To Walburga Black,

Hello daughter, this letter is to inform you that we have come to an agreement with your aunt and uncle, Arcturus and Melania Black that when the time is right, preferably as soon as you have completed your studies at Hogwarts that you will marry your second cousin, Orion Arcturus Black.
This decision is not negotiable, and if you try to fight us on this, you already know the consequences of defying us.

We shall see you when you return during the winter holidays and discuss the details regarding these matters.

Regards, Pollux and Irma Black*

Euphemia feels her heart drop as she puts down the letter. She looks at Walburga with a look of sadness.

Walburga looks back at her after some time with such a sorrowful look it pains Euphemia to look at her friend.

“I don't want this Effie, I don't want to marry my cousin, and I certainly don't want to end up like them” Walburga says quietly, looking utterly broken.

“You won't end up like them. I know you Walburga, you would never hurt your own children, you're nothing like them” Euphemia answers her honestly, trying to comfort the girl she's known since her first year of Hogwarts when they both were sorted into Slytherin and then got placed in the same dorm. At first, Walburga had been quite timid, afraid to say something that could come back to her parents and result in yet another punishment. However, that quickly changed when Euphemia gave her a smile and cheerfully introduced herself.

“Hello! My name's Euphemia, but you can call me Effie” was what she had said, and somehow Walburga knew that she could trust her and that this cheerful little girl would become her best friend for the next few years to come.

Compared to others in their grade, Euphemia didn't look at her like she was a monster because of who her parents were, instead she looked at her with a sense of understanding and comfort that Walburga had never seen in her entire life.
And instead of looking at her like she was some wounded puppy when she came back from the holidays with new wounds and bruises, Euphemia helped take care of them to make sure they wouldn't get infected. Euphemia was the light of young Walburgas life, the only one who truly cared for her. And now they sit here in the quiet dorm room, thinking about the future that awaits Walburga.

“You don't know that. You can't possibly know that. What if I truly am what they all say, broken and wicked beyond repair. What happens if I become like them? I don't want to hurt my children, I'd rather die than become like them Effie!” She shouts, standing up and starting to pace once again, distressed about what is to be, tears making their way down her cheeks.

“Walburga calm down! I know that you're scared, I understand but please try to have faith in yourself, if not there is no saying that you won't become like those people and I know that sounds harsh but if you have already made up your mind that you will be like them then how can it be any other way?”

Euphemia walks up to Walburga and takes hold of her shoulders, forcing them to make eye contact. She looks at Walburga with kind eyes and a warm smile, soothing her friend instantly.

“You won't become like them, I won't let it happen. If I ever see any signs of it, I will shake some sense into you like I've always done. I shall be by your side as you will mine and we will be fine, I promise you that” Euphemia told Walburga, pulling her into a hug, they stayed in that position for quite some time.

-Present day-

How ironic it was, more than 30 years ago, Euphemia had offered her hand to Walburga. Asking, no begging for her to come with her and forget about her parents' orders and expectations. To leave behind their abuse, Walburga had been too cowardly to do it, no matter how much she wanted to.

Now, her son, her first born baby boy, Sirius, had been offered the same by Euphemia's son James. Except he hadn't been a coward. He chose to be free of the same life Walburga once had lived. Sirius had tried to bring Regulus with him, but Regulus hadn't dared in fear of what she and Orion would do if they got their hands on him.

Walburga was mad at Sirius. How dare he leave her? His mother, the one who raised him. Couldn't he see that all she wanted to do was make him a good heir that would make their family proud? “This is how children are raised, Walburga, I'm doing this out of love” her mothers words rang in her head. A numbing pain struck her. It felt like the first time she used the cruciatus curse on Sirius. The pain and fear in his eyes as she took a step closer to him, flinching as she leaned in for a hug, telling him that it was how all children learn to behave and that she loved him. But it no longer served him comfort. Now, when he looked at her, his eyes were filled with fear and spite. ‘It is true what they say then. The abused becomes the abuser’ that stupid little sentence was all she could hear, the night Sirius had run away and Euphemia came to her door to torment and chastise her.

Was this what her mother had meant when she said ‘You'll never escape me’?
Well, Irma Black would be delighted in the knowledge that she had been right. Walburga had become the one thing she swore to never be anything like.

Walburga couldn't escape her mother, but he could. Sirius had escaped his mother, and a faint part of her couldn't help but feel relief  as she thought ‘Good, run from me and be safe, get away like I couldn't’

                   -Authors note-

Please comment here on which character you want the next chapter to be about since I have no idea or motivation whatsoever about who the next chapter will be about!  🙏🏼

So this is the second chapter, and I honestly have mixed feelings about it. Some parts I really like while some others I dislike, but oh well. I said it would be out days ago, and now it's the end of the week, so this will have to do.

I know it is not the best, but hopefully, it is still enjoyable.
Have a good day/night, and I'll see you in the next chapter.