𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬

Campfire song

Around the crackling campfire at Camp Half-Blood, the night air was filled with laughter and the soft strum of an acoustic guitar.

The campers, gathered in a semicircle, were in the midst of a traditional sing-along, their faces illuminated by the warm, dancing flames.

Remus Lupin sat on a log, trying to follow the flow of the song as he watched his fellow demigods enthusiastically participate.

Rabastan Lestrange stood at the front, a grin on his face as he belted out the opening lines.

"Come on, grab some ambrosia, and let the nectar flow!" he encouraged, raising his cup.

The other campers cheered and clinked their glasses together, some of them scraping parts of their food onto the fire.

Remus, puzzled, turned to Rabastan. "Why is everyone scraping part of their plate into the fire? Is the food here really that bad?"

Rabastan laughed and shook his head.

"Offering to the gods. It's not enough that they're omnipotent and all-powerful, they need to feel appreciated. To the gods!"

"To the gods!" the ensemble chorused.

Rabastan began the first verse of the song, his voice ringing with a mix of humor and resignation.

"Oh, things couldn't be worse, when your parents run the universe..."

The campers joined in, their voices blending in harmony.

"Oh, things couldn't be worse, when your folks run the universe."

Rabastan continued, his tone a mixture of frustration and jest.

"My dad is Hermes, he messengers things. You'll know his sign by his shoes with those wings. I'd wait by the phone, but the phone never rings. Oh no."

The group nodded in understanding, a few murmuring their agreement.

"I know how that goes,"

"When your dads a god, life can be tough. I met the guy once, and once was enough," Rabastan finished.

"Oh I hear that!" Peter Pettigrew shouted.

"Regulus!" Rabastan yelled, singling it is his turn.

Regulus Black, sitting nearby, took his turn with a wry smile.

"My mom's Athena, she's smart and she's wise. She's sworn off gluten and she's sworn off guys. But if she came to camp, it'd be a surprise. Oh no."

"Oh no."

The campers groaned sympathetically.

"My stepmom she hates me and my dad works all day, so I left Magical Britain and I ran away."

"Wait is that true?!" Remus questioned.

"Everybody,''

"Oh things couldn't be worse when your parents rule the universe,"

"Oh things couldn't be worse when your folks rule the universe!"

"Alright whoses next?" Rabastan asked.

"Oh, let me see!" Alice Fortescue, jumping in next, sang with a touch of exasperation.

"Um, My mom's Demeter, goddess of grain. She gets excited when it starts to rain. But planting and planting and planting's a pain. Oh no."

The group chorused, "Oh no," their voices tinged with empathy. Alice added, "For their sixteenth birthday, my friends got a car. I got a fern in some dumb mason jar."

Peter Pettigrew, ever eager, hopped up with his own verse. "Oooo my turn! I'm a child of Pan, god of the wild. For those who love nature, they're often beguiled. He's not really my dad, but I'm sort of his child... Oh no."

The campers sighed collectively as Grover added, "He went for a hike to explore new frontiers, and no one has seen him for thousands of years."

The song progressed, each camper sharing their own humorous or tragic experiences of their divine parentage.

"Firenze who's your father?" Rabastan asked their mentor.

When Firenze, the centaur, took his turn, he sang, "My father is Kronos. Remember my lecture, he ate his children."

Rabastan, nodding in respect, said, "Chiron wins."

The ensemble laughed and agreed, before turning to Narcissa Black.

She sang with a dramatic flair, "The goddess of love, my mom's Aphrodite. She tries to be cool, but mainly she's flighty. I'll bring home a boy, and she's there in her nightie."

"Oh no!"

"It's so embarrassing guys!"

The group groaned in sympathy, with Silena adding, "I tried to seek help from even the fates. 'Cause she steals my mascara and all of my dates."

Finally, Rabastan turned to Remus.

"Alright, Remus, it's your turn."

Remus hesitated, looking unsure.

"If I tried to sing, it'll probably cause an avalanche."

Rabastan encouraged him, "Oh, we're all friends here. Come on, give it a shot."

Remus took a deep breath and began, "My mom was named Lita. She loved scary movies and food that was blue and—"

Alice interrupted, "He's doing it wrong."

Devina added, "Yeah, who's your godly parent?"

Remus sighed. "Oh... I don't know."

Rabastan, trying to be supportive, said, "It's alright. A lot of half-bloods never know their godly parent. Just give it a try."

Remus tried again, his voice tinged with frustration.

"So my dad is some god, that's great I guess. Did he not want me? Or not want the stress? Too bad he's the worst, and my life is a mess. Oh no."

The campers cheered and clapped for him, their support evident.

Remus continued, his voice gaining confidence.

"I hope he shows even a trace, 'cause I got some choice words to throw in his face!"

As the final chorus came around, the campers sang with renewed energy, their voices rising in a triumphant declaration.

"Oh, things couldn't be worse, when your parents run the universe."

Rabastan smiled at Remus and finished with a heartfelt line.

"But I don't care where our parents may be, as long as you are here with me."

The group joined in, their voices melding in a spirited conclusion.

"We don't care where our parents may be, as long as you are here with me. As long as you are here with me!"

The night ended with laughter and camaraderie, the campfire crackling warmly as the demigods bonded over their shared experiences and musical revelry.

For a moment, it didn’t matter who their parents were; they were simply friends finding solace and joy in each other's company.